The lobby was enormous, with polished stone floors, security barriers, and a long reception counter beneath the city seal. American flags stood near the elevators, and framed photographs of former department leaders covered one wall. Several uniformed employees had gathered near the reception desk after hearing the commotion outside.
They fell silent when the commissioner entered.
His reddened cheek was impossible to ignore.
Some recognized him immediately. Others glanced toward the chief, trying to understand why senior officers and federal investigators were following an unfamiliar man in a gray suit. A young patrol officer near the security checkpoint slowly lowered the coffee she'd been holding.
The commissioner noticed the uncertainty.
He'd seen that expression throughout his career.
People wondering whether they should acknowledge something obvious or pretend they hadn't noticed.
The chief approached the security supervisor.
“I want the entrance recordings protected immediately.”
The supervisor nodded.
“Yes, Chief.”
“And the access logs.”
“Yes, sir.”
The commissioner stopped beside the reception desk.
“Who was monitoring the exterior cameras this morning?”
A civilian employee raised her hand.
“I was, sir.”
She was a young Black American woman with neatly braided hair and a municipal identification card hanging from her neck. Her expression was nervous but attentive. She had been employed as a civilian security systems operator for less than two years.
The commissioner turned toward her.
“Did you see what happened?”
She hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Some of it.”
The chief looked toward her.
“Explain.”
The employee swallowed.
“I saw the sergeant stop the man outside. I didn't know he was the commissioner.”
She looked toward him.
“I'm sorry, sir.”
The commissioner shook his head.
“You have nothing to apologize for.”
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
He continued.
“What did you see?”
“The sergeant took something from your hand. Then he pushed you.”
She paused.
“I turned to call the security captain. When I looked back, I saw his arm moving.”
The commissioner nodded.
“Were you recording the camera feed?”
The employee's expression changed.
“That's the problem.”
The chief frowned.
“What problem?”
She looked toward the security supervisor.
Then back at the commissioner.
“The exterior camera system was scheduled for maintenance this morning.”
The commissioner remained still.
“Scheduled by whom?”
“I don't know.”
The supervisor quickly intervened.
“Commissioner, the contractor has been updating portions of the surveillance network.”
The commissioner looked toward him.
“Was the main entrance camera functioning?”
The man hesitated.
“The live image was available.”
“Was it being recorded?”
A longer pause.
“We need to verify the archive.”
The commissioner studied his face.
Then he asked another question.