Ben’s locked backpack and confiscated phone at the cafe — Then the security camera footage reveals who actually started the fight
Chapter 6 — Opening the locked office drawer
Mark let out a long breath through his nose.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy metal ring.
The keys jingled sharply against the tiled floor as he walked past the register.
“You are making a massive deal out of a standard administrative procedure,” Mark said.
He shoved the brass key into the brass keyhole of the small office door.
The lock clicked open with a sharp mechanical snap.
He pushed the door inward, revealing a cramped room dominated by a filing cabinet and an oak desk.
Sarah followed him right to the threshold.
Ben stayed by the glass display cabinet, watching closely.
Mark walked up to the wooden desk.
The surface was cluttered with shift schedules and invoice folders.
He unlocked the top drawer with a smaller key from his ring.
He pulled the drawer open with a sharp tug.
Ben’s phone was sitting right on top of a stack of printed timesheets.
The black plastic case and distinctive camera lenses were unmistakable.
“There,” Mark said, gesturing toward the drawer.
“It is right here, completely safe and untouched.”
Sarah reached out past him and picked the device up off the papers.
She pressed the side power button.
The screen flashed to life instantly, glowing brightly in the dim office light.
The lock screen illuminated the notification center.
It displayed a missed call timestamp.
Sarah squinted down at the digital numbers glowing against the dark background.
“Mark,” Sarah said, her voice dropping into a quiet, dangerous tone.
“Explain this time.”
