But now she was watching footage of Mallory shoving Marcus against a railing.
And the same neighbor who had been mentioned in the dispatch notes was standing behind him.
Elena opened the original call record.
She checked the timestamps.
Then looked toward the audio file.
For several seconds, she hesitated.
The department had already issued an evidence-preservation notice.
She knew the appropriate way to report a concern.
So she contacted the outside investigators through the established channel.
The next morning, she met with Detective Hannah Foster.
Hannah was forty-three, an experienced investigator from a neighboring county agency assigned to lead the independent review.
She had worked cases involving assaults, financial fraud, and official misconduct.
She was not employed by Redbrook.
And she had no direct relationship with Marcus Price.
Elena explained what she remembered.
Then the investigators played the original dispatch audio.
The caller's voice was clear.
He described a suspicious man.
An elderly homeowner.
And a possible confrontation.
Then Elena's questions revealed the uncertainty.
No confirmed violence.
No confirmed property offense.
No identified victim requesting police intervention.
Hannah listened.
Then asked.
“Did Deputy Mallory receive the same information?”
Elena nodded.
“Yes.”
“Did he request additional clarification?”
“Only the address.”
The detective made a note.
Then played Mallory's transmission.
“Is this another one of Pierce's properties?”
Hannah looked up.
For a moment, she seemed surprised.
Then asked.
“What did he mean by that?”
Elena shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Had you heard him refer to Pierce before?”
The dispatcher hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Yes.”
For several seconds, the room became quiet.
Hannah leaned forward.
“How often?”
Elena took a breath.
“Several times.”
She explained that Alan Pierce's complaints frequently resulted in police contacts near properties associated with Sterling Crest's redevelopment plans.
Some involved legitimate disturbances.
Others were ordinary disputes between residents and visitors.
But Mallory repeatedly volunteered to handle those calls.
Hannah listened carefully.
Then asked.
“Did anyone investigate whether there was a conflict of interest?”
Elena shook her head.
“Not that I know of.”
For a moment, the detective remained silent.
Then asked.
“Why didn't you raise the concern earlier?”
Elena looked down.
Her voice became quiet.