"Good." Darius looked at both officers. "Neither of you should feel pressured to change your report because I'm your incoming chief. Write the truth. That's all I expect from any officer under my command."
Ruiz nodded firmly. "Understood, sir."
Lenora had heard enough. "You'll regret this," she hissed at Darius. "I know people in this city. Important people. People who actually matter."
She stormed toward the property line, then stopped and called back. "Gordon Hail and I are very close friends. So is Mayor Davidson. They'll hear about what you did here today."
"They should," Darius replied. "Everyone should know what happened here today."
Lenora's face contorted with fury, but she said nothing more. She marched across the lawn toward her own house.
The officers finished their paperwork and left. Darius watched through his front window as Lenora paced on her front walk, phone pressed to her ear and one hand gesturing wildly. He couldn't hear the words, but her body language told the story. She was already spinning her version of events.
Darius went to his computer and immediately backed up the security footage to multiple locations. Then he opened a notebook and began writing down every detail of the encounter, starting from the moment Lenora had approached him. Twenty minutes later, as he was double-checking timestamps, Ruiz's patrol car pulled back into the driveway.
The officer got out and walked to the front door. Darius opened it before he could knock.
"Chief, I wanted to speak with you privately," Ruiz said, glancing toward Lenora's house.
"About Mrs. Vale?"
"About her calls. They're usually marked as priority in our system. Has been for years. Dispatch knows to send units quickly when she calls."
"Priority based on what criteria?"
"She's listed as a community stakeholder in our database. Major donor, neighborhood association president, police foundation board member. When people like that call, we respond faster."
Darius felt his jaw clench. "How many other citizens receive this priority treatment?"
"Maybe a dozen names total. All major donors or politically connected residents. Everyone else gets standard response times."
Darius stared at Ruiz for a long moment. The scope of the problem was becoming clear. This wasn't just about one false accusation in a driveway. Someone inside his department had been running a two-tier justice system. Rich donors got rapid response and preferential treatment. Everyone else got whatever was left.
"Officer Ruiz," Darius said quietly, "how long has this priority system been in place?"
"Years, sir. Maybe five or six. It's not official policy. Just the way things work."
The way things worked.
Darius looked across the street at Lenora, still pacing and talking on her phone, probably telling Gordon Hail how the new police chief had threatened her. She wasn't just angry about being caught in a lie. She was angry about losing her special status.
The morning sun hadn't fully risen when Darius pulled into the police headquarters parking lot. His first official day as chief was supposed to start with introductions and briefings. Instead, his phone had been buzzing since six in the morning.
The building felt different than it had during his interview visits, heavier. Officers glanced at him as he walked through the lobby, their expressions unreadable. Word traveled fast in law enforcement circles. By now, everyone knew about the driveway confrontation.
Darius had barely reached his office when the desk phone rang.
"Chief Holloway, this is Gordon Hail. I need to see you immediately."
"Councilman Hail, I was planning to—"
"Now, Chief. My office. This can't wait."