Moffett gave him an incredulous look. “You’re congratulating Duncan for his self-control?”
“That’s right. I don’t think I would have been so gentle if I’d been in his position. Collier is fired, effective immediately. I’m going to tell him that if he fights me on this, I’ll order Eve and Duncan to arrest him for attempted murder and he can go to prison instead. That’s not the only personnel change I’m making. Tomorrow morning, you start your new assignment at the Men’s Central Jail.”
Moffett was startled. “What?”
“As captain of Lost Hills station, you are ultimately responsible for every operation and the safety of your officers. Collier’s fuckup is entirely on you. I’d hoped you’d step up and say that. I’d have respected that and might even have kept you in that seat. But no, you took the coward’s way out. You’re done here. Pack up.”
Moffett started to walk around the desk to the sheriff. “Sir, could we discuss this in private?”
“No, we can’t. You’re lucky you still have your badge and bars. Say another word and you might lose those, too.” Lansing faced Eve and Duncan, his back to Moffett. “I wanted you to hear this for yourselves so you’d know that while Captain Moffett doesn’t have your back, I do.”
Duncan stood up and offered Lansing his hand. “Thank you, sir.”
Lansing shook it. “Step outside with me for a moment.”
He opened the door and walked out of the office. Eve and Duncan followed him, without taking another look at Moffett. Lansing led them outside into the parking lot and stopped beside his Expedition before he spoke again.
“I heard from the Officer-Involved unit. The videos at the house and supermarket conclusively clear you both. Your actions were entirely justified.” Lansing shifted his gaze to Eve. “Though I wish you could have been gentler on the confiscated Rolls-Royce. It wasn’t insured.”
Duncan pointed across the parking lot. “I’ll swap you my Buick for the Rolls to make up for it.”
“I appreciate the selflessness of your offer, Duncan, but I’ll pass. Sometime in the next day or two, the mayor of Calabasas and I are going to give that security guard an award for his heroism. I’ll let you know when and where. I’m sure you’ll both want to be there.” His gaze settled on Eve for emphasis.
“Of course,” she said. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
“Good. I want this case wrapped up fast. I’ll tell the watch commander to give you a couple of deputies tomorrow to help you with the final grunt work.”
“That would be very helpful, sir,” Duncan said. “Thank you.”
“Now both of you go home. It may not feel like it right now, but this was your lucky day. It could have been you two in the morgue instead of those three assholes.”
Lansing got into the back of the Expedition. Eve and Duncan remained in place, like two soldiers at attention, until the sheriff drove off.
Duncan watched him go. “Hell of a thing Lansing just did for us.”
Eve wasn’t impressed. She knew Lansing too well.
“He was protecting himself and the department. Somebody had to take the fall for this mess and it just as easily could have been me instead of Collier and Moffett.”
“What about me?”
“You were always in the clear because you’re retiring. It’s like a temporary superpower. You’re invincible to reprimand.”
Duncan shook his head and started walking to his Buick. “How can you be so cynical?”
Eve walked beside him. “Lansing knew if he didn’t fire Collier, I’d probably go public with my beef and resurrect an embarrassing scandal that he’d like to see remain buried.”
“Which one?”
“The corrupt deputies,” she said.
“That doesn’t really narrow it down,” Duncan said. “All of his scandals involve corruption.”
“I’ve only been involved in one. He still could have used this disaster to demote or transfer me, but he knows that the public likes me, even if most of his rank-and-file deputies don’t, and there’s the possibility of that TV series, which would be good PR for the department. Moffett is largely unknown to the public, at least outside of Calabasas and Malibu, so sacrificing him was an easy call. Besides, the last scandal happened under Moffett’s watch. Now Lansing can use me and the security guard’s heroism to turn this mess into positive publicity. For Lansing, it always comes down to politics and public perception.”
“Or the sheriff simply did the right thing,” Duncan said as they reached his car.
“How can you be so naive?”
Duncan started to say something, but she surprised him and herself by pulling him into a long, tight hug. It had just dawned on her how close she came that day to losing him.
He gently patted her back, as if she were one of his daughters, silently reassuring her that everything would be all right.
And then, without a word, she let go of him. They gave each other warm smiles, and she turned and went to her car, wiping the tears from her eyes.
CHAPTER EIGHT