Chapter 9 - The Sergeant’s EnvelopeMercer entered the diner.
Levi stood before he reached Naomi’s booth.
The lieutenant stopped.
“Captain.”
“Interesting coincidence.”
Mercer looked at Calvin.
“Dispatch said someone matching a wanted witness was here.”
“What witness?”
Mercer’s eyes moved toward Naomi.
“Car burglary.”
Calvin laughed nervously.
“I haven’t burglarized anything in my life.”
Levi said, “Leave.”
Mercer blinked.
“Captain?”
“Return to the precinct.”
“I’m responding to a call.”
“Then give me the incident number.”
Mercer did not.
Levi stepped closer.
“Leave.”
Mercer’s jaw tightened.
“Yes, sir.”
He walked out.
Naomi looked at Levi.
“He knew.”
“Yes.”
Calvin grabbed his coat.
“I’m done.”
Levi blocked his path.
“No one is forcing you to stay.”
“You don’t get it.”
“Then explain it.”
Calvin looked toward the cruiser pulling away.
“Mercer used to pick up envelopes.”
Levi’s face hardened.
“How often?”
“I don’t know.”
“How much?”
“Usually five hundred.”
Naomi asked, “For what?”
“Making complaints disappear. Steering impounds. Telling Dennis when inspectors were coming.”
Levi felt the room tilt.
Miller had said Mercer collected Terrence’s complaint.
Now Levi knew why.
“Do your records show payments?”
Calvin nodded.
“Initials.”
“PM?”
“Yes.”
“And BDJ?”
“Brad Jenkins.”
Levi remembered the notation on Terrence’s receipt.
He called Internal Affairs.
This time he did not ask.
He ordered Mercer removed from access to systems and evidence pending investigation.
Within an hour, Mercer’s locker and office were secured.
But when Internal Affairs searched his desk, they found nothing.
His precinct laptop had been wiped.
Not recently.
Forty minutes before Levi called.
Someone had warned him.
Levi summoned Miller.
“Who knew?”
“About Mercer?”
“You. Me. Rachel. Naomi. Internal Affairs.”
Miller looked offended.
“You think I called him?”
“I think somebody did.”
Miller’s face hardened.
“I told you I was afraid years ago. I’m not afraid now.”
Levi stared at him.
“Then help me.”
Miller nodded.
They checked access logs.
A remote administrative account had issued the wipe.
The account belonged to the previous commander.
Commander Richard Sloan.
Sloan had retired three months earlier.
Levi rubbed his jaw.
“How can a retired commander still access department systems?”
Miller answered quietly.
“Unless IT never disabled him.”
“Or someone uses his credentials.”
Miller looked at the login location.
“Captain.”
“What?”
The connection originated from inside the 42nd Precinct.
Levi ordered the building network isolated.
Then Carter appeared outside his office.
“I need to tell you something.”
Levi motioned him in.
Carter closed the door.
“I backed up my body camera.”
Levi stared at him.
“You what?”
“Not officially.”
“That is evidence.”
“I know.”
“Where?”
Carter swallowed.
“My home computer.”
Levi stood.
“Why?”
“Because Jenkins told me after the arrest that cameras sometimes ‘get lost.’”
“When?”
“Last night.”
“Before you arrived here?”
“Yes.”
Levi’s pulse quickened.
“What did you copy?”
“The entire stop.”
“Does it show the initial contact?”
“Yes.”
“Jenkins touching you?”
“Yes.”
“Me touching Jenkins?”
“No.”
Levi stared at him.
Carter added, “There’s more.”
“What?”
“When Jenkins put you in the cruiser, he made a phone call.”
“To whom?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did he say?”
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Carter’s voice dropped.
“He said, ‘We got another one. Tell Mercer to build the assault.’”
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