Robert Collins lived in a large house overlooking a golf course on the western side of Fairmont.
He had retired eighteen months earlier, but his influence remained visible throughout the city. His name appeared on plaques, charity boards, and photographs displayed in the police headquarters lobby.
When Eleanor arrived, a security camera turned toward her car.
A moment later, the front door opened.
Collins stood in the doorway wearing a pale blue shirt and dark trousers. He was in his late sixties, with neatly combed white hair and the confident posture of someone accustomed to being obeyed.
"Chief Hayes," he said. "This is unexpected."
"I'd like to speak with you about several historical internal affairs decisions."
Collins smiled politely.
"That sounds rather broad."
"May I come in?"
He stepped aside.
The living room was spacious, decorated with framed photographs from his years in law enforcement. One showed him standing beside Captain Richard Shaw. Another showed him at a department ceremony with Daniel Mercer.
Eleanor noticed the photograph.
"Officer Mercer worked closely with you?"
"Many officers did."
"Did you personally review complaints involving him?"
"That was part of my responsibilities."
"Do you remember David Price?"
Collins's expression changed slightly.
"Yes. A capable investigator, though not particularly practical."
"What do you mean?"
"He had a tendency to turn ordinary personnel issues into major investigations."
"He raised concerns about repeated complaints involving Mercer."
Collins walked toward a cabinet.
"Those complaints were reviewed."
"Several records appear to have been closed without complete witness interviews."
"Internal affairs has discretion in determining how to allocate resources."
"Did you instruct Captain Shaw to remove David Price from the investigation?"
Collins turned around.
"Absolutely not."
Eleanor placed a copy of the transfer memorandum on the table.
"This document shows that the recommendation came from Shaw and the approval came from your office."
Collins looked at it.
"That was an administrative transfer. It doesn't prove misconduct."
"I haven't said that it does."
"Then what exactly are you suggesting?"
"I'm asking why an investigator who identified a possible pattern of misconduct was removed before completing his review."
Collins sighed.
"Chief Hayes, you are new to Fairmont. You may not understand the pressures involved in running a police department. We deal with thousands of interactions every year. Not every complaint can become a full investigation."
"Agreed. But complaints should be assessed fairly."
"They were."
"Then why were some original statements missing from the final files?"
Collins did not answer.
Eleanor continued.
"Why was a digital account under your name still active eighteen months after your retirement?"
Collins's face became noticeably tense.
"I don't manage the department's computer systems."
"Someone used that account to attempt to change the retention settings on the archived complaint records."
"That is a serious accusation."
"It's a factual system record. The independent investigators are examining it."
Collins sat down.
"You should be careful about relying on computer logs. Systems can be accessed by other people."
"That's why we're examining authentication records and physical access logs."
For a moment, Collins appeared to consider his response.
Then he leaned back.
"Captain Shaw has managed field operations for years. You should speak to him."
"I have."
"Then perhaps you should listen to him. He understands the department better than you do."
Eleanor looked at the photographs on the wall.
"Did you ever tell David Price to stop investigating Mercer?"
"No."
"Did you ever instruct Shaw to close complaints without interviewing witnesses?"
"No."
"Did you authorize the transfer of complaint files into field operations?"
Collins paused.
"Administrative matters were handled by several offices. I can't remember every detail."
"Did you know that some of those files were later marked 'do not digitize'?"
"I don't recall."
Eleanor closed her notebook.
"Mr. Collins, the independent team will contact you formally. I recommend that you preserve all documents and communications related to these matters."
Collins stood.
"You're making a mistake, Chief."
"Which mistake?"
"You're treating every old disagreement as evidence of corruption. This department has served Fairmont for decades. You're risking public confidence by digging through matters that were already resolved."
Eleanor met his eyes.
"Public confidence is not protected by hiding evidence. It is protected by showing people that the truth matters."
Collins's expression became cold.
"People like Mercer have spent their careers keeping this city safe. You cannot destroy their reputations because one incident made you angry."
"This investigation began with an incident that could have happened to anyone. It continued because the records showed repeated complaints, missing evidence, and decisions that require explanation."
She moved toward the door.
"Mr. Collins, I hope you cooperate."
As she left, Collins called after her.
"Chief Hayes, there are people who will not appreciate what you're doing."
Eleanor stopped.
"Then they should be prepared to explain their actions."
Outside, she received a call from the independent investigator.
They had reviewed the account activity.
The executive administration account had been accessed from a computer in the headquarters building on the same afternoon the deletion request was submitted.
The workstation was assigned to Captain Shaw.
However, the login had been authorized through a shared administrative credential.
They could not yet prove who had physically operated the computer.
Eleanor looked back at Collins's house.
The retired deputy commissioner had denied everything.
But the evidence was now pointing toward a coordinated effort to control what the department remembered.
And the next interview would be with the man who had been standing closest to Mercer when the system began to fail.
Richard Shaw.