“It was off when I noticed.”
Thorpe’s eyes went to Derek.
“Why?”
“Battery issue.”
Thorpe stared at him.
“Again?”
Derek said nothing.
That one word told Harlan something.
Again.
Thorpe faced Caleb.
“Secure Officer Langford’s duty weapon.”
Caleb froze.
Derek exploded.
“What?”
Thorpe did not look at him.
“You heard me.”
“My weapon?”
“You are being placed on administrative leave pending investigation.”
“You can’t do that out here.”
“I just did.”
“My union—”
“Will be notified.”
“This is insane.”
Thorpe turned slowly.
“What is insane is that I arrived to find you explaining that you would have respected a citizen more if you knew he had federal credentials.”
Derek looked toward Harlan.
“He baited me.”
For the first time, Harlan’s expression showed genuine anger.
“I dropped a jar of honey.”
Derek’s voice rose.
“You kept arguing.”
“I answered you.”
“You knew what you were doing.”
Harlan stared at him.
“No.”
Then quieter:
“But I knew who you were.”
The intersection went silent again.
Thorpe looked at Harlan.
Derek did too.
Harlan continued.
“Not personally.”
“I knew the pattern.”
He looked toward Thorpe.
“This is not the first complaint about Officer Langford.”
Thorpe’s face hardened.
“How much do you know?”
“Enough.”
Derek laughed nervously.
“What is this?”
Harlan ignored him.
Thorpe stepped closer.
“Mr. Whitaker.”
“Chief.”
“I think we need to speak somewhere private.”
“Yes.”
“But first, secure your officer.”
Thorpe nodded.
He held out his hand.
“Langford.”
Derek stared at him.
“Duty weapon.”
“Chief.”
“Now.”
Slowly, Derek unholstered the pistol.
Thorpe took it.
Then the taser.
Then the radio.
Then Derek’s department identification card.
He did not theatrically tear off the badge.
He did something worse for Derek.
He followed procedure.
Every calm step made the loss of authority official.
“You will ride back with Lieutenant Morris when he arrives.”
Derek’s breathing quickened.
“Am I under arrest?”
“Not at this time.”
“Then I’m leaving.”
“No.”
“You just said I’m not under arrest.”
Thorpe’s expression hardened.
“You are an employee under direct administrative order to remain at the scene pending investigation.”
Derek looked toward the crowd.
“Everyone’s recording.”
“Yes.”
Thorpe lowered his voice.
“Perhaps behave accordingly.”
EMS arrived.
Harlan reluctantly allowed paramedics to examine him.
No fracture was apparent.
His old spinal injury had been aggravated, and they recommended imaging because of the violent lateral movement.
Harlan agreed to go after giving a preliminary statement.
Lila handed her contact information to an investigator.
Caleb stood near the cruiser, visibly shaken.
Harlan rolled toward him.
“Officer Voss.”
Caleb straightened.
“Sir.”
“You did the right thing eventually.”
Caleb looked ashamed.