Chapter 13 - THE CAPTAIN
Ryan checked Robert Hayes.
Quietly.
Access history:
Robert opened Victor Hale’s archived case three times in eight years.
Reasonable for supervisory review.
Then one troubling log:
Robert accessed the misfiled burglary case one day after Michael first reopened Hale.
Ryan stared.
He confronted him.
Robert looked stunned.
“You think I’m Voss’s leak?”
“I think you opened the exact box Victor used to hide evidence.”
Robert sat.
Then told him why.
Michael had asked Robert for help.
Before contacting Ryan.
Another secret.
Michael said he found references to a misfiled evidence package.
Robert searched.
Found nothing.
Because the physical drive had already been removed.
By whom?
Evidence-room camera archive was only kept ninety days.
But checkout logs showed:
Deputy Chief Alan Price.
Eight years earlier.
Price had supervised the initial corruption task force.
Now retired.
Current consultant for:
Hawthorne Civic.
There.
Internal leak.
Price had warned Voss years ago.
Derek Mercer learned he was being abandoned as scapegoat.
Threatened to cooperate.
Then died.
Victor suspected Price.
That was why he hid evidence inside police property where he thought Price would not know exact location.
But Price eventually found it.
Or believed he did.
The drive was missing.
Then Michael’s notes revealed:
Victor had moved the actual files before his disappearance.
The evidence box contained only a map to a second location.
Adrian still needed Victor alive because Price and Voss never found the final archive.
Ryan asked:
“Where?”
Michael shook his head.
“Victor never told me.”
Then phone rang.
Unknown.
Adrian.
“I’ll trade him.”
“For what?”
“You.”
Michael shouted:
“No.”
Adrian said:
“Old Carter Meat Plant. One hour. Alone.”
The opening room.
Metal table.
Cleaver.
May you like
Meat.
Ryan finally knew where it was.
