“You were given my plate number before you saw me.”
The inspector remained silent.
“Who gave it to you?”
“No one.”
Victoria nodded.
“All right.”
She stepped away.
The inspector looked relieved.
Then she stopped.
“Oh, one more thing.”
He looked at her.
“The woman in the blue jacket.”
His face changed.
Victoria saw it.
She knew she had hit something.
“There was a woman standing near the gas station yesterday,” Victoria continued. “You spoke to her.”
The inspector’s eyes narrowed.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Her name was Sarah Bennett.”
His jaw tightened.
Victoria smiled.
“Thank you.”
She walked away.
The inspector suddenly shouted:
“Wait!”
Victoria turned.
“She has nothing to do with this.”
Victoria’s expression became serious.
“I didn’t say she did.”
The man realized his mistake.
He lowered his head.
Victoria turned to Elena.
“That’s the connection.”
“Who is Sarah Bennett?”
“A witness.”
“To what?”
Victoria looked at the evidence box.
“To the first disappearance.”
Three months earlier, a young man named Daniel Cross had disappeared after filing a complaint against several police officers.
His vehicle had been found abandoned beside a rural road.
His phone was gone.
His wallet was still inside the car.
His family had been told that Daniel had probably left voluntarily.
Victoria hadn’t believed it.
She had spent three months reviewing every report connected to his disappearance.
And she had found something strange.
Every time someone got close to the truth, the investigation suddenly changed direction.
Files disappeared.
Witnesses withdrew statements.
Evidence was mislabeled.
Officers were transferred.
And then there was Sarah Bennett.
Sarah had claimed she saw Daniel being forced into a dark vehicle the night he disappeared.
She had given investigators the license plate.
Two days later, she withdrew her statement.
Then she vanished from the area.
Victoria had been searching for her ever since.
Until yesterday.
Victoria had finally found Sarah working under a different name at a roadside gas station.
Sarah had been terrified.
She had refused to talk.
But before Victoria left, Sarah had whispered:
“The man who ordered it isn’t a police officer.”
Victoria had asked:
“Then who is he?”
Sarah had looked around nervously.
“Someone the police obey.”
Now Victoria knew the two traffic officers were connected.
But she still didn’t know who was giving the orders.
That changed that evening.
At 8:15 p.m., Victoria sat in a small interview room.
The first inspector sat across from her.
His name was Mark Dalton.
His partner, Eric Cole, was being interviewed in another room.
Victoria placed a recorder on the table.
“Let’s start again.”
Mark rubbed his face.
“I’ve already told you everything.”
“No.”
She pushed a photograph across the table.
It showed Daniel Cross.
Mark stared at it.
Victoria watched his reaction.
“You know him.”
“No.”
“You just looked at his photograph like you recognized him.”
“I’ve seen his picture in the reports.”
“Then you know why I’m here.”
Mark leaned back.
“I didn’t hurt him.”
Victoria’s eyes narrowed.
“I didn’t ask whether you hurt him.”
Mark went silent.
Victoria continued.
“Who did?”
He stared at the table.
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because if I tell you, my family dies.”
Victoria didn’t move.
“Who threatened your family?”
Mark shook his head.
“You don’t understand.”
“Then help me understand.”
He looked toward the one-way mirror.
“There are people above us.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know all their names.”
“But you know one.”
Mark’s breathing became heavier.
Victoria waited.
Finally, he whispered:
“Commissioner Adrian Voss.”
Victoria’s eyes hardened.
Adrian Voss.
The regional police commissioner.
A man known for his spotless career.
Twenty-five years in service.
Dozens of commendations.
A reputation for discipline and integrity.
And now his name had appeared in Victoria’s investigation.
“How long has Voss been ordering you to do this?”
Mark swallowed.
“Two years.”
Victoria leaned forward.
“Two years?”
“At first it was simple.”
“What was simple?”
“People came to us with complaints.”
“And?”
“We made them disappear.”
Victoria stared at him.
“Disappear how?”
“Reports were changed. Evidence went missing. Sometimes people were arrested on false charges.”
Victoria’s hands tightened.
“And Daniel?”
Mark closed his eyes.
“Daniel found the financial records.”
“What financial records?”
“The commissioner was taking money from private contractors.”
Victoria felt her stomach tighten.
“Police contracts?”
“Road construction. Towing companies. Vehicle inspection businesses.”
Mark continued.
“They paid him to make certain companies win contracts.”
“And Daniel found proof?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“Daniel was supposed to be arrested.”
Mark looked at her.
“But he ran.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
Victoria stared at him.
“You’re lying.”
Mark shook his head.
“I swear.”
Victoria leaned back.
“Then why did you follow me today?”
Mark’s eyes filled with fear.
“Because Voss thought you had Daniel’s files.”
Victoria went still.
“What?”
“He believes Daniel gave them to you.”
“I never met Daniel.”
Mark stared at her.
“That’s what we told him.”
Victoria frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Mark lowered his voice.
“Daniel isn’t dead.”
The room became completely silent.
Victoria felt a chill run down her spine.
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
“Mark.”
“I swear.”
He looked terrified.
“But someone has been sending Voss information.”
“Who?”
Mark whispered:
“Sarah Bennett.”
Victoria froze.
“No.”
“She’s been working with him.”
Victoria stood abruptly.
“That’s impossible.”
Mark shook his head.
“She wasn’t afraid of Voss.”
“Then why did she run?”
“Because she was afraid of Daniel.”
Victoria stared at him.
“What are you talking about?”
Mark looked directly into her eyes.
“Daniel discovered that Sarah was the one who betrayed him.”
Victoria immediately left the interview room.
She called Elena.
“Where is Sarah?”
Elena answered.
“Still at the safe house.”
“Get her out.”
“Why?”
“She’s compromised.”
There was a pause.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Where should I take her?”
“Don’t take her anywhere.”
“What?”
“Stay there. I’m coming.”
Victoria grabbed her coat.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
“Victoria.”
She recognized the voice immediately.
The same voice from the recording.
