Marcus did not start with outrage.He started with structure.By dawn, the old file had been stripped of narrative and converted into data. Every page broken down into fields. Every reference mapped against what should have existed if the investigation had followed standard protocol.He worked in silence, sleeves rolled, eyes sharp behind tired focus.“This isn’t sloppy,” he said finally, voice low. “It’s curated absence.”Lillian sat across from him, notebook closed, listening. Nathaniel stood near the window. Elena leaned against the counter, arms folded, watching the pattern form.Marcus projected a timeline onto the wall.
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