Marcus had called at midnight.
“You okay?”
Isaiah answered:
“Are you?”
“No.”
“Same.”
They remained on the phone for forty minutes.
Mostly talking about anything except the park.
Then Marcus asked:
“Do you have to train him now?”
“I don't know.”
“You want to?”
Isaiah thought.
“Part of me does.”
“Why?”
“Because if he keeps the job, somebody needs to teach him.”
Marcus was silent.
Then:
“Part of you doesn't?”
“I don't know if I can evaluate him fairly anymore.”
Marcus said:
“That’s probably the part making you qualified.”
Isaiah smiled slightly.
“You should become a therapist.”
“No.”
“Patients talk too much.”
At roll call, Lieutenant Harmon asked Isaiah into his office.
“Professional Standards wants you recused from Cole’s evaluation.”
Isaiah nodded.
“Expected.”
“They’re assigning Sergeant Lena Park if he returns to field training.”
“Good.”
Harmon studied him.
“You disappointed?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Isaiah sat.
“Because tomorrow morning I was supposed to meet a rookie.”
“Instead yesterday I met someone already convinced authority meant being obeyed.”
Harmon leaned back.
“Academy problem?”
“Maybe.”
“Personality?”
“Maybe.”
“Department culture?”
“Probably some.”
“Fear?”
“Definitely.”
Harmon nodded.
“You think he was scared?”
“Yes.”
“Of you?”
“Not exactly.”
Isaiah considered.
“He was scared of losing control.”
“That’s more dangerous.”
Harmon sighed.
“You still want him fired?”
Isaiah looked up.
“I haven't said that.”
“You haven't had to.”
“I don't know yet.”
Harmon seemed surprised.
Isaiah continued:
“If the investigation finds dishonesty, yes.”
“If he lies about what happened, he should not wear a badge.”
“If he tells the truth?”
Isaiah paused.
“Then the question becomes whether judgment can be retrained.”
Harmon nodded slowly.
“And bias?”
Isaiah looked toward the window.
“Same question.”
“Sometimes.”
“Not always.”
Harmon said:
“You think race mattered?”
Isaiah answered carefully.
“I think if Marcus and I had been two white men in golf shirts, Evan may have processed the caller’s vague suspicion differently.”
“Can I prove that from one encounter?”
“No.”
“Do I think status immediately changed his perception of me?”
“Yes.”
“That part is on video.”
Harmon rubbed his face.
“This department is going to have a rough month.”
Isaiah stared.
“My brother had a rough afternoon.”
Harmon nodded.
“Point taken.”
The video spread online before lunch.
A bystander uploaded the moment beginning with Evan’s Taser already raised.
Caption:
COP PULLS TASER ON TWO MEN SITTING IN PARK—ONE TURNS OUT TO BE HIS SERGEANT.
Millions of views.
The story became entertainment almost immediately.
People laughed at Evan’s expression when Isaiah revealed his badge.
Memes appeared.
WHEN YOU THREATEN YOUR BOSS BEFORE ORIENTATION.
Isaiah hated them.
Marcus hated them more.
“He's an idiot,” Marcus said over the phone, “but this isn't funny.”
Isaiah was surprised.
“Coming from you?”
“I can hate what he did without pretending watching somebody’s career implode is comedy.”
Isaiah smiled.