"Apparently, they didn't."
Nolan's face turned red.
"Wait. You're a deputy chief?"
"That's what the appointment says."
"Then why are you wearing a regular uniform?"
Marcus looked down at his shirt.
"Because I'm a police officer."
"But..."
Nolan stopped.
He had no idea what to say.
Marcus continued.
"And because the purpose of my visit isn't to impress anyone with a different uniform."
Jessica stood up.
"Sir..."
Marcus turned toward her.
"Officer Miller."
She looked surprised that he knew her name.
"Welcome to the district, sir."
"Thank you."
Sergeant Brooks slowly approached.
"Deputy Chief Bennett?"
Marcus extended his hand.
"Sergeant Brooks. It's good to meet you."
Brooks shook his hand firmly.
"I've heard about your work."
"Hopefully only the good parts."
Brooks smiled.
"Mostly."
Nolan remained beside the counter.
His coffee cup was still sitting where he had left it.
He finally cleared his throat.
"Sir, I didn't realize..."
Marcus looked at him.
"That I was a deputy chief?"
Nolan nodded.
"I mean, if I had known—"
Marcus interrupted gently.
"Would you have treated me differently?"
Nolan opened his mouth.
No words came out.
Marcus waited.
The question remained between them.
Finally, Nolan muttered, "I was just trying to make sure everyone followed procedure."
Marcus glanced at the empty desk.
"Is that what you were doing?"
"Yes, sir."
"Then perhaps we should begin by identifying the procedures you're responsible for enforcing."
Nolan looked uncomfortable.
Marcus placed the binder on the counter.
"Sergeant Brooks, could you arrange a briefing with the officers currently assigned to this district?"
"Of course, sir."
"Everyone who is on duty. Patrol, records, administration, investigations. I want them all present."
Brooks nodded.
"How soon?"
"Thirty minutes."
Nolan looked up.
"Thirty minutes?"
Marcus turned toward him.
"Is that a problem?"
"No, sir."
"Good."
Marcus looked around the room.
"Then let's get started."
Within twenty minutes, the bullpen had changed completely.
Officers who had previously ignored Marcus were now moving around with unusual urgency. Some whispered to each other. Others checked their uniforms or reviewed documents.
Nolan stood near the coffee machine, staring at his phone.
He had already sent a message to a colleague.
Do you know anything about Bennett?
The reply came almost immediately.
Which Bennett?
Nolan typed:
The new transfer. Apparently he's a deputy chief.
There was a pause.
Then another message appeared.
Wait. Marcus Bennett? From the state investigative unit?
Nolan's stomach tightened.
Yes.
The response took longer this time.
You might want to be careful what you say around him.
Nolan frowned.
Why?
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally, the reply arrived.
Because he led the investigation that removed two commanders from the department last year.
Nolan slowly lowered his phone.
He looked across the room.
Marcus was speaking quietly with Sergeant Brooks.
He seemed completely unaffected by the sudden change in atmosphere.
And somehow, that made Nolan even more uncomfortable.
At exactly nine thirty, the officers gathered in the briefing room.
It was a rectangular space with rows of chairs, a large display screen, and a whiteboard covered in notes from previous meetings.
Marcus stood at the front.
His black binder rested on the table beside him.
Lieutenant Harris stood near the wall.
Sergeant Brooks sat in the first row.
Nolan chose a seat near the back.
Marcus waited until everyone had settled.
"Good morning."
A chorus of greetings followed.
"My name is Marcus Bennett. Some of you may have already heard my name. Others may have met me downstairs."
His eyes briefly moved toward Nolan.
"I'm here under the authority of the Office of the Chief."
He paused.
"Before anyone becomes concerned about titles, I want to clarify something. I'm not here to disrupt the work you've been doing. I'm here to make sure the work of this department is being conducted lawfully, professionally, and consistently."
He opened the binder.
"Over the last nine months, the department has received a number of complaints involving evidence handling, reporting procedures, overtime documentation, and the treatment of individuals in police custody."
Several officers exchanged glances.
Marcus continued.
"Some of these complaints may be misunderstandings. Others may involve administrative errors. But some appear to be serious enough to warrant a formal investigation."
He placed several documents on the table.
"I want to be very clear. Nobody in this room is being accused of misconduct simply because their name appears in a report. Every allegation will be examined fairly."
Nolan leaned back.
He looked relieved.
Perhaps the investigation wasn't about him after all.
Then Marcus displayed the first document.
It showed a list of incident numbers, dates, and evidence reference codes.
"These are twenty-three cases currently under review."
He pointed toward the screen.
"Case 1842. Missing property documentation."
Another line.
"Case 1907. Altered arrest report."
Another.
"Case 2011. Unexplained overtime authorization."
He continued.
"Case 2056. Incomplete body-camera footage."
The room grew increasingly quiet.
Marcus moved to the next slide.