"Much better. Thank you."
He nodded.
Then he hesitated.
Naomi waited.
Whitaker looked toward the courthouse across the street.
"I've been reviewing old complaints involving my district."
Naomi watched him.
"That sounds appropriate."
He gave a tired smile.
"Some of them should've been handled differently."
She did not immediately respond.
Whitaker continued.
"I thought I was being practical. Keeping the district running. Handling complaints without turning every disagreement into a major investigation."
He looked toward her.
"But I'm beginning to understand that avoiding a difficult review can make the next problem worse."
Naomi considered his words.
"Captain, I can't tell you what to conclude about your own past decisions."
"I know."
"But you can correct the procedures that made those decisions too easy."
He nodded slowly.
"I intend to."
She looked toward the parking lot.
"Then document what you change. Measure whether it works. And make sure people can challenge you when it doesn't."
Whitaker smiled faintly.
"You sound like my old training instructor."
Naomi returned the smile.
"Maybe he knew what he was talking about."
They shook hands.
Then walked in opposite directions.
Neither believed one conversation repaired years of mistakes.
But it was a beginning.
By autumn, the financial investigation had reached a decisive stage.
Records showed that Cedar Valley Recovery had billed certain fees inconsistently with applicable contract terms.
Some charges appeared repeatedly without adequate support.
Investigators found evidence that Bellamy had provided improper financial benefits to Malloy and another officer.
Several dispatch assignments had been steered toward Cedar Valley despite contractual requirements intended to prevent favoritism.
The evidence also showed that some vehicle disposition procedures were not followed properly.
Not every disputed tow was fraudulent.
Not every employee had participated knowingly.
But the pattern was substantial enough to support criminal referrals and contract enforcement action.
Bellamy's attorney negotiated a cooperation agreement after prosecutors identified financial records that contradicted his earlier explanations.
Megan Shaw gave detailed testimony about billing adjustments and internal instructions.
Her records helped investigators understand how disputed charges moved through the company's accounting system.
The investigation uncovered something that surprised Naomi.
Malloy had not simply been targeting drivers whose documents he doubted.
He had participated in a pattern where disputed licensing or registration issues became opportunities to impound vehicles.
Some drivers were particularly vulnerable because they lacked money, legal representation, or the time necessary to challenge charges.
Race played an important role in certain encounters.
Several witnesses described racially charged remarks or unequal treatment.
But financial incentives also mattered.
So did poor supervision.
So did flawed complaint procedures.
The motives were overlapping.
That complexity did not excuse the conduct.
It made the investigation more necessary.
Because removing one biased officer would not automatically fix a towing contract designed to reward improper behavior.
And terminating one contractor would not correct supervisors who accepted unsupported reports.
The system required multiple changes.