“We have a problem, Lieutenant.”

Taylor started to sit, and Delores tsk’ed at her. Taylor raised an eyebrow and sat anyway, crossing her arms across her chest. The Oompa was still forced to look up at her, maliciousness sparking in her eyes. Power hungry bitch, Taylor thought.

“And what problem would that be?”

“I’ve been looking over the reports on the Harris suicide. According to the EMT report on Michelle Harris, there was a chance her life could have been saved. Instead, you and your boyfriend interrogated the suspect, allowed her to continue drinking. Is this true?”

“Let me see. Yes, we interrogated her. It’s called solving a case. As for whether she would have died or not, only God can tell us that.”

“So you’ve imbued yourself with the power of God now?”

“Captain Norris, what do you want? I’m tired. The cases are closed. Satisfactorily to all involved, I must say.”

“I have a choice to make, Lieutenant. Seeing as there is yet another complaint against you, I could suspend you pending the outcome of the investigation into your actions.”

“You’re kidding me. I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Eyes of the beholder, Lieutenant. Shall we review your past week? One of your detectives did drugs with a confidential informant, and you didn’t report it. You threatened a suspect with your weapon, a suspect that Judas Kiss

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wasn’t being questioned in an official capacity. According to your peers, you worked on a murder investigation while you were on suspension, even going so far as to contact the mother of the murder victim. You’ve been playing extremely fast and loose with the rules. And that’s not how we work things here at Metro. Not with me.”

Wow. The Oompa had been doing her homework. Lincoln must have done his debrief and admitted he’d checked in with her. How she’d found out about Taylor’s morning of interviews was beyond her. Oh, the cop who was guarding her must have talked. Or Mrs. Harris. Damn.

“I understand how some of that might look. Detective Ross confided in me. In an ordinary circumstance, I would have gone directly to Captain Price, but Detective Ross was on assignment, and we had a breaking murder investigation. As far as the suspect I questioned, I could have arrested him for assaulting an officer. He tried to detain me the evening before. I was doing him a favor by not arresting him.”

“But, Lieutenant, you don’t get to make the rules. That isn’t how you’ve been trained, now is it? There is only one option left to me at this point. I’ve already dis- cussed it with the chief, and he agrees that this is the correct course of action. You have gone off the reservation one too many times, and we feel a full psychiatric evaluation and continued monitoring would be beneficial to your career at the present time.

“And your team will have to report to different management while you’re under evaluation. We can’t have our team leaders on the brink, and it’s become obvious to all involved that you’re not capable of this level of 392

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leadership. Your team needs to be instilled with some discipline. They need to learn that they don’t get to take the law into their own hands. And you need to learn that you don’t rule this department.”

Taylor let her emotions take control. She stood, forcing the chair back from the table with a rending screech. “You can’t do that! That is completely unfair. I’ve done nothing wrong. My team has done nothing wrong. You’re just pissed off that you can’t fire me.”

The Oompa smiled. “That’s not true. I’m not upset with that outcome in the least. You’ll learn that you need to obey your superiors. And your superiors have learned their lessons as well. Captain Price is going to be taking early retirement.”

Taylor flashed back to Price, grimly challenging Delores, defending Taylor. She borrowed his words.

“You bitch!” she snarled. “I’ll fight you to the death on this one.”

“Temper, temper, my dear. Wouldn’t want that to get into the daily reports, now would we?”

“There are better ways to get at me, Delores. You don’t have to punish them.”

The Oompa shifted in her chair, her eyes narrowing, face tightening. “Oh, on the contrary. I think this is the finest way to get to you. I don’t believe you, Miss Jackson. I think you did kill David Martin. At least you set it up so you could have a favorable outcome. Maybe next time, you’ll think twice before you suborn and perjure yourself. Videotapes are easily manipulated, I believe you told me? You should be careful what you say, my dear. It can come back and bite you in the ass. If they can be manipulated one way, why not the other?

Your story about Martin doesn’t ring true. And too Judas Kiss

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many experts got involved. We’ll be taking the tapes to an independent analyst.”

“I haven’t lied about any of this. Not once,” Taylor spit through clenched teeth. “You know that.”

“Do I? Well, all I can say is time will tell. To top your stellar week off, a serial killer you allowed to escape has returned to town, has killed in your name. No, my dear. It’s high time for this department to make some changes. We need a full accounting of the actions of your homicide team over the past year. Lincoln Ross will move to the North sector. Marcus Wade will be in South. And Sergeant Fitzpatrick will be encouraged to take early retirement along with Mitchell Price.”

Taylor felt the fury rise in her gut. This woman was past power-hungry, she was giddy in her joy at Taylor’s misfortune. Delores handed her the papers.

“You can tell them. I’m sure it will sting less coming from you. You’ve taken such good care of them all this time. Maybe you’ll learn to keep your alley-cat tendencies out of their hair now so they can try to move on with their lives. You will report for your psychiatric evaluation Monday morning.”

Taylor was mute. A million thoughts raced through her mind. The most prevalent was don’t get yourself fired. You can fight this. Her actions are unwarranted and possibly illegal. Just don’t get yourself fired.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Taylor dragged her eyes to the Oompa’s face. The bitch had the audacity to grin.

“You will be bumped down. Two grades. You’re a detective again.” The Oompa leaned her stubby hands on the desk, leaned in toward Taylor, hissed, “You’re damn lucky I didn’t get you put back out on the street. 394

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Maybe if you learned to think like a cop again you’d realize that we all have to follow the law.”

Taylor felt her mouth open, knew if she left it open, she’d say something she’d never be able to take back. She didn’t know if this was for real, if Delores Norris had enough power to make these things happen. Back to being a detective? Bumped two grades? Holy shit. She snapped her teeth together with an audible click that make the Oompa smile wider. She knew the control it was taking Taylor not to mouth herself right out of a job, was hoping Taylor’s famous restraint would fail. No. Taylor refused to let this harridan win. She took the papers, turned and left the office.

“What are you going to do?”

Baldwin was steaming mad, stalking their back deck as Taylor tried to sip a beer. The lightning bugs were putting on a show. The soft spring air glittered with humidity, the promise of a storm. The grass seemed greener in the gloaming, the bark of the trees black against the verdant lawn. A rabbit nibbled at the edges of tall grass, taking advantage of a spot where the lawn mower couldn’t quite reach.