“That is under investigation.”
Patricia’s viewer count reached 1.7 million.
Daniel continued.
“Officer Holloway’s body camera was deactivated during portions of today’s encounter. System logs have been preserved.”
Gasps.
“Other video exists.”
He looked toward Talia’s uploaded clip playing on a reporter’s phone.
“Civilian footage. Parking-lot security footage. Cruiser video. Station surveillance. Interview-room recording.”
Derek’s last hope that the missing body-camera footage might protect him disappeared.
Daniel closed the folder.
“This time, there will be a complete record.”
The live stream crossed 2.3 million viewers.
Inside the station, Captain Briggs found Derek near the locker room.
“Badge.”
Derek stared.
“What?”
“And weapon.”
“Captain—”
“Now.”
“I didn’t know who he was.”
Briggs looked exhausted.
“That sentence is going to follow you for the rest of your career.”
“It was a mistake.”
“You said the registration was fake.”
“It could have been.”
“His license matched.”
“Could have been identity theft.”
“You had no stolen report.”
Derek’s voice rose.
“I was doing my job.”
Briggs stepped closer.
“You were doing whatever you wanted because I let you believe nobody would stop you.”
Derek froze.
That admission surprised both men.
Briggs held out his hand.
“Badge.”
Derek slowly removed it.
Nine years.