"I offered to check the appointment and call the watch commander. Officer Cole told me not to get involved."
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Did Agent Carter raise her voice?"
Daniel paused briefly, reviewing the memory.
DANIEL HAYES:
"Not that I observed, sir."
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Did she threaten Officer Cole?"
DANIEL HAYES:
"No, sir."
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Did she attempt to force her way into a restricted area?"
DANIEL HAYES:
"No, sir."
The captain nodded once.
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Thank you. That's enough for now."
Daniel stepped back behind the counter.
His hands were trembling slightly, although he tried to conceal it by adjusting the papers beside his keyboard.
Maya noticed.
She knew that giving an honest account could be difficult when the person being questioned was a more experienced colleague. Daniel had not embellished the story or attempted to make himself look heroic. He had simply described what he had seen.
Captain Walker turned toward the senior officer.
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Please preserve the visitor record, the verification log, and any available lobby footage. I want the relevant material retained in accordance with department policy."
SENIOR OFFICER:
"Understood, Captain."
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Also, notify the professional standards supervisor that a formal review may be required. Don't draw conclusions before the evidence is examined."
SENIOR OFFICER:
"Yes, sir."
Ryan's expression changed.
RYAN COLE:
"Captain, are you opening an investigation against me?"
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"I'm directing the department to preserve the evidence and review what happened. The review will determine the appropriate next steps."
RYAN COLE:
"With respect, sir, I was trying to protect this precinct."
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Protecting the precinct means following policy, treating people professionally, and making decisions based on evidence. It doesn't mean protecting your pride."
The words were not shouted, but they carried across the lobby.
Ryan looked around.
The other officers were no longer pretending that they had not witnessed the confrontation. Some were uncomfortable. Others appeared relieved that the captain had taken control of the situation.
Nobody applauded.
Nobody celebrated.
This was not a performance, and Captain Walker was not interested in turning the incident into entertainment for the people standing nearby.
He was responsible for a police department, and the conduct of its officers affected the public's confidence in the institution.
That responsibility extended to the people who wore the uniform.
It also extended to the people who entered the building expecting to be treated fairly.
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Officer Cole, step into the administrative conference room. We'll discuss your account in a private setting, and the appropriate supervisor will explain the review process."
RYAN COLE:
"Sir, I can explain everything here."
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"No. You've already had an opportunity to explain yourself in the lobby. We are not going to continue this discussion in front of the public."
Ryan hesitated.
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"That is a direct instruction."
RYAN COLE:
"Yes, sir."
Ryan turned toward the corridor.
Before he could leave, Captain Walker spoke again.
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Leave the badge where it is. It will be returned to Agent Carter after the incident has been documented."
Ryan stopped, nodded once, and continued toward the administrative room.
His footsteps sounded unusually loud against the polished floor.
When he disappeared through the doorway, the lobby gradually resumed its ordinary rhythm. A telephone rang. Someone near the investigation rooms began speaking again. The printer behind the reception desk produced another stack of reports.
But the people who had witnessed the confrontation understood that the morning would not be forgotten quickly.
Captain Walker picked up the badge and examined its condition. It appeared intact, although a small amount of dust clung to the edge.
He turned toward Maya.
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Agent Carter, I apologize for the way you were treated in this building."
Maya looked at him directly.
MAYA CARTER:
"Thank you, Captain. I appreciate you addressing the situation."
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"You should not have had to spend this much time establishing an appointment that was already confirmed."
MAYA CARTER:
"I understand that mistakes can happen. My concern is that the situation continued after the relevant information was available."
The captain nodded slowly.
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"That's a fair distinction."
He glanced toward the corridor where Ryan had disappeared.
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"We'll review the full sequence of events. I don't want anyone drawing conclusions based on assumptions, including assumptions about why someone acted as they did."
MAYA CARTER:
"That's all I ask. The record should reflect what actually happened."
CAPTAIN WALKER:
"Agreed."
He placed the badge in a clean evidence sleeve provided by the senior officer and made a brief note of the time and circumstances in which it had been recovered.