Laura entered the hallway.
She called Marcus.
No answer.
Again.
She called front desk.
Busy.
Then she keyed her radio.
“Dispatch, Deputy Chief Mitchell.”
“Go ahead.”
“Confirm whether a Marcus Carter has checked in at headquarters.”
Silence.
Then:
“Stand by.”
Laura reached the elevator.
The doors opened.
She stepped inside.
Her phone rang.
Emily.
Laura answered.
“Emily?”
The receptionist whispered.
Laura’s pulse accelerated.
“What about him?”
“Sergeant Harlan has him.”
The elevator doors closed.
Laura stared at her reflection.
“What do you mean has him?”
“He thinks he’s trespassing.”
“You told him who he is?”
“I tried.”
“What is happening right now?”
A sound came through the phone.
Paper scattering.
Then Emily gasping.
Laura heard a man’s voice.
Harlan.
Laura felt cold.
“Emily.”
“He hit him.”
The elevator descended.
Laura hit the emergency-call button on her radio.
“Dispatch, priority command traffic.”
Her voice changed.
Every commander in the building heard it.
“Chief Marcus Carter is inside headquarters. Front lobby. Confirm identification advisory immediately.”
Back downstairs, the radio revelation changed the air in less than five seconds.
Lieutenant Steven Polk reached Marcus first.
He looked horrified.
“Chief Carter, I—”
Marcus raised one hand.
“Don’t.”
Polk stopped.
Marcus looked toward Harlan.
The sergeant’s face had gone pale.
“I didn’t know.”
Marcus rubbed his wrist.
Harlan swallowed.
“You should have identified yourself.”
Marcus’s eyes hardened slightly.
“I did.”
“I mean as chief.”
“That would have changed your behavior?”
Harlan opened his mouth.
Marcus waited.
No answer came.
The elevator doors opened.
Laura Mitchell emerged at almost a run.
She saw Marcus.
Then Harlan.
Then papers scattered across the counter.
Her expression became something Marcus had not seen from her before.
Pure fury.
“Sergeant Harlan.”
“Deputy Chief—”
“Remove your hands from your belt.”
Harlan looked confused.
“They’re not—”
“Hands visible.”
Every officer in the lobby froze.
Harlan slowly lifted them.
Marcus watched Laura carefully.
“Laura.”
She looked at him.
“Are you injured?”
“Did he strike you?”
Her jaw clenched.