"Don't touch anything until the evidence team arrives."
Elena looked inside one of the open boxes.
Her expression changed immediately.
"Chief, these are the original payment records."
Marcus moved closer.
The documents contained transaction summaries, supplier agreements, and handwritten notes. Several pages had been marked with red lines. Some were stamped with the word CONFIDENTIAL.
Collins looked increasingly nervous.
"Those files aren't supposed to be here."
Marcus turned toward him.
"Then why are you moving them?"
"I was told to relocate them."
"By whom?"
Collins said nothing.
"Robert, I am asking you a direct question. Who instructed you to remove these records?"
The man looked toward the door.
Marcus noticed.
"Don't even think about leaving."
Collins slowly sat down.
"I received instructions from the deputy chief's office."
Elena looked at Marcus.
"Vance?"
Collins nodded faintly.
"Deputy Chief Vance told me the archive was being reorganized. He said certain files needed to be transferred before the new administration reviewed them."
Marcus remained calm.
"Did he give you a written order?"
"No."
"Did he tell you what was inside these boxes?"
"He said they were old procurement documents. Nothing important."
Marcus pointed toward the black bag.
"Then why were you taking them out of the archive in the middle of the night?"
Collins rubbed his forehead.
"Because I was told that someone had started asking questions."
"Who told you that?"
"I don't know."
"Robert, I need you to understand the seriousness of this situation. If you remove or destroy official records, you may be interfering with an investigation."
Collins looked down.
"I didn't destroy anything."
"Not yet."
The room fell silent.
A moment later, footsteps echoed from the corridor. Two Internal Affairs investigators arrived with a digital evidence specialist.
Marcus instructed them to photograph the room, document every open cabinet, and secure the computer and storage devices.
Collins was asked to remain in the office while the investigators recorded his statement.
Before being escorted out, he turned toward Marcus.
"Chief, there's something you should know."
Marcus stopped.
"What?"
Collins lowered his voice.
"The Shadow Vault isn't just a folder."
Marcus looked at him.
"What does that mean?"
Collins glanced at the investigators.
"It's a separate archive. There are physical records as well as digital copies. Most of the original documents are stored somewhere else."
"Where?"
Collins hesitated.
"Under the old municipal records building."
Elena stared at him.
"That's not a police facility."
"I know."
"Then why would department records be stored there?"
Collins looked toward the floor.
"Because some people wanted them out of reach of the department's regular auditors."
Marcus took a slow breath.
"Who has access?"
Collins shook his head.
"I only know that the deputy chief's office controlled the authorization."
Marcus turned to the investigators.
"Record that statement. I want every detail verified."
Collins was escorted out.
Marcus looked at Elena.
"Looks like we've found more than a missing archive."
***
By midday, the discovery had changed the entire direction of the investigation.
The department's technical team managed to recover part of the computer's directory. Although the main files had been encrypted, the system log showed that the Shadow Vault contained records dating back almost eleven years.
There were folders for procurement contracts, vehicle purchases, equipment transfers, confidential payments, and internal complaints.
One directory was labeled PERSONNEL.
Another was labeled EXTERNAL ACCOUNTS.
A third contained only a series of names and dates.
The investigators could not determine the full meaning of the files yet, but the archive was clearly much more extensive than an ordinary records backup.
Marcus called an emergency meeting with the city's legal adviser and the head of Internal Affairs.
"I want the evidence preserved independently," he said. "No one from the command staff should have unrestricted access to these files."
The legal adviser frowned.
"Chief, that could create complications. These are departmental records."
"They are also potential evidence in a financial misconduct investigation. We need an independent chain of custody."
"Are you suggesting the department cannot be trusted?"
"I'm saying we have evidence that someone inside the department attempted to remove records after an investigation began."
The Internal Affairs commander nodded.
"I agree with the chief. We should secure the material and request an external forensic examination."
Marcus looked at the legal adviser.
"Please prepare the necessary request."
The adviser wrote something in his notebook.
"Understood."
When the meeting ended, Marcus returned to his office.
Sarah was waiting outside with a printed email.
"Chief, this arrived from the mayor's office."
Marcus took the document.
It was a formal invitation to attend a private meeting with Mayor Richard Lawson at City Hall.
The meeting was scheduled for that afternoon.
Marcus read the message twice.
"Did they say what they want to discuss?"