Chapter 12: Someone Was Wearing My Identity
I stared at Marcus.
“That's impossible.””
He nodded.
“I know.””
“I'm standing right here.””
“Which is why we need to find out how your credentials were used.””
Natalie immediately requested the access records from the warehouse security provider.
Laura remained beside Emma while Marcus and I moved into the corridor.
I felt as if the walls were closing in.
First, my signature.
Then my bank account.
Now someone was apparently using my police credentials to enter a property connected to a suspected financial crime.
It was becoming obvious that Daniel's plan had been designed to make me look involved.
But why?
“What time did the warehouse access occur?”” I asked.
Marcus checked his phone.
“8:57 a.m.””
“Where was I?””
“At the hospital.””
“Can we establish that?””
“Absolutely. Hospital security cameras, medical staff, your phone location records with the appropriate process, and our own witnesses.””
I nodded.
“Then this is deliberate.””
“Looks that way.””
My phone rang.
A number from the department's internal system.
I answered.
“Officer Bennett.””
“Claire, this is Lieutenant Adams from Professional Standards.””
I recognized his voice.
“What happened?””
“We need you to come in for an interview regarding unauthorized access to a restricted property.””
“I didn't access anything.””
“We're aware you're currently at the hospital. However, your credentials were used to enter a location under active investigation.””
“Then someone has compromised my credentials.””
“That's what we're trying to establish.””
I looked at Marcus.
“Can I have an investigator present?””
“Of course.””
The call ended.
Marcus shook his head.
“Someone wants to create a second investigation around you.””
“And if they succeed?””
“You could be suspended while they sort it out.””
I looked toward Emma's room.
“I can't leave her.””
“Laura will stay with her. We'll arrange protection and keep you updated.””
I nodded reluctantly.
Before leaving, I returned to Emma's bedside.
She was awake.
“Claire?””
“I need to go with Marcus for a little while.””
Her eyes widened.
“Because of Daniel?””
“Because someone is using my identity.””
She tried to sit up.
“What?””
“It's okay. We're handling it.””
She caught my hand.
“Please don't go alone.””
I smiled gently.
“I won't.””
Then she whispered:
“Claire, I think I know how he got your password.””
I stopped.
“What?””
“Four years ago, Daniel helped me set up a family computer. He said it would be easier if we used one password for everything.””
I frowned.
“What password?””
“Our mother's maiden name and the year we were born.””
I stared at her.
“That was my old department password.””
Emma covered her mouth.
“I didn't know.””
I squeezed her fingers.
“You couldn't have known.””
“Daniel said he needed to install some accounting software. He asked me to enter your login details because he said you had access to a secure government website.””
My blood turned cold.
“When?””
“About three years ago.””
I looked at Laura.
She had heard everything.
“Emma, are you certain?””
She nodded.
“He said he was helping you with a technical problem.””
I slowly straightened.
Daniel had known my credentials.
And if Robert had been helping him, he might have had access to more than my financial identity.
I left the room with a sick feeling in my stomach.
At 10:14 a.m., Marcus and I arrived at the department.
Lieutenant Adams was waiting in a conference room with two internal affairs investigators.
A laptop sat open on the table.
“Officer Bennett,” Adams said, “please sit.””
I sat.
He turned the screen toward me.
The access log showed a security entry at the warehouse.
Username: CLAIRE.BENNETT.
Authentication: Department-issued credentials.
Entry authorization: Confirmed.
I studied the record.
“That isn't my device.””
One investigator asked, “How can you be certain?””
“My department-issued device has a unique authentication certificate. I was not carrying it when this entry occurred.””
“Where was it?””
“In my locker.””
Adams nodded.
“Can you prove that?””
“My duty records and the locker access logs should establish it.””
The investigator typed something.
Then Adams opened another file.
“This is the footage from the warehouse entrance.””
A video began playing.
A person in a dark jacket approached the side entrance.
They wore a baseball cap and a medical mask.
The camera captured them holding a department access card.
The door opened.
The person entered.
I leaned closer.
“Can you enlarge that?””
Adams zoomed in.
The person's left hand was visible.
There was a distinctive silver ring.
