Ryan: "I know."
Price: "Then you need to stop making excuses."
Ryan leaned back in his chair.
Ryan: "What am I supposed to do now?"
Price: "Tell the truth when you're interviewed. Don't contact witnesses. Don't try to influence anyone. Cooperate with the investigation."
Ryan: "Are you going to help me?"
Price looked at him carefully.
Price: "I will make sure the process is fair. I will not lie about what happened."
Ryan's expression hardened.
Ryan: "We've worked together for years."
Price: "That doesn't change what I saw or what the evidence shows."
Ryan turned away.
For the first time, he began to understand that his usual confidence would not protect him from the consequences of his actions.
Back in the conference room, a medical professional arrived to examine Victoria.
The examination confirmed that her nose had been injured during the assault. There was swelling and minor bleeding, but no obvious sign of a severe fracture. She was advised to undergo further evaluation if pain or swelling increased.
Victoria thanked the medical professional and returned to the table.
Richard looked concerned.
Richard: "You should consider going home for the rest of the day."
Victoria: "I'll decide after the initial evidence has been secured."
Richard: "You don't need to prove anything by staying here."
Victoria: "I'm not trying to prove anything. I want to make sure the investigation begins correctly."
Richard nodded.
Victoria opened her folder and removed the appointment confirmation.
Victoria: "This was sent to the executive office three days ago. I want the original email and the visitor schedule compared with the information available at reception."
Captain Brooks: "We can do that."
Victoria: "I also want to know whether Officer Mitchell had access to the visitor schedule."
Captain Brooks: "The security desk computer has access to the daily appointment list."
Victoria: "Then we should be able to establish whether he opened it."
David checked the system report.
David: "The technical team can examine the computer's access history. If the schedule was opened, the system should show the time."
Victoria: "Good. Don't assume he didn't know simply because he claims he didn't know. Let's establish what information was available to him."
David nodded.
The door opened again.
A young administrative officer entered carrying a printed report.
Administrative Officer: "Captain Brooks, the security supervisor has sent the first access summary."
Captain Brooks took the report.
Captain Brooks: "Thank you."
She read through the document, then looked up.
Captain Brooks: "Chief, the appointment schedule was accessible from the security desk computer. The system shows that the daily visitor list was opened shortly before you arrived."
Victoria looked at her.
Victoria: "By whom?"
Captain Brooks checked the report.
Captain Brooks: "The login belongs to Officer Mitchell."
Richard's expression tightened.
Richard: "So he had access to the schedule."
Captain Brooks: "The record confirms that his account opened the visitor list at 7:41 a.m."
Victoria remained silent for a moment.
She had arrived at the building less than fifteen minutes later.
Victoria: "Does the record show whether he searched for my name?"
Captain Brooks: "Not yet. The technical team is examining the detailed activity log."
Victoria: "Then we need that information before his interview."
Richard looked toward David.
Richard: "Make sure the technical team preserves the complete access history."
David: "I'll contact them."
Victoria placed the appointment confirmation beside the report.
The situation had become more serious.
Ryan had not simply failed to check the schedule. The records suggested that he had opened the visitor list before she arrived.
Whether he had actually read her name remained to be established.
But his earlier claim that he had no information about her appointment was now in question.
Victoria looked toward the conference room screen.
Victoria: "I want the investigators to ask him exactly what he saw when he opened the schedule."
Captain Brooks: "Understood."
At 11:15 a.m., the first witness interview began.
Patricia Moore, the woman who had been waiting near the entrance, entered the interview room carrying a handbag and a small notebook.
She looked nervous.
The investigator introduced himself and explained that she was not in trouble. He told her that the department wanted to record what she had personally witnessed.
Patricia sat down.
Investigator: "Ms. Moore, can you describe what happened when you arrived this morning?"
Patricia: "I came here because I needed to ask about a report. I was waiting near the entrance when the woman walked toward reception."
Investigator: "Did you hear the conversation?"