I eyed him right back. “Is this an interrogation?” I asked, then looked over at my chief. “Because, if so, I want a lawyer.” I shifted my arm to reassure myself the cuff was still there, relieved that I’d been so stressed about being called in that I’d forgotten to slip it off. Yeah, the white hot rage I was feeling right now was all my own.
“It’s not an interrogation, Kara,” the chief replied. “However, until we can get this whole mess cleared up, I think it’s best if you go on administrative leave.”
Even though I was half-expecting it, the news was still a punch in the gut. “I haven’t done anything wrong, sir,” I managed.
“That we know of,” Fussell said with a dubious sniff.
Chief Turnham shot him a quelling glance, then gave me a more reassuring look. “It’ll be with pay, and it’s in your best interest. This way there can be no question of impropriety in the investigation.”
“Yes, sir.” I understood it. I really did. But I didn’t have to like it one bit.
“Stop coddling her, Turnham,” the mayor sneered. “Get a search warrant for her house, and get the evidence you need.”
I leveled a black glare at the mayor. “You don’t have the probable cause for a search warrant.”
He sat forward. “Then sign a consent-to-search and prove you’re innocent.”
“Not in this lifetime,” I shot back.
He laughed and looked over to the chief. “See? She’s obviously hiding something. You could fire her for insubordination for refusing to follow an order.”
“Oh, for God’s sakes, Peter,” the chief muttered.
“Mayor Fussell,” I said as I fought to remain calm, “with all due respect, just because I’m a city employee doesn’t mean that you or anyone else has leave to trample all over my civil rights. And if you insist on having me fired for refusing to consent to a search of my private residence, you and this city can most certainly brace yourselves for a lawsuit.”
“It won’t come to that,” Chief Turnham said, voice sharp and firm. My respect for my chief soared.
I gave him a polite nod. “And I appreciate that. Am I to assume that my leave is effective immediately?”
He sighed, deep regret in his eyes. “I think that would be for the best.”
I stood and gave him a grateful smile, then gave the mayor a slight, mocking bow. “Y’all have a Merry Christmas!” I turned and left, and even resisted the desire to slam the door behind me.
But once I was out, the smile slid off my face as I strode quickly down the hall to my office. True, it could have been worse. Administrative leave was a shitload better than a suspension. Basically I’d just been given a paid vacation. But I still felt as if I’d been hamstrung.
No one else was around, which was a relief. I didn’t feel like going into an explanation of the whole thing for anyone right now. I ducked into my office and quickly gathered up the few personal items I gave a damn about, just in case this whole situation turned to even more shit, and I couldn’t get back here for a while.
On my way home I called Jill. “Guess who’s a murder suspect!”
She groaned. “Please tell me you’re not in jail.”
I laughed. “Not yet. But I am on administrative leave. Paid!”
“Woohoo! Vay-cay!”
“Yeah, under any other circumstance it would rock. Anyway, I’m headed to the house. The mayor was in there with the chief when I was given the lovely news, and he’s seriously gunning for me. Wanted me to sign a consent-to-search form to let them rummage through my house.”
I heard her suck her breath in.