I recognized it immediately.
Robert Hayes wore that ring every day.
I had seen it on his hand during countless briefings.
“That's Robert,” I said.
The investigator frowned.
“Can you identify him with certainty?””
“I can identify a distinctive item of clothing. I cannot establish identity from this image alone.””
Adams nodded.
“That's a fair distinction.””
Then he played another clip.
The person returned eleven minutes later.
This time, they carried a small black case.
They placed it in the back of a vehicle.
The vehicle's registration wasn't visible.
But its rear window had a department parking permit.
My stomach tightened.
“That's an official vehicle.””
Adams nodded.
“Registered to Sergeant Robert Hayes.””
Nobody spoke.
Then one of the investigators opened another document.
“We also found an unusual activity report from last night.””
“What activity?””
“Someone attempted to access your personnel records and your sister's emergency contact information.””
I looked up.
“Who?””
“The request was submitted through a supervisor account.””
“Hayes?””
The investigator hesitated.
“We're still verifying the user.””
I leaned back.
“How many people have access to that account?””
“Three.””
“Who are they?””
Adams looked uncomfortable.
“Sergeant Robert Hayes, Lieutenant Adams, and Deputy Chief Alan Whitmore.””
I stared at him.
The retired deputy chief.
The man who had approved the closure of the original case.
The man whose signature appeared on the investigation that had been manipulated four years earlier.
I slowly stood.
“Is Whitmore still employed by the department?””
“No. But he retains certain administrative access during a transition period involving archived investigations.””
I shook my head.
“That's insane.””
Adams raised a hand.
“Officer Bennett, I understand your frustration. But we need to follow the evidence.””
I looked at him.
“Then follow it.””
He nodded.
“We intend to.””
At 10:47 a.m., Marcus received a call from Laura.
He put it on speaker.
“What's happening?””
Laura sounded breathless.
“Emma just remembered something important.””
“What?””
“She says Daniel had a second laptop. He kept it in the garage.””
Marcus frowned.
“Was it recovered?””
“No. The search team didn't find it.””
I looked at Marcus.
“Could it contain the account records?””
“Possibly.””
Laura continued.
“Emma says Daniel used that laptop whenever he accessed the financial accounts. She also remembers seeing an application with the department's logo.””
My stomach tightened.
“What application?””
“She doesn't know. But she says Daniel told her it was a secure portal connected to Claire's workplace.””
I looked at the internal affairs investigators.
One of them slowly closed the laptop.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A familiar voice spoke.
Not Robert's.
Not Daniel's.
An older man.
“Claire Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“This is Alan Whitmore.””
My blood went cold.
“Why are you calling me?””
“Because I think you deserve to know what Daniel Mercer has been doing.””
“Then tell the investigators.””
He gave a short laugh.
“You still believe the department can protect you?””
I said nothing.
“Four years ago, I made a mistake. Robert made a mistake. Daniel made a very expensive mistake.””
“What mistake?””
He paused.
Then he said:
“We never expected you to discover the original warehouse records.””
I gripped the phone.
“What records?””
“The ones that prove the money never belonged to Mercer Holdings.””
I looked at Marcus.
He was listening.
“Who did it belong to?””
Whitmore lowered his voice.
“Your father.””
I felt the floor shift beneath me.
“My father?””
“Yes. Daniel used your father's property documents to obtain the original loan. But your father wasn't supposed to discover it.””
“Why?””
“Because the warehouse wasn't purchased with Daniel's money.””
I swallowed.
“Whose money was it?””
Whitmore took a breath.
Then he said:
“Four years ago, your father inherited something worth nearly six million dollars. Daniel found out before anyone else.””
The call suddenly ended.
I stared at the phone.
Marcus was already reaching for his.
“Get the investigators. We need to locate Whitmore.””
But before anyone could move, a notification appeared on my screen.
A message from Emma.
She had sent it from the hospital.
*Claire, I remember where Daniel hid the original documents.*
A second message followed.
*They're not at the warehouse. They're inside Mom and Dad's house.*
May you like
Then a final message arrived.
*And Claire… the document has both our birth certificates attached.*
