Chapter 6: The Midnight Drive to the Precinct
The city streets were dark and largely deserted as Clara drove toward the central police precinct. The neon signs of downtown storefronts cast long, distorted shadows across the wet pavement, a light drizzle having begun to fall just as they left the motel. In the back seat, Lily slumbered peacefully, wrapped securely in a heavy blanket. Clara had made the difficult decision to bring her along rather than leave her unattended in the motel room, unwilling to let the child out of her sight for even a single second.
Marcus followed closely behind in his own car, his headlights cutting through the misty night air. The physical flash drive containing the encrypted forensic audit rested safely in Clara’s coat pocket, heavy and cold against her chest.
When they pulled into the precinct parking lot, the building loomed like a concrete monolith against the midnight sky. A few squad cars sat idle near the entrance, their light bars dark. Clara turned off the engine, turning back to check on Lily one last time before stepping out into the rain. The little girl didn't stir, her breathing deep and even.
Clara and Marcus met by the hood of her sedan, the mist clinging to their hair and clothes.
“Are you sure about this, Clara?” Marcus asked, pulling his coat collar up against the chill. “Once we file a criminal complaint, there’s no walking it back. David’s family will pull every political string they own to make our lives difficult.”
“They’ve already threatened my daughter, Marcus,” Clara replied, her voice steady and resolute. “There was never any walking it back. They started a war, but we are going to finish it on legal terms.”
They walked up the concrete steps and pushed open the heavy glass doors of the precinct lobby. The room smelled of floor wax, old paper, and stale coffee. A tired-looking desk sergeant sat behind a high Plexiglas partition, scrolling through a computer screen with a look of profound boredom.
“Can I help you folks?” the sergeant asked without looking up, his voice gravelly from years of shouting over radio static.
“Yes,” Clara said, stepping right up to the counter. She reached into her pocket, withdrew the flash drive, and laid it gently on the wooden ledge. “I need to file a formal criminal complaint for corporate fraud, embezzlement, and child endangerment against David Vance and his associates.”
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The sergeant finally looked up, his eyes narrowing as he took in Clara’s damp hair and tired expression. He looked at the small flash drive, then back at Clara. Something in the serious, unwavering set of her jaw told him this wasn't a domestic dispute he could easily brush off. He reached out, picked up the drive, and gestured toward the hallway behind him.
“Step back into Interview Room Three,” the sergeant said, standing up from his chair. “I’ll get the detective on duty.”
