But the markings were still visible.
Bellwood Police Department.
Badge number 117.
Harris stared at it.
He knew that number.
Everyone in the department knew it.
Badge 117 had belonged to Officer Thomas Mercer.
A young patrol officer who had disappeared during an investigation in 1988.
Officially, Thomas Mercer had been declared dead.
His body had never been recovered.
The department had eventually closed the case.
But Daniel had never believed the official story.
He placed the badge in his palm.
"My brother gave this to me."
"When?"
"The last time I saw him."
Harris looked at him.
"When was that?"
Daniel's voice became quieter.
"Three days before he disappeared."
In 1988, Bellwood was a different town.
The streets were smaller.
The police department had only a handful of officers.
People left their doors unlocked.
Children rode bicycles until dark.
And everyone knew everyone.
Daniel was thirty-four at the time.
Thomas was twenty-nine.
The brothers had always been different.
Daniel was quiet.
Thomas was restless.
Daniel worked with his hands.
Thomas wanted to serve people.
When Thomas joined the Bellwood Police Department, their father had cried with pride.
Their mother had worried.
Daniel had warned his brother.
"Being a police officer doesn't make you invincible."
Thomas had laughed.
"I don't need to be invincible."
"What do you need?"
"To be brave."
Daniel had smiled.
"Bravery won't help you if you don't know when to walk away."
Thomas had looked at him.
"Then I'll make sure I never walk away from the wrong thing."
Those words stayed with Daniel.
Because three years later, Thomas disappeared.
The investigation began with something small.
A missing envelope.
Then another.
Then a series of strange financial transactions connected to local businesses.
Thomas noticed that evidence disappeared from the police department.
Not weapons.
Not drugs.
Documents.
Records.
Reports.
Things nobody would notice unless they knew where to look.
Thomas started keeping copies.
He didn't tell his commanding officer.
He didn't tell his friends.
He told only Daniel.
One night, the brothers sat in Daniel's kitchen.
Thomas placed a folder on the table.
"I think someone inside the department is helping criminals."
Daniel stared at him.
"Are you sure?"
Thomas nodded.