made, drunk or sober, as she was for hers.
Finished with her sandwich, she chugged a small glass of milk, checked her weapon, then walked out the door. She had no desire to linger here with only frustration over her mother’saccident as company.
When Ella arrived at the station, she saw a large group of reporters hovering near the main entrance, despite the relatively early hour. Most weren’t from the Rez. There were too many Anglo faces mingled in that crowd, faces she recognized from TV news shows.
Apparently they were waiting for her, and knew what she looked like. It couldn’t be the uniform, because she wasa plainclothes officer. They rushed toward her like a swarm of bees, cameras running and microphones raised. She swallowed her disgust. They were not there to right any wrongs, but to get a story, the more sensational the better. They were doing their jobs, but their own careers were probably their first priority, not justice.
Ella shook the bitter thoughts aside. While with the FBI, senior agentshad always handled communication with the press, so she had never learned Bureau-speak. But now that she was the senior officer of her own police unit, the job of spokesperson had fallen on her shoulders more than once over the past few years.
Ella knew that despite their sometimes shallow perception, the press had power. At the moment that power was the only tool she had. She gave them shortand abrasive sound bites, truthful quotes she was sure they’d print. She cited the facts of Bekis’ arrest record, demonstrating how he’d used the system to elude justice, while continuing to violate the law. She then described her mother’s condition, wanting to reach hearts she knew had long grown cold, calloused by the litany of violence that made up the daily news nowadays.
As she spoke, shenoticed Big Ed at the open window of his office, watching and listening. She refused to look directly at him. If he disapproved of what she was doing, he’d let her know soon enough. She had this one chance, and she wouldn’t back away.
* * *
As Ella entered her office, she found Justine waiting. “That was some news conference you gave out there.”
“You disapprove?”
“No, I don’t, but BigEd wants to see you. He may have another take on this.”
Ella nodded. “I’ll go talk to him.” She looked through the phone messages, searching for something important enough to make her forget her problems, at least for a while, but everything was painfully routine.
This was the first time she’d ever felt the need to escape her own life. The revelation took her by surprise. Up to now, she wouldhave been more likely to joke that she had no life of her own.
As she entered Big Ed’s office she saw him standing by the window, watching the newspaper and television vans driving away. “Well, at least the reporters are leaving. That’s one good thing about your impromptu statement out there.”
“You don’t approve of what I said?”
“Oh, I agree with what you said, but I don’t think you shouldhave said it the way you did. You were too blunt about our suspect, and as an officer of this department it’s not your job, or ours, to take sides. The department has an established position on DWI that’s well known and publicized. It’s the job of the district attorney to prosecute criminals.”
“But I’m also a human being and I have a right to my opinions. My mother isn’t a cop, and I’m her daughter.”
He held up a hand. “I’m not going to argue this with you. I know that your mother’s been badly injured. And all of us here are very sorry about that. Rose is well-liked by everyone, and we’re worried about her, just like you are. But your statements out there are going to result in the press hounding our judges and politicians. What you said will be distorted by somebody along the line. Eventually,that will result in calls to me, and who knows, maybe even a lawsuit from Bekis or one of his family.
Finished with her sandwich, she chugged a small glass of milk, checked her weapon, then walked out the door. She had no desire to linger here with only frustration over her mother’saccident as company.
When Ella arrived at the station, she saw a large group of reporters hovering near the main entrance, despite the relatively early hour. Most weren’t from the Rez. There were too many Anglo faces mingled in that crowd, faces she recognized from TV news shows.
Apparently they were waiting for her, and knew what she looked like. It couldn’t be the uniform, because she wasa plainclothes officer. They rushed toward her like a swarm of bees, cameras running and microphones raised. She swallowed her disgust. They were not there to right any wrongs, but to get a story, the more sensational the better. They were doing their jobs, but their own careers were probably their first priority, not justice.
Ella shook the bitter thoughts aside. While with the FBI, senior agentshad always handled communication with the press, so she had never learned Bureau-speak. But now that she was the senior officer of her own police unit, the job of spokesperson had fallen on her shoulders more than once over the past few years.
Ella knew that despite their sometimes shallow perception, the press had power. At the moment that power was the only tool she had. She gave them shortand abrasive sound bites, truthful quotes she was sure they’d print. She cited the facts of Bekis’ arrest record, demonstrating how he’d used the system to elude justice, while continuing to violate the law. She then described her mother’s condition, wanting to reach hearts she knew had long grown cold, calloused by the litany of violence that made up the daily news nowadays.
As she spoke, shenoticed Big Ed at the open window of his office, watching and listening. She refused to look directly at him. If he disapproved of what she was doing, he’d let her know soon enough. She had this one chance, and she wouldn’t back away.
* * *
As Ella entered her office, she found Justine waiting. “That was some news conference you gave out there.”
“You disapprove?”
“No, I don’t, but BigEd wants to see you. He may have another take on this.”
Ella nodded. “I’ll go talk to him.” She looked through the phone messages, searching for something important enough to make her forget her problems, at least for a while, but everything was painfully routine.
This was the first time she’d ever felt the need to escape her own life. The revelation took her by surprise. Up to now, she wouldhave been more likely to joke that she had no life of her own.
As she entered Big Ed’s office she saw him standing by the window, watching the newspaper and television vans driving away. “Well, at least the reporters are leaving. That’s one good thing about your impromptu statement out there.”
“You don’t approve of what I said?”
“Oh, I agree with what you said, but I don’t think you shouldhave said it the way you did. You were too blunt about our suspect, and as an officer of this department it’s not your job, or ours, to take sides. The department has an established position on DWI that’s well known and publicized. It’s the job of the district attorney to prosecute criminals.”
“But I’m also a human being and I have a right to my opinions. My mother isn’t a cop, and I’m her daughter.”
He held up a hand. “I’m not going to argue this with you. I know that your mother’s been badly injured. And all of us here are very sorry about that. Rose is well-liked by everyone, and we’re worried about her, just like you are. But your statements out there are going to result in the press hounding our judges and politicians. What you said will be distorted by somebody along the line. Eventually,that will result in calls to me, and who knows, maybe even a lawsuit from Bekis or one of his family.
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