The Glitch

The next morning, Elena was back in the Archives. The Gala felt like a fever dream.

She threw herself into her work, organizing the cold case files. She was cross-referencing a series of warehouse busts from last month—a joint operation between Miller’s Homicide division and Narcotics.

She noticed a discrepancy.

A log-in time.

Detective Miller’s badge had been used to access the secure evidence locker at 3:00 AM on nights when he told her he was sleeping.

Elena frowned. She pulled up the security logs.

She cross-referenced the dates. Every time Miller accessed the locker, a shipment from the Russo Cartel—Nico’s rivals—went missing from the impound. Or a witness against the Russos ended up dead.

Elena’s blood ran cold.

She typed furiously, digging deeper. She checked Miller’s financials. Offshore accounts. Large deposits made the day after their dates.

Why dates?

She looked at her own access clearance. *Civilian Analyst Level 4. Archive Master Key.*

Miller didn't have clearance for the old archives where the Valenti family blueprints were stored. Elena did.

He wasn't dating her. He was using her. He had cloned her badge signal when he put his arm around her. He had been stealing the locations of Nico’s safe houses while buying her dinner.

"Oh my god," Elena whispered.

"Find something interesting, Ellie?"

Elena spun around.

Detective Miller stood in the doorway of the Archives. The fluorescent light reflected off his perfect teeth, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. He wasn't wearing his badge. He was wearing leather gloves.

"Brian," Elena stammered, her hand creeping toward the panic button. "I was just... organizing."

"You always were too organized for your own good," Miller sighed, closing the door and locking it. "I told the Russos you were harmless. Just a boring librarian with a crush on a mobster. But you had to go looking, didn't you?"

"You're a mole," Elena said, standing up. "You're working for the Cartel."

"The pension plan is better," Miller shrugged. He drew his service weapon. "Grab your coat, Ellie. We're going for a ride."