"I was hoping to meet the people who keep things running at this hour," Marcus said. He paused and glanced through the glass doors as Reigns's cruiser pulled into the lot. "This morning has taken an unexpected turn. Please contact the acting duty commander and Internal Affairs. We need to preserve several records before the regular briefing."
Torres studied his face and did not ask for gossip. She reached for the phone, then noted the two officers entering behind him. Reigns looked as though he were forcing himself to walk at an ordinary pace. Voss wore the stiff expression of a man already constructing explanations in his head. Neither offered the customary greeting.
Deputy Chief Alan Morrison arrived from the administrative wing a few minutes later. He was a tall, reserved man whose gray hair and quiet manner sometimes caused officers to underestimate how carefully he listened. Morrison had overseen the precinct during the leadership transition and would formally transfer command responsibility to Marcus at eight. He greeted the incoming captain with a firm handshake, then looked toward Reigns and Voss.
"I understand there was an incident on Highland Avenue," Morrison said. Marcus gave him a concise factual account, avoiding conclusions that belonged to investigators. He described the initial reason alleged for the stop, the demand for cash, the camera going dark, the threats of search and impoundment, and Voss's arrival. When he mentioned the recording, Morrison's expression became noticeably more serious.
"Do not hand that recorder to anyone on the patrol chain," Morrison instructed. "Internal Affairs will take custody and have it copied properly. Officer Reigns and Sergeant Voss, remain in separate rooms until your initial statements are documented." Reigns opened his mouth as though to object, but Morrison continued. "This is evidence preservation, not a finding of guilt. You will have the procedural protections the department requires."
Marcus appreciated the distinction. Twenty-three years on the job had taught him that an investigation could be undermined as easily by a righteous shortcut as by an outright lie. Reigns and Voss deserved notice of the allegations and a fair process. The drivers they had stopped deserved exactly the same seriousness, and Marcus intended that neither group be treated as less important than the other.
By eight o'clock, Marcus had officially assumed command of Central Precinct. Instead of giving the speech he had prepared, he met with Morrison, Lieutenant Hayes from operations, and Detective Sarah Kim, the Internal Affairs investigator assigned to the initial complaint. Kim was precise, reserved, and younger than her professional confidence suggested. She spoke in short questions that discouraged speeches and demanded facts.
"Is the original recording still on the device?" she asked. Marcus nodded and explained that he had stopped it after the encounter and made no edits. Kim documented the device, its condition, and its transfer before securing it for examination. She also asked him not to participate in fact-finding interviews about his own stop, a safeguard against his position influencing witnesses. Marcus agreed without hesitation.