Chapter 28 - MY DISCIPLINARY HEARINGThe county commission held my hearing six weeks later.
Video played.
I freed Emma.
Transferred her to Mrs. Gable.
Crossed the porch.
Struck Diana.
My attorney spoke.
Then I did.
“I violated department policy.”
Murmurs.
“I did not strike her to stop an immediate threat.”
“I struck her because I was enraged.”
“I cannot demand accountability from people I arrest if I refuse it when I fail.”
One commissioner asked:
“Do you believe your conduct disqualifies you from office?”
I answered honestly.
“I don’t know.”
They suspended me without pay for sixty days.
Mandatory use-of-force counseling.
Formal reprimand.
No criminal prosecution after the county attorney considered the full circumstances and Diana’s injuries.
Some supporters called the punishment unfair.
I did not.
Emma asked:
“Are you not sheriff anymore?”
“Temporary break.”
“Because you hit Miss Diana?”
“Yes.”
“Was she bad?”
“Yes.”
“Then why trouble?”
“Because being angry at someone bad does not make every thing I do good.”
Emma thought about it.
Then:
“That’s annoying.”
I laughed.
“Yes.”
CHAPTER 29TWENTY-NINE — MALCOLM’S DEALMalcolm agreed to cooperate.
He admitted:
Falsifying placement orders.
Redirecting complaints.
Approving fake invoices.
Using Judge Shaw’s digital certificate.
He denied knowing Laura would die.
Prosecutors had evidence he moved her SUV.
Not that he ordered the brake tampering.
Grant said Diana handled that.
Malcolm said fear kept him trapped.
Diana had documents proving his fraud.
Hannah asked:
“When did fear begin?”
Malcolm answered:
“After the first false invoice.”
Exactly.
May you like
Fear had not started the corruption.
It kept it alive.
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