Chapter 4: The Call Nobody Expected
The telephone rang again.
Sheriff Marcus stood beside the booking desk, staring at the incoming call indicator while Deputy Tasha remained frozen in front of the computer. Nia sat between them, her cuffed hands resting on her knees, watching the two officers struggle to understand what was happening.
The phone rang a third time.
“Answer it,” Marcus ordered.
Tasha glanced at the monitor.
“The incoming notification says the call is associated with the restricted record.””
“Then answer it!””
She picked up the receiver.
“This is Deputy Tasha Reynolds, county booking division.””
A man's voice came through the speaker, clear and measured.
“Deputy Reynolds, this is the State Operations Liaison. Is Sheriff Marcus present?””
Tasha looked at Marcus.
“Yes, sir.””
“Put him on the line. Do not disconnect the call.””
Marcus snatched the receiver from her hand.
“This is Sheriff Marcus. I'm responsible for this station. I need to know why your system is preventing me from booking a woman we detained for refusing lawful orders.””
There was a short silence.
Then the voice responded.
“Sheriff, before we discuss the record, I need you to confirm the detainee's current location.””
Marcus looked at Nia.
“She is in the booking area.””
“Is she restrained?””
“Yes.””
“Has she been moved to a holding cell?””
“No.””
“Good. Leave her where she is while we verify the circumstances.””
Marcus's forehead creased.
“I'm not asking for permission to run my station.””
“No one said you were, Sheriff.””
“Then tell me what this restriction means.””
“I cannot discuss the protected details until your authority to access them has been verified.””
Marcus gripped the receiver harder.
“I'm the elected sheriff of this county.””
“Your position has been noted.””
The calm response seemed to anger him more than an insult would have.
“You people have no idea what happened out there.””
“Then I suggest you preserve every available record of the encounter.””
Marcus glanced at Tasha.
She had already opened an incident documentation screen on her workstation.
“What exactly are you suggesting?”” he demanded.
“I'm instructing you not to alter the restricted record. Preserve your dispatch communications, booking entries, and available recordings. A designated reviewer will determine the appropriate next steps.””
Marcus lowered his voice.
“Listen carefully. I arrested her. I made the decision. I expect my authority to be respected.””
“And I expect you to follow the instructions displayed by the system until the review is complete.””
The line went silent for a moment.
Then the caller added, “Is the detainee able to hear this conversation?””
Marcus looked at Nia.
“She can hear me.””
“That wasn't my question, Sheriff.””
Marcus's face tightened.
“Yes. She can hear the conversation.””
“Understood. Please place the call on speaker.””
Marcus hesitated.
“Why?””
“So that the instructions are audible to the personnel present.””
He looked toward Tasha.
She said nothing.
Marcus finally pressed the speaker button.
The voice filled the booking area.
“For the record, this office has received an automated alert indicating that a restricted record was accessed during an attempted detention. The alert does not, by itself, establish misconduct. It does require verification before further processing.””
Nia lifted her eyes.
Marcus noticed the movement.
“Does this mean you're ordering me to release her?”” he asked.
“I have not issued that instruction.””
“Then I can keep her here.””
“I have instructed you to leave her in the booking area while the circumstances are verified.””
“That isn't an answer.””
“It's the answer I can give you at this time.””
Marcus leaned over the desk.
“Who is the reviewer?””
“The appropriate office will identify itself when contact is established.””
“Give me a name.””
“I don't have authorization to provide one.””
Marcus let out a bitter laugh.
“You expect me to accept orders from a voice on a telephone?””
“No, Sheriff. I expect you to preserve the record and follow established procedures.””
The call ended.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Marcus slowly returned the receiver to its cradle.
Then he turned toward Tasha.
“Print the record.””
“I don't think we should print anything beyond the authorized incident documentation.””
“I'm asking you to print the screen.””
“The system may classify that as an unauthorized disclosure.””
“I'm not asking you to send it to the newspaper. I'm asking for a copy.””
Tasha folded her arms.
“Then we need to verify whether a copy is permitted.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Since when did you become the final authority around here?””
“Since the computer started refusing our instructions, apparently.””
The words escaped before Tasha could soften them.
Marcus's face darkened.
“Come into my office.””
“Sheriff, I need to finish documenting—”
“Now.””
Tasha looked toward Nia.
“I'll be right back.””
Nia nodded.
“Take your time.””
Marcus led Tasha several steps away, stopping near the doorway to his office. The walls were glass, leaving the booking area visible to anyone inside.
He didn't bother lowering his voice enough.
“You've been here long enough to know how this works,” he said.
“An arrest happens. We document it. We complete the paperwork. We don't let some mysterious computer message run the department.””
Tasha kept her hands at her sides.
“Then explain the arrest report.””
“I've already told you what happened.””
“You told me she refused orders. I need to know which orders, what offense you suspected, and what facts supported the detention.””
Marcus leaned toward her.
“You want to challenge my report?””
“I want the report to reflect what happened.””
“I can write my own report.””
“And I can document what I witnessed in the booking area.””
His expression shifted.
“You're threatening me?””
“No, sir. I'm telling you what my duties require.””
Marcus pointed toward the door.
“Get back to your workstation.””
Tasha returned without another word.
Nia watched her approach.
“Everything all right, Deputy?””
“I'm doing my job.””
“That wasn't what I asked.””
Tasha pulled out her chair.
“No, ma'am. It wasn't.””
She resumed documenting the sequence of events, carefully recording the times of the database alerts and the incoming call. She made no assumptions about the restricted record itself.
Marcus stood behind her for a moment, reading over her shoulder.
Then his radio sounded.
“Sheriff Marcus, dispatch has received a request for confirmation of your identity and current duty status.””
He grabbed the radio.
“From whom?””
“State operations, sir.””
“Tell them I'm available.””
“Understood.””
Marcus looked at Nia again.
She hadn't moved.
“Who are you?”” he asked quietly.
Nia held his gaze.
“You've asked me that already.””
“And you haven't answered.””
“I gave you my name.””
“You know that's not what I'm asking.””
“Then ask the right question.””
His jaw tightened.
Before he could respond, Tasha's computer chimed.
A new message appeared beneath the restricted-record warning.
*VERIFICATION SESSION INITIATED.*
Tasha leaned toward the monitor.
A second line appeared.
*LOCAL COMMAND AUTHORITY REVIEW PENDING.*
Marcus read it over her shoulder.
His face lost color.
“Local command authority?”” he repeated.
Tasha swallowed.
“That's what it says.””
He stared at the screen as though the words might rearrange themselves into something less threatening.
Then the telephone rang again.
This time, Marcus didn't order Tasha to answer it.
May you like
He picked up the receiver himself.
And when the caller spoke, the sheriff's expression changed so abruptly that Nia knew the next few seconds would determine whether he finally listened—or made everything worse.
