Chapter 6: The Commissioner on the Other Side of the Investigation
Angela didn't speak for nearly a minute.
She stood beside the hospital window, looking down at the parking lot.
Marcus watched her carefully.
"Angela?""
She turned.
"Did you authorize any access to the procurement files?""
"No.""
"Any access to Sentinel's security records?""
"No.""
"Then someone has your credentials.""
"Apparently.""
Hayes's voice came through the phone.
"Commissioner, I need you to understand something. If these access logs are genuine, somebody has been impersonating you.""
Angela took a slow breath.
"How many files?""
"At least fourteen.""
"How many investigations?""
"Seven.""
Marcus leaned forward.
"What happened to those investigations?""
Hayes answered.
"All of them were closed or reassigned. In three cases, evidence was transferred to private storage facilities.""
"Private storage?"" Marcus repeated.
"Yes.""
"Which facilities?""
Hayes read out three addresses.
Marcus recognized one immediately.
"That's the warehouse near the river.""
Angela looked at him.
"You know it?""
"Yes. That's where Sentinel stores equipment.""
Hayes continued.
"There's something else. The last transfer was made four days ago.""
"Four days?"" Angela asked.
"Yes.""
"What was transferred?""
"Seventeen evidence boxes.""
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
"Seventeen?""
"Correct.""
"Those were the original files from the missing equipment investigation.""
Angela closed her eyes.
The scale of the operation was becoming clear.
Someone wasn't simply stealing money.
Someone was controlling the evidence that could expose the theft.
And the police department itself had become part of the machinery.
Angela ended the call.
"We need to get out of this hospital.""
Marcus frowned.
"Why?""
"Because your room is no longer private.""
He looked toward the door.
"How do you know?""
"Officer Miller knows you're here. Detective Brooks knows you're here. And someone has been asking about Maya's discharge information.""
Marcus looked at his daughter.
She was sleeping peacefully in her carrier.
Her tiny chest rose and fell.
"Where are we going?""
"Somewhere secure.""
"Your house?""
"No.""
"Why not?""
"Because anyone who has access to my credentials might know where I live.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Angela, this is insane.""
"I know.""
"You're the police commissioner.""
"And apparently someone is using my identity to dismantle investigations.""
She picked up her phone.
"I'm calling an independent federal contact.""
Marcus studied her face.
"Do you trust them?""
"One of them.""
"One?""
Angela gave him a tired look.
"Trust isn't something I can distribute freely anymore.""
She dialed.
A woman answered after two rings.
"Federal Bureau of Investigation. Special Agent Rebecca Collins.""
"Rebecca, this is Commissioner Angela Davis.""
A pause.
"Commissioner. I wasn't expecting your call.""
"I need an emergency meeting regarding suspected corruption within the city police department.""
"How serious?""
Angela glanced toward Marcus.
"Eight million dollars in suspicious municipal payments. Evidence tampering. Possible witness intimidation. And an officer involved in a physical assault that may have been arranged to recover evidence.""
The agent's voice changed.
"Do you have documentation?""
"Yes.""
"Is anyone else aware?""
"Several people.""
"Then stop discussing the matter over department channels. Don't email anything. Don't use your department's evidence system.""
"Understood.""
"Where are you?""
"St. Mary's Hospital.""
"Stay there until I call back.""
Angela frowned.
"Why?""
"Because I have information about the Sentinel investigation.""
Angela straightened.
"What information?""
A brief silence followed.
Then Agent Collins said something that made Angela grip the phone tighter.
"Your name appeared on a recorded conversation between Richard Vaughn and the company's director.""
Angela stared at the wall.
"When?""
"Six months ago.""
"What did I supposedly say?""
"I can't discuss the recording over the phone.""
"Rebecca, I need to know.""
"Commissioner, the recording suggests Vaughn was preparing to use your credentials to authorize the transfer of restricted evidence.""
Angela's face went pale.
"That's impossible.""
"That's what we need to establish.""
Marcus watched his sister.
He had never seen her look so uncertain.
Then the agent continued.
"There's another issue. We have reason to believe someone inside the department knows we're investigating.""
Angela lowered her voice.
"Who?""
"We don't know yet.""
"Rebecca, my brother has a six-month-old daughter. Someone placed a threatening envelope in her stroller this morning.""
Agent Collins went silent.
Then she asked:
"Was the envelope recovered?""
"Yes.""
"Has it been opened?""
"No.""
"Good. Don't let anyone handle it. We'll send a forensic team.""
Angela ended the call.
Marcus looked at her.
"Did she say your name was on a recording?""
"Yes.""
"Do you think Vaughn has something on you?""
"I don't know.""
"Angela.""
She sat down.
For a moment, the exhaustion of the morning showed on her face.
"I've spent thirty years believing that if I followed the rules, protected the evidence, and treated people fairly, I could make a difference.""
Marcus said nothing.
"Now someone is using my identity to destroy the very system I swore to protect.""
He reached for her hand.
"You're not the person doing this.""
"That may not matter.""
"It matters to me.""
She looked at him.
Before she could respond, a sharp knock sounded at the door.
Both of them turned.
A uniformed hospital security officer entered.
"Commissioner, the federal agents are downstairs.""
Angela stood.
"Already?""
"Yes, ma'am. But there's a problem.""
"What problem?""
The guard glanced toward Marcus.
"One of them is asking for Mr. Carter.""
"Which agent?""
The guard checked his phone.
"Special Agent Rebecca Collins.""
Angela frowned.
"She hasn't arrived yet.""
The guard looked confused.
"Ma'am, she says she's been waiting downstairs for ten minutes.""
Angela immediately called the number Collins had used.
The call went straight to voicemail.
Marcus slowly reached for his phone.
A message had arrived.
Unknown number.
*Don't trust the woman coming upstairs.*
Another message appeared.
*She isn't Rebecca Collins.*
Angela looked at the screen.
Then the hospital security officer spoke again.
"Commissioner, she's coming up now.""
Footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Slow.
Measured.
The door handle began to turn.
Angela moved in front of Marcus and Maya.
"Security," she ordered, "stop that woman.""
But the officer didn't move.
Instead, he looked directly at Angela.
And said:
"Commissioner, I'm sorry. We've already verified her credentials.""
The door opened.
A woman in a dark navy suit entered, holding a federal badge.
She looked directly at Marcus.
Then she smiled.
"Mr. Carter, I'm Special Agent Rebecca Collins.""
Angela stared at the badge.
Something about it was wrong.
Not the photograph.
Not the seal.
The number.
She recognized that number because she had seen it on an official federal document only three days earlier.
It belonged to an agent who had been declared dead six months ago.
Angela slowly raised her eyes.
"Put your hands where I can see them.""
The woman's smile disappeared.
May you like
And from the hallway behind her, a second voice announced:
"Nobody move. We have a warrant for Marcus Carter's arrest.""
