Brett stopped moving. Price said nothing.
Maya continued, "The card was never supposed to be the proof."
Price looked at Maya, then at the sealed evidence envelope in her hand. "If the card was never supposed to prove the case, what was it supposed to do?"
Maya answered without looking at Brett. "Point to where the real records are."
Brett's posture changed; Price noticed.
"What does that mean?"
"The card should contain identifiers, case references, version numbers, archive markers, access entries—enough information to tell someone exactly where to look inside the official system."
Price's expression remained controlled. "Not copied evidence?"
"Maybe some copied data. I don't know. But that was never the part that mattered most."
Brett stepped forward. "She has no idea what's on it."
Maya turned toward him. "That's what I've been telling everyone."
"You're building a theory around a card you admit you haven't examined."
"No, I'm telling Sergeant Price why somebody would risk leaving it."
Price looked at Brett. "You seem concerned about the distinction."
"I'm concerned about speculation being treated like evidence."
"That's reasonable." Brett paused; Price continued: "Which is why nobody is going to treat the card as proof of anything until it is examined."
Maya nodded. Price looked at her again.
"What exactly should an examiner look for?"
"Case identifiers first. If they match real records, then version history, access logs, archived versions—any record showing when files were opened, changed, replaced, or reclassified."
"Could you fabricate those identifiers?"
"Yes."
Brett gave a short nod. "There."
Maya did not react. Price asked, "Could you fabricate identifiers that also exist inside an official system you no longer control?"
Maya shook her head. "Not if the system records are preserved and independently checked."
Brett answered, "She could know old case numbers."
"She could," Price said.
"She could know naming conventions."
"Yes."
"She could build something that looks legitimate."
"Yes."
Brett looked at her. "Then the card proves nothing."
Price held his gaze. "I agree."
That answer stopped him again. Price placed the sealed envelope on the counter.
"The question is not whether this card proves something by itself. The question is whether the references on it correspond to records already maintained by the department."
Brett folded his arms. "And if they don't?"
"Then Maya has a serious credibility problem."
Maya did not object.
Price continued. "If they do, then the official records become the focus, not the card."
Brett looked toward Maya. "You think you've found a way around authentication?"
Maya shook her head. "No. Authentication is the point—just not the authentication you wanted everyone arguing about."
Price picked up her radio. Brett immediately spoke.
"What are you doing?"
"Preserving records."
"Based on an unverified card?"
"Based on a reported dispute involving department data, an officer who came here trying to recover that data outside a clearly documented process, and a former evidence employee who has now identified specific categories of records that may be relevant."
"That is not probable cause for a search."
"I didn't say I was applying for a search."