Another included a response from a senior supervisor instructing him to submit a revised incident report.
Thomas looked increasingly uncomfortable.
His lawyer requested a break.
After returning, Thomas changed his position.
He admitted that he had been involved in discussions about how complaints were handled.
He also acknowledged that he had been told certain officers were protected because of their relationships with senior command staff.
But he denied knowing about the financial arrangements.
The investigators continued.
They asked about the incident involving Marcus.
Thomas said he had believed Marcus was an unauthorized visitor.
The investigators showed him the reception footage.
The video clearly showed Marcus standing in the public reception area before Thomas approached him.
Thomas had no answer.
When the interview ended, his lawyer requested that no further questions be asked without additional preparation.
Thomas left the building without making another statement.
The external investigators did not announce any immediate charges.
They continued reviewing the evidence.
Marcus understood that accountability required more than a dramatic announcement.
Every allegation had to be supported.
Every witness had to be protected.
Every decision had to withstand legal scrutiny.
He was determined not to repeat the mistakes of the people he was investigating.
***
As the investigation continued, Marcus began changing the department's internal structure.
He created an independent professional standards unit with direct reporting authority to the chief and an external oversight representative.
The unit was tasked with reviewing complaints, monitoring disciplinary decisions, and ensuring that cases could not be quietly removed from the official system.
Every complaint received a unique tracking number.
Every decision to close a case required a written explanation.
Every transfer of evidence had to be documented.
The department also introduced a secure reporting channel for employees who feared retaliation.
Officers could submit information confidentially, and reports were automatically logged outside the normal administrative chain.
Elena was appointed to lead the investigative review team.
Her first task was to reopen the thirty-seven complaints found in the Shadow Vault.
She began by contacting former complainants and locating witnesses.
Some were reluctant to speak.
Others had given up years earlier.
One former officer told her that he had never expected anyone to investigate his complaint.
Another civilian said she had stopped trusting the department after receiving a warning that she could face legal consequences for making allegations.
Elena listened to each person.
She did not promise that every complaint would result in disciplinary action.
She promised that every complaint would receive a proper review.
That distinction mattered.
The first month was difficult.
Some officers resigned.
Others requested transfers.
A few openly criticized the new administration.
But many employees quietly supported the changes.
Sarah became responsible for coordinating communication between the new professional standards unit and the public.
She also helped organize a public information process so residents could understand how to submit complaints and follow their progress.
For the first time, people outside the department could see that a complaint had been received, assigned, and reviewed.
The system was not perfect.
But it was no longer invisible.
***
Three months after Marcus's arrival, the external investigation reached its first major conclusion.
Investigators confirmed that several procurement transactions had been deliberately misrepresented.
Some payments had been approved for equipment that was never delivered.
Other funds had been routed through companies connected to individuals who had relationships with department officials.
The investigation also found evidence that certain complaints had been intentionally withheld from official reporting systems.
The findings were referred to the relevant authorities for further action.
Several former administrators were called for formal interviews.
The former finance director was asked to explain the approval process.
Two retired commanders were required to provide documents connected to the old procurement contracts.
Robert Collins admitted that he had moved original records under instructions from senior administration.
He also confirmed that he had accessed the archive shortly before Marcus discovered it.
His statement helped investigators reconstruct the sequence of events.
The case involving Northbridge Security Solutions became one of the central parts of the financial inquiry.
Investigators traced several payments to intermediary accounts and identified links between the supplier and individuals connected to the old administration.
The exact amount of public money involved remained under review.
But the department could no longer claim that the discrepancies were simply clerical errors.
Marcus held a press conference.
He stood behind a plain podium in the department's main hall.
Sarah sat near the front with the communications team. Elena stood beside the professional standards unit, holding a folder of documents.
Reporters filled the room.
Marcus began.
"Today, I want to address the findings of the independent review into Bellwood Police Department's financial records and internal complaint procedures."
He paused.