Sarah pulled out her laptop and opened her case files.
"Maria Martinez wasn't a random victim," she began. "She was killed as part of a pattern possibly as a warning or a punishment. I've identified seven other women who disappeared under similar circumstances over the past six months. All Latina, all ages eighteen to twenty-five, all responded to employment advertisements from companies owned by Meridian Holdings."
Webb's expression didn't change, but Sarah saw his hand tighten slightly on his pen. "Meridian Holdings. As in Dr. Robert Chen's Meridian Holdings."
"Yes, sir." Sarah pulled up the employment ads, the shell company records, the correlation between Meridian wellness centers and where the victims were last seen. "The companies use different names Sunshine Employment Services, Career Pathways, New Horizons Staffing but they're all subsidiaries of Meridian. And they all target vulnerable young women who need work and are unlikely to go to the police if something goes wrong."
"That's a serious accusation against one of the city's most prominent philanthropists."
"I know, sir. But the pattern is undeniable." Sarah showed him the photographs of the seven missing women, then the crime scene photos of Maria Martinez and Julia Reyes. "Two women found dead, posed identically, with evidence suggesting they were held captive for extended periods before being killed. Five still missing. And this morning I found evidence of a possible identification system Maria Martinez had a partial tattoo on her wrist that someone tried to burn off. The letters 'INA' and the number seven."
Webb studied the enhanced photograph, his cop's brain clearly working through implications. "Inventory marking."
"That's my theory. If this is an organized trafficking operation, they'd need a way to track their victims. Tattoos are permanent, difficult to remove without leaving scars." Sarah pulled up more photos. "I've requested the autopsy files for Julia Reyes to see if she had similar markings."
"Have you contacted the FBI? Human trafficking is federal jurisdiction."
"Not yet. I wanted to build a stronger case first." That was partially true she also didn't know who to trust in the federal system. "But Captain, there's more. I've been under surveillance for at least a week. Dark sedan, partial plate LKN-4, registered to Sentinel Security Services. And Sentinel's biggest client is"
"Meridian Holdings," Webb finished, his expression going dark. "Jesus, Morrison. You're saying Dr. Chen is running a trafficking network and using his own security company to protect it?"
"I'm saying someone very powerful is protecting this operation. Someone with enough resources to conduct professional surveillance on a police detective, to frame me for evidence tampering, and to make evidence disappear from multiple jurisdictions." Sarah met his eyes. "I received two threats this morning. One telling me to back off the Martinez case. The other showing photographs of my roommate, with the implication that she'd be next if I didn't close the investigation."
Webb was silent for a long moment, processing. Then he stood and moved to his window, looking out at the city. "When I became a cop, I believed in the system. Believed that if you worked hard, followed the evidence, and did everything by the book, justice would prevail." He turned back to face her. "Thirty years later, I've learned that the system only works when the people in power want it to. And when they don't…" He trailed off.
"Captain, I need to know if you're going to support this investigation or shut it down."
"I'm going to ask you a question, and I need you to answer honestly." Webb returned to his desk. "How far are you willing to go to solve this case? Because if you're right about Dr. Chen, if he's really behind this, then going after him means going after everyone he's connected to. Politicians, businessmen, possibly other cops. Your career will be over regardless of whether you succeed. So I'm asking is this really the hill you want to die on?"
Sarah thought about Maria Martinez, posed in that warehouse like a broken doll. About Carmen Delgado, still missing. About her brother Marcus, whose murder had been dismissed as gang violence because investigating properly would have been inconvenient.
"Yes," she said simply. "This is the hill."
Webb nodded slowly, something like respect crossing his features. "Then you need to understand what you're up against. Dr. Robert Chen donated $2.3 million to the mayor's reelection campaign. He sits on the police commission's civilian oversight board. He has dinner with the commissioner twice a month. If you go after him, you won't just face legal opposition you'll face political pressure designed to destroy your credibility before you can build a case."
"I understand."
