Chapter 10: The Secret Inside The Department
James couldn’t move.
The station around him continued operating.
Phones rang.
Officers walked through the hallway.
Printers hummed.
But all he could hear was Sergeant Reed’s voice.
“Your father knew about Caleb too.””
James stared at him.
“My father died when I was twelve.””
Reed nodded slowly.
“I know.””
“Then why are you telling me this now?””
The older officer looked down.
“Because I was a coward.””
Maria stepped closer.
“Explain.””
Reed sat down heavily.
“Years ago, Daniel Miller came to this station with evidence.””
James looked at the files on the table.
“About Caleb.””
“Yes.””
Reed opened a folder.
Inside were copies of old reports.
“Daniel believed Caleb was targeting vulnerable families. He had names. Addresses. Patterns.””
James picked up a page.
“Why wasn’t anything done?””
Reed’s face tightened.
“Because someone higher up stopped the investigation.””
The room went silent.
Maria looked at him.
“Who?””
Reed didn’t answer immediately.
That told James everything.
“You know.””
Reed swallowed.
“I know who gave the order.””
James leaned forward.
“Say it.””
Reed looked toward the door.
Then whispered:
“Chief Robert Hale.””
Maria’s expression changed.
“The police chief?””
Reed nodded.
James felt disbelief rise inside him.
Chief Hale had been the person who trained him.
The person who taught him to protect people.
The person who attended his father’s funeral.
“No.””
Reed looked at him.
“I wish I was wrong.””
James grabbed the folder.
“What happened after my father reported Caleb?””
Reed sighed.
“Daniel kept searching on his own.””
“For evidence?””
“For proof.””
He opened another document.
“Then he found the farmhouse.””
James looked at the address.
The same farmhouse they had searched.
“He found it before us.””
Reed nodded.
“And he found something that scared him.””
“What?””
Reed reached into the folder.
A photograph.
An old photograph.
It showed Caleb standing beside another man.
James recognized the second person immediately.
His hands went cold.
Because it was Chief Hale.
Maria stared.
“This can’t be real.””
Reed looked away.
“It is.””
James felt like the floor disappeared beneath him.
“Why would Hale help him?””
Reed shook his head.
“I don’t know.””
Before anyone could continue, James’s radio crackled.
“Detective Carter.””
He answered immediately.
“Go ahead.””
An officer’s voice came through.
“We found Rachel.””
James exhaled.
“Where?””
A pause.
“She’s at the old Miller property.””
James froze.
“The house?””
“Yes.””
Maria grabbed her jacket.
“We need to move.””
As they rushed outside, James looked back at Sergeant Reed.
“Are you coming?””
The older man stood slowly.
“I owe your father the truth.””
The team arrived at the Miller house within minutes.
The front door was open.
The inside was dark.
James entered carefully.
“Rachel?””
No answer.
Then a voice came from upstairs.
“James.””
He looked up.
Rachel stood on the landing.
Alive.
But terrified.
Behind her was Caleb.
Holding a folder.
The officers raised their weapons.
Caleb smiled.
“You really brought the whole department.””
James stepped forward.
“Let her go.””
Caleb laughed.
“You still think this is about me.””
James stared.
“What does that mean?””
Caleb lifted the folder.
“This is about the people who helped me.””
Everyone went silent.
He looked directly at James.
“Your father discovered the truth.””
James tightened his jaw.
“And you killed him.””
Caleb’s smile faded.
“No.””
A pause.
“Someone else did.””
James felt a chill.
Caleb looked toward the officers.
“You want to know who protected me?””
He opened the folder.
Inside was a document.
A signature.
A name.
And when James saw it, his entire world changed.
May you like
Because the person who had authorized the first cover-up…
Was standing in the room behind him.
