Maya walked toward the counter, but stopped before reaching it. "Under the base of the napkin dispenser at the third booth from the kitchen."
Ruth looked toward the booth. "That's been there all evening."
"Don't touch it," Price said.
She directed one of the patrol officers to stand near the booth while she put on gloves. Ruth, Daniel, Eli, and Caleb remained where they were. Brett watched without speaking.
Price approached the table. The napkin dispenser was an ordinary metal container that Ruth kept on every booth. Price lifted it carefully: beneath the base was a small black memory card.
Daniel leaned forward. "That's what all of this was about?"
Maya did not answer.
Price photographed the card where it rested, then recovered it without allowing anyone else to handle it. She placed it inside the evidence envelope, documented the location, and sealed the package.
Brett's expression became noticeably calmer. Price turned toward him.
"You look relieved."
"I'm glad the property was located."
"You haven't established that it belongs to the department."
"You'll find department data on it."
"If there is data on it."
"There is."
Price held his gaze. "You're suddenly very certain."
Brett did not respond to that. Instead, he looked at the sealed envelope. "Whoever examines it needs to document that the chain of custody begins here."
Price nodded. "It does."
"And everything before this point is unknown."
"Yes."
"You don't know who created the card."
"No."
"You don't know who copied anything onto it."
"No."
"You don't know how long it was under that dispenser."
"No."
"You don't know who handled it before it arrived."
"No."
Price's agreement seemed to make Daniel uncomfortable; Brett continued: "You don't know whether the contents were changed before tonight. You don't know whether files were removed, renamed, edited, or combined."
"That will have to be evaluated."
"And Maya had access to department evidence systems in the past. She understands how those systems are structured."
Maya answered from the counter, "Yes."
Brett looked at her. "You also knew the card was supposed to be here."
"Yes."
"You came specifically because you expected to receive it."
"Yes."
"And you have a documented dispute involving access to department records."
Maya did not hesitate. "Yes."
Brett turned toward Price. "That is exactly why the card cannot be treated as reliable evidence against me."
Price remained calm. "I haven't treated it as evidence against you."
"You sealed it."
"I preserved an object connected to an incident under investigation. That doesn't make the contents authentic."
"I didn't say it did." Brett looked at the other officers as if he wanted them to understand the distinction. "Whatever is on that card could have come from anywhere."
Price nodded. "That is possible."
Maya watched Brett closely. His posture had changed: he was no longer trying to reach the counter or pressure Ruth into allowing a search; he no longer seemed concerned that the card was physically out of his control. He wanted Price to have it now. That bothered her more than his earlier aggression.
Daniel noticed it, too. "You spent all night trying to find that thing," he said. "Now you don't seem worried at all."
Brett turned toward him. "Because now it's being handled properly."