“Who knew this meeting was happening?”
Hale hesitated.
“All command staff.”
“No.”
Evelyn corrected.
“Location.”
The chief looked toward her.
She continued.
“Who knew we were meeting at my residence rather than federal court?”
The room became silent.
Chief Wallace answered:
“Five people.”
He looked around.
“Myself.”
“Deputy Chief Greene.”
“Hale.”
“The U.S. Attorney.”
“And my executive assistant.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Officer Monroe was dispatched at three forty-two.”
“Meeting began at four.”
“Caller used my name.”
“Caller knew the address.”
“Caller apparently used a department payment method.”
She looked at Hale.
“Did you know I planned to raise the unreported-stop audit today?”
His face changed.
Barely.
Enough.
Rachel saw it.
So did Evelyn.
Chief Wallace slowly sat.
“What audit?”
Evelyn looked toward Hale.
“Perhaps he can explain.”
Hale’s composure broke.
“I don't know what she's talking about.”
Evelyn opened the folder Darius had seized.
From the middle, she removed a chart.
“Over eighteen months, Bellwood officers conducted seven hundred forty-one pedestrian or vehicle stops that generated no citation, arrest, field interview card, or warning record.”
The chief stared.
“That isn't possible.”
“It is.”
Evelyn slid another page forward.
“Body-camera metadata indicates the encounters occurred.”
“CAD location data indicates officers were present.”
“But reports do not exist.”
Hale sat slowly.
Evelyn continued.
“A disproportionate number took place in three affluent neighborhoods.”
“A disproportionate number involved Black residents, workers, or visitors.”
Darius looked sick now.
He understood.
His stop of Evelyn was not a strange accident occurring beside an investigation.
It resembled the exact pattern under investigation.
Evelyn looked at Hale.
“I informed you yesterday that we would discuss this.”
Hale said:
“And you think I sent an officer to arrest you?”
“I think somebody attempted to create disruption.”
“Maybe intimidation.”
“Maybe evidence that I was difficult or confrontational.”
Rachel’s eyes narrowed.
“Or maybe somebody wanted her removed from this meeting long enough to access the documents.”
Everyone looked at the folder.
Darius whispered:
“I put it on the cruiser.”
Evelyn turned toward him.
“Yes.”
For the first time, the officer looked genuinely frightened.
“Someone could've taken it.”
“Exactly.”
Hale stood again.
“This is conspiracy nonsense.”
He moved toward the door.
Chief Wallace said:
“Sit down.”
Hale stopped.
The tone was different now.
Not colleague.
Chief.
Hale turned.
“You can't detain me based on a billing record.”
“No.”
Rachel said.
“But we can preserve your devices based on federal oversight authority and probable evidence concerns while investigators verify the account.”
Hale laughed.
“You're threatening me inside a private house?”
Evelyn’s eyes hardened.
“Interesting choice of words.”
He looked at her.
She continued.