Chapter 2 - THE WRONG REPORT
Chief Mercer ordered me against the wall. I stayed where I was.
“You can ask me questions,” I said, “but you aren't putting your hands on me.”
Ryan rubbed the wrist I'd released. “She broke it.”
“Then you should get it examined,” I said. “At the same time, the woman who thought you had a real gun might need some help.”
The visiting parent was crying. Her husband held her shoulders. The other bystanders had begun drifting away, afraid of becoming names on a report.
Mercer glanced up at the lifeless camera. “System maintenance.”
“At eleven forty in the morning?” I asked.
“You're a guest here, Ms. Carter.”
“I'm an invited instructor. Your medical director requested me.”
That brought Colonel Nathan Voss out of the administration building. Gray-haired, straight-backed, and careful with every word, the academy commandant took in the scene without raising his voice.
“Ryan, inside. Chief, get statements. Ms. Carter, come with me.”
Ryan didn't obey until his friends started moving. As he passed, he leaned close enough for me alone to hear. “Your little class is canceled.”
I followed Voss past glass cases of medals and class photographs. He put a blank incident form on the desk.
“Let's resolve this quickly,” he said. “An unfortunate misunderstanding involving training equipment.”
“A cadet held it to my head in front of witnesses.”
“And you used force.”
“Enough to stop him. Nothing more.”
Voss sighed. “His father chairs our board. I'd advise you to choose your words.”
I took out my phone and called Dr. Lena Price, the woman who had booked my trauma-response session.
“Emma?” she answered, her voice tight. “Please tell me you haven't left.”
“Not yet.”
“Good. I need you in the medical wing. Don't tell the commandant why.”
I kept my eyes on Voss. “Why?”
May you like
A door closed on her end of the call.
“Because the cadet we discussed,” Lena whispered, “wasn't injured where the academy says he was.”
