need street intel, you get someone else to pound the pavement for it. Am I clear?”
“Perfectly, Captain.”
Chapter Four
At 7:35 a.m., Catherine opened the door that separated her office from the patient waiting area. Joyce had not arrived yet, but her first patient had. This morning, she was in uniform. Creased navy blue trousers, pale blue shirt with placket pockets over each breast, a narrow black tie, small bits of silver shined to a high polish on collar and cuffs. She was standing, her hat tucked beneath her arm, her blue eyes nearly gray. Thunderclouds, hiding a storm of feelings.
“Come in, please, Officer.”
“Thanks for seeing me so early.”
“That’s all right. It works out better this way for my schedule, too.” Catherine gestured to the leather chairs in front of her desk as she walked behind it. “I take it you’re on your way to work?”
“If you can call it that,” the young woman said with a grimace as she sat down and planted her feet squarely on the floor in front of her, her back not even touching the chair. “I’m supposed to find out from the duty sergeant this morning exactly what my assignment is going to be while we get this all sorted out.”
“Desk duty, you said?”
A scowl and a curt nod was all she got in response.
“What’s your regular assignment?”
“Most of the time, I’m walking a beat. Sometimes, I patrol in a cruiser.”
“Alone?”
The young cop hesitated briefly. “I’m usually by myself, yes.”
“Is that normal? Don’t officers usually have a…partner?” Catherine couldn’t help but notice her patient’s reluctance to confide specific details about her job. That was obviously going to pose a problem, since it was a job-related issue that had brought the officer to her. Nevertheless, she was content to let the young woman tell her story at her own pace. She was just as interested in what she wasn’t saying.
“Some cops work in pairs. It depends on how the assignments shake out.”
“I see.” Although she didn’t really. She knew that Rebecca usually worked with a partner, but perhaps it was different for uniform officers. It was a point she would have to come back to in the future. “I still don’t have your paperwork, so I need you to tell me the details of why you’re here—in your own words. Assume I know nothing.” She smiled. “In this case, it’s true.”
“I’ve been taken off street duty because a complaint of excessive force has been lodged against me.”
The delivery was flat and unemotional. Catherine’s tone remained conversational. “Is that the same thing as being suspended?”
“Not exactly. I still get paid, and it doesn’t go down in my file as a disciplinary action—yet. But, for all intents and purposes…”
“Yes?”
“It’s still a black mark. It’s going to hurt me. I wanted to make detective, but now…”
Her voice was bitter, and it wasn’t difficult for Catherine to imagine how devastating something like this could be for someone who was so obviously committed to her job. “What happened?”
“In the process of apprehending a suspect, I used bodily force to subdue him. His attorney is claiming police brutality.”
“Is this the same altercation that led to those contusions on your face and neck?” Catherine asked quietly. She rarely took notes during a session. In this instance, she wouldn’t need to because the look in the young woman’s eyes was unforgettable. Although the information was delivered in a detached, clinical tone and cloaked in the dry vocabulary so typical of police jargon, the officer’s eyes betrayed her. Whatever had happened had left its mark on her, and it was something far more indelible than the bruises that still marred her fresh, clear features. “Did he do that?”
“He got…physical. Yes.”
“And you protected yourself?”
“I hit him with the butt of my service weapon. Twice.”
“Can you tell me all of it, from the very beginning, just
“Perfectly, Captain.”
Chapter Four
At 7:35 a.m., Catherine opened the door that separated her office from the patient waiting area. Joyce had not arrived yet, but her first patient had. This morning, she was in uniform. Creased navy blue trousers, pale blue shirt with placket pockets over each breast, a narrow black tie, small bits of silver shined to a high polish on collar and cuffs. She was standing, her hat tucked beneath her arm, her blue eyes nearly gray. Thunderclouds, hiding a storm of feelings.
“Come in, please, Officer.”
“Thanks for seeing me so early.”
“That’s all right. It works out better this way for my schedule, too.” Catherine gestured to the leather chairs in front of her desk as she walked behind it. “I take it you’re on your way to work?”
“If you can call it that,” the young woman said with a grimace as she sat down and planted her feet squarely on the floor in front of her, her back not even touching the chair. “I’m supposed to find out from the duty sergeant this morning exactly what my assignment is going to be while we get this all sorted out.”
“Desk duty, you said?”
A scowl and a curt nod was all she got in response.
“What’s your regular assignment?”
“Most of the time, I’m walking a beat. Sometimes, I patrol in a cruiser.”
“Alone?”
The young cop hesitated briefly. “I’m usually by myself, yes.”
“Is that normal? Don’t officers usually have a…partner?” Catherine couldn’t help but notice her patient’s reluctance to confide specific details about her job. That was obviously going to pose a problem, since it was a job-related issue that had brought the officer to her. Nevertheless, she was content to let the young woman tell her story at her own pace. She was just as interested in what she wasn’t saying.
“Some cops work in pairs. It depends on how the assignments shake out.”
“I see.” Although she didn’t really. She knew that Rebecca usually worked with a partner, but perhaps it was different for uniform officers. It was a point she would have to come back to in the future. “I still don’t have your paperwork, so I need you to tell me the details of why you’re here—in your own words. Assume I know nothing.” She smiled. “In this case, it’s true.”
“I’ve been taken off street duty because a complaint of excessive force has been lodged against me.”
The delivery was flat and unemotional. Catherine’s tone remained conversational. “Is that the same thing as being suspended?”
“Not exactly. I still get paid, and it doesn’t go down in my file as a disciplinary action—yet. But, for all intents and purposes…”
“Yes?”
“It’s still a black mark. It’s going to hurt me. I wanted to make detective, but now…”
Her voice was bitter, and it wasn’t difficult for Catherine to imagine how devastating something like this could be for someone who was so obviously committed to her job. “What happened?”
“In the process of apprehending a suspect, I used bodily force to subdue him. His attorney is claiming police brutality.”
“Is this the same altercation that led to those contusions on your face and neck?” Catherine asked quietly. She rarely took notes during a session. In this instance, she wouldn’t need to because the look in the young woman’s eyes was unforgettable. Although the information was delivered in a detached, clinical tone and cloaked in the dry vocabulary so typical of police jargon, the officer’s eyes betrayed her. Whatever had happened had left its mark on her, and it was something far more indelible than the bruises that still marred her fresh, clear features. “Did he do that?”
“He got…physical. Yes.”
“And you protected yourself?”
“I hit him with the butt of my service weapon. Twice.”
“Can you tell me all of it, from the very beginning, just
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