The room became noticeably quieter.
Vance folded his hands.
"Of course. I understand there was an unfortunate confrontation at reception."
"An unfortunate confrontation?"
"Yes. I was informed that Officer Reed and a visitor had a disagreement. Apparently, things escalated before anyone could properly identify the situation."
Marcus looked directly at him.
"I was not a visitor."
Vance's expression remained controlled.
"Naturally. Now that your appointment has been confirmed, we can all move forward."
"Officer Reed assaulted a senior official inside this building. He grabbed me, struck me, and knocked me to the floor in front of a civilian employee."
A commander at the other end of the table shifted uncomfortably.
Vance sighed.
"Chief, nobody is suggesting the incident was acceptable. But we should be careful not to make a disciplinary decision before reviewing all the facts."
"The facts are straightforward. There were witnesses, security cameras, and an official incident report."
"Then the appropriate procedure would be to let Internal Affairs handle it."
Marcus opened his folder.
"That is precisely what I intend to do. Officer Reed is suspended from active duty pending a formal investigation. His access to department systems will be restricted, and the original security footage must be preserved."
Vance's jaw tightened.
"That seems rather severe."
"An officer who uses physical force against someone without lawful justification cannot simply return to work as if nothing happened."
"Thomas has been with this department for fourteen years. He has a strong record."
"Then his record should withstand an honest investigation."
Nobody spoke.
Marcus continued.
"I also want a complete review of disciplinary complaints involving Officer Reed over the last five years. Every complaint, every internal report, and every case that was closed without action."
Vance leaned forward.
"Chief, we have hundreds of officers. If we reopen every old complaint, we will paralyze the department."
"We are not reopening every complaint. We are reviewing the complaints connected to a specific officer."
"And what happens when officers believe they can no longer trust their own command staff?"
Marcus met his eyes.
"They should be able to trust that command staff will enforce the law fairly. That is not an unreasonable expectation."
The meeting continued for another forty minutes. Marcus requested staffing reports, budget records, unresolved internal investigations, and a list of cases that had been transferred between divisions without a clear explanation.
Every request seemed to make Vance more uncomfortable.
When the meeting finally ended, the deputy chief remained seated.
"Chief Harris, may I speak with you privately?"
Marcus nodded.
The other commanders left, and the door closed behind them.
Vance waited until the room was empty.
"I think we should discuss the atmosphere you're creating."
"What atmosphere?"
"You arrived yesterday and immediately suspended a respected officer. Today you're questioning financial records, old disciplinary cases, and decisions made by people who have served this department for decades."
Marcus gathered his papers.
"Is there a problem with any of those requests?"
"Not individually. But leadership requires relationships. You cannot expect people to cooperate if you begin by treating them like suspects."
Marcus stood.
"I am not treating anyone like a suspect. I am asking them to provide records that belong to this department."
Vance gave a restrained smile.
"Experience teaches you that not every problem needs to be dragged into the light."
Marcus paused.
"That may be true. But corruption is not one of those problems."
For the first time, Vance's expression hardened.
"Be careful, Chief. You don't know all the people you're dealing with."
Marcus closed his briefcase.
"Then I suppose I have a lot to learn."
He walked out, leaving Vance alone in the conference room.
***
The records office occupied a poorly lit section of the basement. Metal cabinets lined the walls, old computers sat on dusty desks, and stacks of archived files filled several shelves.
Elena Alvarez was working behind a desk when Marcus entered.
She was in her early forties, with dark hair tied into a tight ponytail and a tired expression that suggested she had spent too many years watching good investigations disappear.
She did not immediately recognize him.
"Can I help you?"
"Detective Elena Alvarez?"
"Yes."
"Marcus Harris. I'm the new chief."
Elena looked at him for a moment.
Then she stood.
"Chief. I wasn't expecting you down here."
"I've been told you have a strong investigative background."
Elena gave a short, humorless laugh.
"That's an interesting way of describing it."
Marcus noticed the folders stacked beside her computer.
"What are you working on?"
"Archived cases. Mostly administrative requests and old evidence logs."
"Is that what you were doing before your transfer?"
"No. Before that, I was investigating financial misconduct and organized corruption."
Marcus pulled out a chair.
"Tell me about it."