“All of it shows me entering peacefully and being attacked almost immediately.”
Walsh leaned back.
When he spoke again, his voice had changed.
Softer.
Almost friendly.
“Mr. Harris, let’s be realistic.”
He folded his hands.
“You’re in a difficult position. You’re injured. You’re making serious allegations.”
Then came the insinuation.
“But you’re also claiming to be someone you may not be.”
Walsh gave a slight shrug.
“Someone could have told you about tomorrow’s ceremony. You could be using that information to your advantage.”
Andrew answered without hesitation.
“I am the new chief appointed by Mayor Anderson six weeks ago and confirmed by city council two weeks ago.”
Walsh’s expression tightened.
“My professional background is FBI crisis negotiation.”
Another pause.
“Before that, United States Marine Corps.”
The specificity made Walsh hesitate.
These weren’t vague claims.
They were facts that could be checked.
“If that’s true, why wasn’t anyone informed?”
“Because the mayor wanted to see how this department handled an unknown man walking into the station during shift change.”
Walsh stared.
“He wanted to see whether the complaints we have received for three years were accurate.”
“And you agreed to this test?”
“I insisted on it.”
Andrew’s face hardened.
“Because my brother died in this room three years ago.”
The room became completely silent.
“Because Brandon Harris came here needing help and left dead.”
Andrew looked from Mitchell to Wilson to Walsh.
“Because dozens of families filed similar complaints and those complaints disappeared.”
He paused.
“Because the federal government has been investigating this station since last January.”
“And because I wanted to know for myself whether anything had changed.”
Walsh slowly stood.
His face remained unreadable.
“Those are extremely serious allegations.”
“They are.”
“Do you have proof?”
“All of it.”
Andrew spoke without hesitation.
“Financial records showing payments connected to Vincent Taylor.”
Walsh’s face changed.
“Evidence-room logs showing falsifications.”
Wilson’s face changed next.
“Radio transcripts from the night Brandon died.”
Mitchell looked toward the floor.
“Medical reports that don’t match the official narrative.”
Andrew continued.
“Witness statements from forty-three families.”
“Bank transfers.”
“Text messages.”
“Emails.”
“Evidence that will be presented tomorrow morning when federal indictments are announced.”
Walsh’s expensive watch caught the light as his hand moved toward his pocket.
He pulled out his phone.
He stared at it for several seconds.
Then he looked toward Mitchell and Wilson.
“How bad is it?”
Neither answered.
“Sir,” Mitchell finally said, “if he’s telling the truth—”
“He’s not.”
“But if he is, then we have a problem.”
Walsh returned the phone to his pocket.
“We still have time to manage it.”
Andrew watched him.
“The ceremony isn’t until tomorrow morning,” Walsh continued. “We have all night to control the narrative.”
“You’re planning to make me disappear.”
“I’m planning to follow proper procedure.”
Walsh’s tone hardened.
“Transfer you to county lockup for processing. Standard protocol for arrests after business hours.”
Andrew almost smiled.
“Except the paperwork will disappear.”
Walsh said nothing.
“You’ll hold me without proper arraignment long enough for the ceremony to happen without me.”
Walsh’s expression stayed flat.
“Long enough to create doubt about who I am.”
Walsh’s mouth turned upward slightly.
“You’re very perceptive, Mr. Harris.”
Then he added, “If that’s your real name.”
Andrew’s eyes hardened.
“It’s exactly what happened to Brandon.”