Marcus remained silent.
The sheriff continued.
"I should have verified the documents before making the arrest."
Marcus nodded.
"Yes. You should have."
Wallace looked down.
"I understand that now."
Marcus held his gaze.
"Then make sure your officers understand it too."
Wallace nodded.
"We will."
Marcus picked up the document case.
He turned toward the exit.
Natalie was standing behind the desk.
NATALIE: "General Ellison?"
He looked back.
"Yes?"
"I hope everything works out."
Marcus gave her a small smile.
"Thank you, Ms. Brooks."
He walked through the doors.
Outside, Thomas Bennett was waiting beside a federal vehicle.
THOMAS BENNETT: "General."
Marcus approached him.
"Thomas."
Bennett shook his hand.
"Colonel Harris is on his way. He should arrive shortly."
Marcus looked toward the parking lot.
"Any update on the equipment?"
"We located the storage facility. The investigators are preparing the necessary authorization to secure the site."
"Good."
Bennett opened the vehicle door.
Marcus placed his document case inside.
Before getting in, he looked back at the sheriff's office.
He had arrived in Redhaven as an inspector.
He was leaving as the subject of a local investigation that had unexpectedly revealed a much larger problem.
He turned toward Bennett.
"Let's get to the depot."
Bennett nodded.
"The federal team is waiting."
At 8:05 p.m., Colonel Harris arrived.
He stepped out of his vehicle and approached Marcus.
The two officers shook hands.
COLONEL HARRIS: "General, I'm glad you're safe."
MARCUS: "Thank you, Andrew."
HARRIS: "I reviewed the preliminary report. The equipment movement appears to have been arranged in advance."
Marcus nodded.
"I suspected that."
HARRIS: "We also have evidence connecting Charles Bennett to Colonel Grant."
Marcus looked at him.
"Have you verified the communications?"
"Not completely. But the access records and the email from Patricia Bennett are consistent."
Marcus took a breath.
"Then we need to secure the equipment before anything else moves."
Harris agreed.
They entered the vehicle and drove toward the private storage facility.
The road outside Redhaven was dark.
The federal team had arranged a coordinated operation to secure the location through the appropriate legal channels.
No one intended to conduct an unauthorized search.
The investigators had obtained the necessary documentation and were prepared to preserve the equipment and records.
When they arrived, the storage facility was closed.
A security light illuminated the main gate.
A white utility truck was parked near the loading entrance.
Marcus recognized it immediately.
MARCUS: "That's the vehicle from the depot."
Thomas Bennett checked the license plate.
"Confirmed."
The investigators approached the gate.
A security guard stepped out of a small office.
SECURITY GUARD: "Can I help you?"
Thomas presented his credentials and the legal authorization.
"We need access to the storage area."
The guard examined the document.
Then he called his supervisor.
A few minutes later, the gate was opened.
The team entered.
Inside the storage building were several large containers.
The serial numbers were visible on the sides.
Marcus walked toward the nearest one.
He compared the number with the photograph on his phone.
It matched.
MARCUS: "This is one of the missing containers."
Thomas signaled to the evidence team.
"Photograph everything before moving anything."
The investigators began documenting the location.
They recorded the container numbers, the condition of the seals, the vehicle registration, and the surrounding equipment.
One container had already been opened.
Inside were communication components that had been listed in the government inventory.
A technician examined the labels.
TECHNICIAN: "The serial numbers match the original records."
Marcus looked toward Harris.
"How many containers?"
The technician checked the list.
"Four in this building. Two more may have been moved."
Harris looked at Thomas.
"Do we have the destination for the others?"
Thomas shook his head.
"Not yet."
They continued searching the authorized area.
Near the back wall, investigators found a desk with several folders.
The folders contained copies of transfer documents.
Some were identical to the records Patricia had provided.
Others had been altered.
One document contained a handwritten note.
It read:
"Move before final inspection."
Marcus examined the note without touching the original.
MARCUS: "Photograph that."
The evidence officer complied.
Harris looked at the document.
"Who wrote it?"
Thomas checked the handwriting against the other records.
"We'll need an expert examination."
Marcus nodded.
"Preserve it."
The team continued documenting the facility.
At 8:47 p.m., a technical officer discovered a computer connected to the warehouse's inventory system.
The system contained a list of equipment transfers.
Several entries had been created using a temporary authorization code.
The latest entry showed that two additional containers were scheduled to leave the following morning.
Marcus examined the screen.
The destination was a private logistics yard outside the county.
MARCUS: "We need to identify that location."
The technical officer copied the information through the approved forensic process.
Harris looked at Thomas.
"Can we stop the transfer?"
Thomas checked with the legal team.
"We can notify the appropriate authorities and request immediate preservation of the site."
Harris nodded.
"Do it."
The investigators continued working late into the night.
By 10:15 p.m., they had secured four containers, the utility truck, the original warehouse records, and the computer system.
The remaining two containers had not yet been located.
But the team now had a clear lead.
The investigation was no longer dependent on the word of a contractor or the assumptions of a local sheriff.