Chapter 36 - Someone Inside Headquarters
While Catherine continued revealing pieces of the past, another crisis unfolded across town.
Detective Morris's office had been temporarily sealed while technicians upgraded evidence security.
During the process, one cybersecurity analyst noticed repeated attempts to access restricted investigation files.
The requests originated...
...from inside police headquarters.
Lieutenant Marcus Doyle immediately ordered an internal review.
"Who logged in?"
"No confirmed user."
"Impossible."
"The credentials belonged to Detective Morris."
Elena stared at the screen.
"I wasn't even in the building."
The analyst enlarged the access log.
Whoever had entered the system viewed only three files.
Harold Bennett.
Arthur Collins.
Archive East.
Nothing else.
"They knew exactly what they wanted," Marcus observed.
Another analyst interrupted.
"There's more."
A storage device had been connected to one workstation shortly before the files were accessed.
The serial number belonged to no department equipment.
It had been brought from outside.
Marcus looked toward Elena.
"We may have a leak."
Elena remained calm.
"Or someone impersonating us."
Within an hour, security footage from the evidence floor was reviewed.
Employees walked normally through the corridor.
Detectives carried files.
Clerks pushed carts.
Then one figure appeared wearing a maintenance uniform.
He pushed a toolbox.
He looked directly toward one security camera.
Then lowered his cap.
The footage blurred for exactly nine seconds.
When it resumed...
...the man was gone.
No exit.
No recorded departure.
Only an empty hallway.
Marcus quietly muttered,
May you like
"He planned every second."
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