At the sheriff's department, Daniel Whitmore was receiving a different telephone call.
Charles Donovan was on the other end.
"Why haven't you answered my calls?"
Whitmore closed his office door.
"Because the building is crawling with investigators."
"Have they found anything?"
Whitmore hesitated.
"They found Room 214."
Donovan became silent.
"What?"
"The old complaint files."
"How much did they find?"
"I don't know."
"Daniel, I told you to destroy those files."
"They were supposed to be destroyed."
"Supposed to be?"
Whitmore rubbed his forehead.
"Someone kept copies."
Donovan's voice became colder.
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Then find out."
Whitmore looked toward the hallway.
"I can't. They're watching everyone."
Donovan lowered his voice.
"Do you understand what happens if they find the financial records?"
Whitmore said nothing.
"Your signature is on those transactions. Your name is on the approval documents. You are not going to let me take the entire fall for this."
The sheriff finally spoke.
"I've protected you for years."
"And I've paid you for years."
The words hung in the air.
Whitmore closed his eyes.
Donovan continued.
"Listen carefully. We need to know whether David Carter's evidence still exists."
Whitmore stared at the floor.
"It does."
"Where?"
"I don't know."
"Then find it."
"Charles, this is no longer something we can control."
Donovan laughed without humor.
"Everything can be controlled if you know where to apply pressure."
The call ended.
Whitmore stood motionless.
He knew Donovan was dangerous.
He also knew that the businessman had no intention of protecting him if the investigation reached the courts.
For the first time, the sheriff began considering a possibility he had spent years avoiding.
He might have to sacrifice someone else to save himself.
The following morning, Victoria met Emily at a secure federal office.
Emily arrived carrying a small backpack.
She looked exhausted.
Sarah Collins greeted her and offered her a seat.
"Thank you for coming."
Emily nodded.
"Did you find something?"
Victoria placed a photograph on the table.
It showed David Carter sitting outside a small restaurant.
Emily immediately recognized him.
"Where did you get that?"
"It was recovered from the files your father left behind."
"When was it taken?"
"Three days before he disappeared."
Emily touched the photograph.
"That's the last time I saw him."
Victoria waited.
Emily continued.
"He told me he had something important to discuss. He said he was going to meet someone who could help him."
"Did he tell you who?"
Emily shook her head.
"He didn't want to involve me. He said I was safer if I knew nothing."
"Did he ever give you anything?"
Emily looked down.
For a moment, she seemed uncertain.
Then she opened her backpack.
She removed a small silver key attached to a faded blue ribbon.
"My father gave me this."
Victoria examined it.
"Do you know what it opens?"
"No. He told me to keep it somewhere safe. He said that if anything happened to him, I should never give it to anyone unless they mentioned the name Margaret."
Victoria and Sarah exchanged a sharp glance.
"Margaret Ellis?" Sarah asked.
Emily nodded.
"Yes. My father said she worked at the sheriff's department. He told me she was one of the few people he trusted."
Victoria slowly reached for the key.
"Did your father tell you anything else?"
Emily hesitated.
Then she spoke.
"He said there was a second set of records. The first set was evidence of the money. The second set was evidence of the people who received it."
Victoria understood immediately.
The financial documents in Room 214 might only be the beginning.
"Where did he say the second set was?"
Emily shook her head.
"He never told me."
She looked at the key.
"But he said this would lead us to it."
That afternoon, the investigative team returned to the sheriff's department.
Margaret Ellis was waiting in a secure interview room.
When Emily entered, the older woman immediately began crying.
"Emily."
Emily froze.
"You knew my father?"
Margaret stood up.
"I did. I'm so sorry."
"Why didn't you tell me what happened?"
Margaret struggled to speak.
"Because I was afraid. I thought if I stayed quiet, I could protect you."
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
"You let me believe he abandoned me."
"I know."
"You knew something happened to him."
Margaret lowered her head.
"I knew he was in danger. I didn't know where they took him."
Emily turned away.
For a moment, Victoria thought she might leave.
Then Emily looked back.
"Did my father trust you?"
Margaret nodded.
"More than anyone in that building."
"Then help us find him."