Several employees looked up.
“I told you to write an accurate report.”
Derek stared.
“No, you didn’t.”
Russell’s eyes hardened.
“Think carefully.”
“You told me to call her refusing consent noncompliance.”
“Stop.”
“You told me to call breaking the windows necessary vehicle entry.”
“Enough.”
“You told me the camera was unreadable.”
Russell shook his head.
“I repeated what you told me.”
Derek laughed bitterly.
“That’s a lie.”
Aaron heard every word.
So did two dispatchers and a booking clerk.
Russell realized it too late.
“This conversation is over.”
Derek stepped backward.
“That’s convenient.”
He walked away.
The department that had spent hours trying to shape one story now had too many witnesses to shape the next one.
Chapter 18: The Question of Her Identity
Russell requested another interview with Maya before dawn.
Monique agreed on the condition that Maya would sit only as a witness and would not direct questioning.
Nathan joined her.
Russell looked exhausted.
His shirt sleeves were wrinkled.
His coffee had disappeared.
“I’ve kept this department functioning for decades.”
Maya said nothing.
“You haven’t been sheriff long enough to understand what command requires.”
“I was a private citizen when Deputy Maddox broke the first window.”
Russell looked toward her.
“I understood enough then.”
He leaned forward.
“You could’ve prevented everything.”
“How?”
“Tell him who you were.”
“Yes.”
“Show the appointment.”
“Yes.”
“Call county counsel.”
“Yes.”
Russell spread his hands.
“So you deliberately let it continue.”
Maya looked at him.
“I deliberately exercised the same rights every ordinary driver has.”
“You wanted to test us.”
“I wanted the stop to end lawfully.”
“When it didn’t, you stayed quiet.”
“Yes.”
“Because you wanted to see what would happen.”
Maya considered that.
“Once I understood my future title would completely change how I was treated, I chose not to use it as a shield.”
Russell shook his head.
“That isn’t normal.”
“No.”
Maya agreed.
“It shouldn’t be necessary.”
“You knew that title would change everything.”
Maya’s expression became still.
“That is the problem, Captain.”
Russell stopped.
Everyone in the room heard what he had just admitted.
Maya continued.
“If Derek Maddox would respect my rights only after learning I could affect his career at midnight, then your department did not respect my rights.”
Russell looked away.
“It respected my position.”
“You weren’t an ordinary driver.”
“I was during the stop.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes.”
Maya folded her hands.