Mercer stepped closer. "That figure covers equipment, software, licensing, installation, support, and long-term maintenance. It isn't just hardware."
Maya nodded. "I understand." She looked at Lena. "What was certified as complete?"
"Everything." Lena opened the final acceptance document.
The file stated that the new equipment had been installed, tested, integrated with the department's evidence platform, and placed into active service. The acceptance line carried Daniel Mercer's electronic signature. A second certification confirmed that the restricted work areas had been secured during installation. That document carried Rebecca Sloan's name.
Rebecca read it over Lena's shoulder. "My signature confirms contractor access and site security. I didn't certify the technical work."
Maya looked at the wording. "That's what the document says."
Rebecca seemed prepared to argue, but Maya had already moved on.
"Who certified the installation itself?"
Lena opened the contractor file: Sloan Integrated Systems. The company president was listed as Calvin Sloan.
Maya looked at Rebecca.
"My brother," Rebecca said. "The city knew that when the contract was awarded."
"Was the relationship disclosed in writing?"
"Yes," Mercer added. "City procurement reviewed the conflict disclosure before the bid was approved."
Maya said, "Then we'll preserve that file with the rest."
Again, she made no accusation. Rebecca appeared more unsettled by the lack of one.
A federal technician working at the second station turned around. "Agent Williams, the active storage environment is significantly smaller than the accepted configuration."
"How significant?"
"The contract describes three separate retention layers. I can confirm the local layer and part of the redundant storage. I don't see evidence that the full off-site architecture was ever brought online."
Mercer said, "Some services are vendor-hosted."
"Then there should be service endpoints, authentication records, and transfer history," the technician replied. "I'm not seeing enough of that to support the certification."
Maya asked Lena, "Where are the installation inventories?"
"In the procurement archive. Original receiving records, too."
"Yes, open them."
Lena brought up a list of equipment delivered to the city several months earlier. The quantities matched the federal invoices: body camera units, storage appliances, encryption modules, backup systems, network hardware, and replacement components.
Maya compared the delivery records with the active equipment list. "Where is the hardware that isn't installed?"
Lena hesitated. "I don't know."
Rebecca looked at her. "You manage digital evidence. How do you not know where department equipment is?"
"Because I don't control municipal receiving."