Analyst Priya Shah projected data onto a screen.
Blake's personal phone showed repeated Bluetooth proximity to a second device not registered under his name.
Nothing illegal.
People carried tablets.
Smartwatches.
Work phones.
But the unidentified device appeared near Blake's home on nights off and near the police station during shifts.
They searched telecommunications records.
Prepaid number.
Activated nine months earlier.
The number communicated with only three other numbers.
One belonged to a towing contractor.
One to Northstar Civic Solutions operations director Caleb Dorne.
The third was another prepaid device.
Malik stared.
“Dorne.”
Priya nodded.
Thirty-eight.
Former sheriff's deputy.
Left law enforcement after disciplinary issues in another county.
Founded Northstar five years later.
Company won millions in municipal security and evidence-transport contracts.
Whitaker had been auditing their invoices.
Claire asked:
“Messages?”
“Encrypted app metadata only.”
“No content?”
“Not yet.”
“Locations?”
Priya changed screen.
The burner device associated with Blake met Dorne's phone physically seventeen times over six months.
Gas stations.
A private gym.
One fishing marina.
Always brief.
Malik crossed his arms.
“Too many coincidences.”
Claire nodded.
“Still not murder.”
Malik looked toward her.
“No.”
“Leak and corruption maybe.”
“Maybe.”
He hated the word.
She knew.
That was why she used it.
Priya continued.
“There's another thing.”
Map changed.
The third burner.
Unknown owner.
It regularly appeared near Riverside headquarters.
Very near.
Malik's expression changed.
“How near?”
“Same block.”
“Could be anyone.”
“Correct.”
“Home locations?”
“Device goes dark overnight.”
“Work hours?”
“Mostly weekdays.”
Claire leaned forward.
“Station employee.”
Priya shrugged.
“Could be.”
Malik looked at Blake's burner communication history.
The unknown number contacted Blake twenty-one times.
More than Dorne.
Interesting.
“Maybe Blake receives instructions internally.”
Claire nodded slowly.
“That is what worries me.”
The sergeant might be the leak.
But he might also be a leak inside a larger leak.
A compromised middle layer.
Someone above him.
Someone who knew what mattered before Blake did.
Malik thought of Lieutenant Paul Vance.
Access to witness list.
Access to Carr Street marker.
Twenty-three years in department.
Oversaw evidence division three years earlier.
Promoted afterward.
Clean discipline record.
Almost aggressively clean.
“What do we know about Vance's finances?”
Priya smiled.
“I knew you'd ask.”
Nothing obvious.
Mortgage.
Two cars.
Retirement account.
No weird deposits.
Wife worked as dentist.
House expensive but plausible.
No gambling debt.
No shell companies.
Malik disliked clean suspects.
Dirty ones were easier.
Claire said:
“Don't tunnel.”
“I know.”
“You're thinking Vance.”
“Yes.”
“Because?”
“Too clean.”
She stared.
“That is terrible investigative logic.”
“I didn't say charge him.”
“Good.”
Malik leaned back.
“Who else has internal access?”
Priya pulled up structure.
Chief Ramirez.
Vance.
Blake.