Probably not smart to annoy him, she thought as she broke transmission. Then again, if she tried to sweet-talk Webster, he’d know she was up to something.
“Lieutenant.” Cap in hand, Trueheart stood in her doorway. “You sent for me.”
“That’s right, Trueheart. Come in. Close the door.”
She wasn’t crossing any lines by calling him to her office prior to Testing. She was primary on the case.
That was her story, she thought, and she was sticking to it.
“Sit down, Trueheart.”
He looked every bit as pale and hollow-eyed as she’d expected. Somehow he managed to stay at attention even seated. She programmed her AutoChef for two coffees, black, whether he wanted one or not.
“Rough night?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You’re going to have a rougher day. Testing’s no walk on the beach.”
“No, sir. I’ve heard.”
“You better be up for it. Look at me when I speak to you, Officer.” She snapped it out, watched his head come up and his weary eyes focus. “You put on the uniform, you pick up the badge, you holster the weapon and you take on everything that means. Was your termination of Louis K. Cogburn justifiable?”
“I don’t—”
“Yes or no. There’s no middle here, no qualifications. Your gut, Trueheart. Was the deployment of your weapon necessary?”
“Yes, sir.”
“If you walked into the same situation today, would you again deploy your weapon?”
He shuddered, but he nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“That’s the core of it.” She passed him the coffee. “You hold on to the core of it, you’ll get through the rest. Don’t try to out-think Testing. You haven’t got the brass for it yet. Answer correctly, answer truthfully. And however they twist the question of justification, you deployed your weapon justifiably, to preserve the life of a civilian and your own.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Jesus, Trueheart, you’re an agreeable bastard. At what distance were you from the subject when you deployed?”
“I think—”
“Don’t think. How far?”
“Six feet, maybe five and a half.”
“How many jolts did you give him?”
“Two.”
“Did your weapon, at any time during the altercation, come in direct contact with the subject?”
“Contact?” He looked baffled for a moment. “Oh, no, sir. I was down and he was moving away when I deployed. Then he turned, moving toward me when I deployed the second time.”
“What did you do with the drop piece?”
“The . . .” Pure shock jolted over his face. She watched it turn pink with what could only be indignation. “Sir, I had no secondary weapon, nor do I own one. I had only the street stunner, which I’m authorized to carry and which you took into evidence at the scene. Sir, I resent—”
“Save it.” She leaned back. “If they don’t ask you that question in Testing, I’ll be surprised. You can bet your ass IAB will ask it. And they’ll push. So save the moral outrage for them. Don’t you drink coffee, Trueheart?”