For several minutes, he stood by the window.
Then he took a second phone from a drawer.
It was an old device he rarely used.
He switched it on.
A message appeared.
Did they identify the facility?
David stared at the screen.
He typed a response.
Yes. Cedar Ridge.
A second message arrived almost immediately.
Did they identify the transfer authorization?
David hesitated.
Then he typed:
Not yet.
The reply came quickly.
You need to stop them.
David closed his eyes.
He looked at a framed photograph on the shelf.
It showed him standing beside his younger brother, Michael, outside a courthouse. Michael had been a promising city investigator before he died in a car accident nine years earlier.
David had always believed the accident was suspicious.
But he had never found proof.
And the person who had approached him after Michael's death had promised to reveal the truth.
That person had been Commissioner Harrington.
David had been recruited to assist the investigation under the condition that he would quietly report any information concerning the Reed case.
At first, he had believed he was helping uncover a crime.
Later, he realized he was being used to monitor Marcus.
He had wanted to stop.
But Harrington had shown him photographs of his family, copies of private records, and documents suggesting that Michael's death had not been an accident.
For years, David had lived under the weight of a bargain he had never wanted to make.
He had not caused the corruption.
He had not ordered anyone to disappear.
But he had passed along information that helped the people responsible stay ahead of the investigation.
Now Marcus was getting close to the truth.
David's phone vibrated again.
The mayor wants confirmation before morning.
David stared at the message.
Then he typed something he had never sent before.
I can't do this anymore.
He pressed send.
A few seconds later, the phone rang.
He answered.
“David,” a familiar voice said.
It was Commissioner Harrington.
“You're making a mistake.”
David gripped the phone.
“I want out.”
“That's not how this works.”
“I've done what you asked. I've given you information. I've kept you informed. But I'm done.”
Harrington gave a quiet laugh.
“You think this is a voluntary arrangement?”
“My brother is dead. You promised me answers.”
“And I gave you answers.”
“You gave me stories.”
“Careful, David.”
David's voice rose.
“You told me Michael had been killed because he discovered something about Thomas Reed. You said if I cooperated, you would show me the evidence.”
“And I will.”
“When?”
“When you do what you're told.”
David looked at the photograph on the shelf.
“I don't believe you anymore.”
There was a pause.
Then Harrington spoke in a softer voice.
“Your brother was a good man. It's unfortunate that he became involved in something he didn't understand.”
David froze.
“What does that mean?”
“Meet me tomorrow. Bring whatever documents you have concerning Cedar Ridge.”
“No.”
“Then perhaps we should discuss what happened to Michael in a less private setting.”
The call ended.
David stood motionless.
For the first time, he understood that the investigation had not merely uncovered an old conspiracy.
It had uncovered the reason his brother was dead.
At 6:40 a.m., Marcus received a message from an unknown number.
Don't go to Cedar Ridge.
He stared at it.
A second message appeared.
The patient records have been altered. The facility is not what it appears to be.
Marcus called Elena.
She answered immediately.
“What's wrong?”
“I received a warning.”
“From whom?”
“Unknown number.”
“What does it say?”
Marcus read the messages aloud.
Elena became quiet.
“Send me a screenshot.”
Marcus did.
“Could it be Pierce?” he asked.
“Possibly.”
“Or someone trying to keep us away.”
“Also possible.”
Elena paused.
“Don't respond. We're going to verify the facility before we move.”
Marcus glanced toward the conference room.
David was not there.
“Have you spoken to David?”
“Not this morning. Why?”
“He was supposed to review the transfer documents.”
“Perhaps he's still working on them.”
Marcus checked his phone.
David had not answered his last message.
That was unusual.
Marcus called him.
The phone rang several times before going to voicemail.
He tried again.
Nothing.
A few minutes later, Daniel entered the room.
“Marcus, we have a problem.”
“What happened?”
“David's apartment building reported an incident. His vehicle is still parked outside, but his apartment door was left open.”
Marcus stood.
“Did anyone see him?”