CLAIRE BENNETT: Yes. I want the building secured immediately.
She listened again.
Then she added one final instruction.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Preserve every security recording and restrict access to the narcotics evidence storage area.
She ended the call.
Daniel looked at her phone.
Then at the wastebasket.
DANIEL COLE: You really think you can shut down this department?
CLAIRE BENNETT: I think someone here has something to hide.
DANIEL COLE: You're making a serious mistake.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Perhaps. But I'm not the one who should be worried about a recording of this morning's events.
Daniel's expression hardened.
Before he could respond, the door leading to the command office opened.
Police Chief Warren Mercer stepped into the operations room.
He was sixty-one, silver-haired, and dressed in a crisp white command shirt.
He had spent most of his career cultivating the image of a disciplined, respectable police leader.
His department had received several public service awards.
He regularly appeared at community events and gave interviews about the importance of transparency.
But when he saw Claire standing beside the evidence desk, his expression changed.
Then he noticed Daniel.
Finally, his eyes moved toward the wastebasket.
His face lost its color.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: Agent Bennett?
Claire turned.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Chief Mercer.
The chief approached slowly.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: I wasn't informed that you were coming today.
CLAIRE BENNETT: The inspection was deliberately unannounced.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: I understand.
He glanced toward the wastebasket again.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: Daniel, what happened here?
Daniel immediately straightened.
DANIEL COLE: Chief, I was dealing with an unauthorized visitor who refused to cooperate with a security check.
Claire said nothing.
The chief looked at her.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: Is that accurate?
CLAIRE BENNETT: No.
The chief's eyes moved toward the federal authorization folder.
CLAIRE BENNETT: I presented my credentials, signed the required authorization sheet, and requested access to the narcotics evidence ledger.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: I see.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Officer Cole took my identification, physically grabbed my arm, refused to return the credentials, and threw them into the wastebasket.
The chief slowly turned toward Daniel.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: Is that true?
DANIEL COLE: I was maintaining security.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: That wasn't my question.
Daniel hesitated.
DANIEL COLE: I may have handled the situation incorrectly.
The chief looked deeply uncomfortable.
But Claire noticed that his concern seemed to extend beyond Daniel's behavior.
His eyes kept moving toward the locked evidence corridor.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Chief Mercer, I need the narcotics evidence storage area secured immediately.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: Of course.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Nobody should enter or remove anything until my federal team arrives.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: Naturally.
CLAIRE BENNETT: I also need the original inventory ledger, transfer logs, destruction certificates, and all associated access records.
The chief nodded.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: We'll cooperate fully.
Claire looked at him for several seconds.
CLAIRE BENNETT: I hope so.
She glanced toward the corridor once more.
The officer who had disappeared was still missing.
And the more she considered the timing of his departure, the more certain she became that her arrival had triggered something.
Her phone vibrated.
A secure message appeared on the screen.
It came from the federal financial investigation team.
The message contained a short update.
A NEW EVIDENCE TRANSFER HAS BEEN INITIATED FROM NORTH RIVER.
Claire read it twice.
The timestamp was less than five minutes old.
Someone was moving evidence while she was standing inside the building.
She raised her eyes toward the chief.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Chief Mercer, where is your evidence administration supervisor?
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: His office is down the hall.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Contact him.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: Certainly.
CLAIRE BENNETT: And ask him why an evidence transfer was initiated five minutes ago.
The chief stopped moving.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: What transfer?
Claire showed him the message.
The chief examined the screen.
His expression changed.
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: That's impossible.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Is it?
CHIEF WARREN MERCER: No evidence transfer should be taking place without my authorization.
CLAIRE BENNETT: Then we should find out who approved it.
Daniel had stopped smiling.
Gabriel looked toward the evidence corridor.
And somewhere behind the locked doors of the narcotics storage area, a machine began printing a new transfer receipt.
Claire closed her phone.
She looked directly at the chief.
CLAIRE BENNETT: I believe we need to have a much more serious conversation.
The chief did not answer.