"I don't think you do." Webb pulled out his phone, scrolling through something. "Three years ago, a detective in Las Vegas Raymond Pierce investigated similar allegations against a different healthcare network. He had evidence, witnesses, everything needed for a prosecution. But before he could file charges, Pierce was forced into early retirement on trumped-up harassment allegations. His pension was suspended pending investigation. His house was foreclosed on. His wife left him. Last I heard, he was working security at a shopping mall in Reno."
Sarah felt ice in her stomach. "You're saying Pierce was destroyed for investigating corruption."
"I'm saying that powerful people protect themselves, and they don't care who they hurt doing it." Webb met her eyes. "I'm also saying that if you're going to do this if you're really going to take down Dr. Chen and expose this network you need to do it smart. You need evidence that can't be disputed, witnesses who won't recant, and media attention that makes it impossible to bury."
"I'm working on it."
"Are you working alone?"
Sarah hesitated, thinking about Alex. About whether revealing her partnership would put him at greater risk or provide valuable backup.
"I have a source," she said carefully. "A private investigator who's been tracking a related case. He's been investigating this network for five years, since his sister was killed under similar circumstances."
Webb's expression sharpened. "What's his name?"
"Alex Russo. Former casino security, now works missing persons cases. He's the one who connected Maria Martinez to the larger pattern."
"And you trust him?"
"I'm learning to." Sarah pulled out her notes from the diner meeting. "He's been thorough, careful, and he's not looking for publicity or credit he just wants to find the women who are still missing. That's either genuine dedication or the best cover story I've ever heard."
Webb was quiet, thinking. Then he pulled out his phone and made a call. "This is Captain Webb. I need a background check on a civilian Alex Russo, private investigator, probably licensed in Nevada or California. Everything you can find financials, criminal history, known associates, the works. And I need it within the hour… Yes, priority flag… Thank you."
He hung up and looked at Sarah. "If you're going to work with a civilian, I need to know he's clean. Last thing we need is for your key witness to turn out to be compromised."
"Understood."
"Good. Now show me everything you have all the evidence, all the connections, all the theories. If we're going to build a case against Dr. Chen, it needs to be airtight."
For the next forty minutes, Sarah walked Webb through every detail: the employment ads, the shell companies, the correlation between Meridian wellness centers and disappearances, the matching crime scene evidence between Maria Martinez and Julia Reyes, the surveillance, the threats.
Webb listened without interrupting, taking notes in his careful handwriting, asking occasional clarifying questions. When Sarah finished, he sat back and steepled his fingers.
"This is good work, Morrison. Solid connections, clear pattern, documented evidence." He paused. "It's also completely circumstantial. Everything you've shown me could be explained away as coincidence Meridian operates in low-income areas, those same areas have high crime rates, correlation doesn't equal causation."
"I know, sir. That's why I need time to build more evidence. Find the witnesses, locate where they're holding the missing women, get someone inside the organization to flip."
"Which brings me to my next question what do you need from me?"
Sarah had been thinking about this all morning. "I need protection from Internal Affairs. Buy me time to investigate before they shut me down for evidence tampering. I need access to federal databases DMV records, corporate filings, property ownership under shell companies. And I need you to not tell anyone else what we're investigating. Not the commissioner, not other detectives, not anyone who might be connected to Dr. Chen."
Webb frowned. "You're asking me to run an unsanctioned investigation into a major philanthropist without oversight or accountability."
"I'm asking you to let me solve a case that someone very powerful is trying to bury."
"It's still". Webb's phone rang, interrupting him. He glanced at the screen and his expression changed. "I need to take this. Wait outside."
Sarah gathered her files and stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her. Through the frosted glass, she could see Webb's silhouette, phone pressed to his ear, his body language tense.
The call lasted less than two minutes. When Webb opened the door, his face was carefully neutral cop face, the expression that revealed nothing.
"That was the commissioner," he said quietly. "Someone filed a formal complaint against you. Anonymous tip claiming you've been conducting unauthorized surveillance, harassing innocent civilians, and misusing department resources to pursue a personal vendetta."