"Officer Morrow," Renee said, "did you see this notification?"
Travis leaned closer, then took a step back. "I saw something about federal personnel coming by."
"Did it say a visitor would be carrying a warrant?"
"Not that I remember."
"Did it tell you to destroy anything?"
"No."
"Did the sender explain what files needed to be secured?"
"No."
Renee nodded and directed the technician to preserve the complete command communications for the relevant hour, subject to the existing legal authority and the appropriate custodian's participation. She was not going to treat one sentence as a license to rummage through an entire department. The case already contained an authorized investigation into financial records and evidence handling, and she intended to keep every further step tied to that authority. That mattered for the same reason Malcolm had not forced his way down the hallway: evidence obtained carelessly could weaken the very inquiry it was supposed to support.
Captain Gregory Weller appeared from the secured corridor as the preservation request was being prepared. He was fifty-seven, tall, and dressed in a white uniform shirt with a service pin over the pocket. His reputation in East Ridge was complicated. Some employees considered him a patient administrator who had inherited a troubled operation, while others thought he spent too much time accepting assurances from lieutenants whose work he no longer examined. He approached with the brisk irritation of a man told something important had happened in his building without being given the details.
"Agent Carter?" he said, looking from Renee's credentials to Malcolm. "What is going on?"
"Captain, an authentic federal warrant naming you as recipient was brought to the reception desk this morning," Renee answered. "The attempt to contact you was stopped, and the original document was destroyed before anyone completed verification. We are documenting the incident and preserving relevant communications."
Weller's attention moved to the evidence sleeve. His mouth opened slightly, then closed. "Destroyed by whom?"
Renee identified Travis without embellishment. She then showed Weller the authenticated court record and the command notification sent eighteen minutes before Malcolm's arrival. Weller read it slowly, one line at a time. When he reached the words about command files, his expression changed in a way Malcolm could see but could not yet explain.
"Who sent that?" Weller asked.
"We're establishing that from the preserved credentials and communications," Renee replied. "Do you recognize the instruction?"
"No. I never authorized anyone to delay the delivery of court process."
"We'll record that as your statement."
Weller turned toward Travis. "Why wasn't I called?"
Travis opened his hands. "I thought the paperwork was fraudulent."
"You could have checked."
"I was protecting command."
Weller stared at him. "You were protecting command from a telephone call?"