Chapter 8
Robert marched through the double doors of the precinct, the crumpled paper with the warehouse address burning a hole in his pocket. He intended to grab his tactical gear and a heavily armed strike team, but as he entered the bullpen, the atmosphere was entirely wrong.
His deputies were standing around awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. Standing in the center of the room, holding an expensive leather briefcase, was a tall, imposing man in a sharp custom suit. Next to him stood the Mayor, looking incredibly nervous.
"Sheriff Ramirez," the man in the suit said, offering a shark-like smile. "I am Arthur Vance, senior counsel for Mrs. Diana Harrington. I've been waiting for you."
Robert didn't slow down. He marched directly toward the lawyer, his heavy duty boots echoing loudly. "I don't care who you are. Your client is sitting in a cell for attempted murder. You can speak to her during visiting hours."
"Actually, Sheriff," the Mayor interrupted, stepping forward and wiping sweat from his brow. "Mrs. Harrington won't be staying in a cell. A judge just signed an emergency writ of habeas corpus. Her arrest was deemed unlawful due to a lack of a warrant and your... excessive use of force."
Robert stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at the Mayor in absolute disbelief. "She chained my five-year-old daughter to a porch in ninety-five-degree heat! I caught her in the act! What do you mean unlawful?"
"You struck her, Sheriff," Vance said smoothly, tapping his briefcase. "You assaulted a prominent citizen without reading her rights, and you failed to secure a warrant before entering her property. The DA has reviewed the case and agreed to drop the charges pending a full internal investigation into your conduct."
"You're letting her go?" Robert roared, grabbing the Mayor by the collar of his expensive shirt. Several deputies instinctively reached for their weapons, but none drew them.
"Robert, let him go!" Deputy Jenkins yelled, rushing forward to pull the Sheriff back. "Don't do this! You'll lose your badge!"
"I don't care about the badge!" Robert screamed, shoving the Mayor away. He turned his blazing eyes on the lawyer. "She runs a trafficking ring! We have the ledger! She has other kids hidden in this city!"
"Those ledgers were obtained via an illegal search," Vance countered, completely unfazed by the violence. "They are inadmissible in court. Mrs. Harrington is leaving this precinct right now. And I suggest you stay very far away from her, Sheriff. A restraining order has already been filed against you."
Down the hall, the heavy metal door of the holding cells clanged open. Diana Harrington walked out, escorted by a nervous deputy. She had been given her clipboard back. Her pearl earrings shined under the fluorescent lights, and the dark bruise on her face only seemed to amplify her arrogant, victorious smile.
She stopped in front of Robert, looking him up and down with absolute contempt.
"I told you, Robert," Diana whispered, her voice laced with pure poison. "A disobedient stray needs to be disciplined. You should have minded your place."
She turned and walked out the front doors of the precinct, her lawyer and the Mayor trailing behind her like obedient dogs.
May you like
Robert stood in the center of the bullpen, his fists clenched so tightly his fingernails dug into his palms. The law had failed him. The system he had dedicated his life to protecting had just handed a monster the keys to the city.
He looked at Deputy Jenkins. "Sarah," Robert said quietly. "Give me the keys to the armory."
