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“I need this space,” Franco snapped. “You’ll have to leave.”
Eve lifted her brows as the girl scrambled out. Franco was a woman who went where she wanted when she wanted. Eve admired the trait.
When Chang closed the door behind them, Franco launched into the attack. “You were instructed to use the official statement when responding to the media. We can’t waste time and resources running along behind you and clearing up the mess.”
“Then you’d better try to keep up. I got a heads up minutes before the latest statement from Purity was to be aired. I responded to said statement as I deemed appropriate.”
“It’s not your place to deem what is an appropriate response to the media.” This came from Chang, in clipped tones. “It’s my job to tell you what’s appropriate in this area.”
“The last time I looked I don’t answer
to you, and should that day ever come, I’ll retire.”
“Chief Tibble ordered you to cooperate,” he reminded her. “Yet you refuse to accept the bookings that were arranged for maximum spin and effect. And now you issue your own statement without clearance. A statement that speaks not just for you, Lieutenant, but for the department. This is not acceptable.”
“If the chief or my commander determines I’ve done or said the unacceptable, then they can dress me down, Chang. You can’t.”
She took a step toward him, was darkly pleased to see him take one back. “Don’t ever try to tell me how to do my job.”
“You’ve never had any respect for me or my position.”
Eve angled her head. “And your point is?”
“We’ll see what Chief Tibble has to say about this.”
“Run along and tattle, you little weasel. And let the grown-ups finish talking.” She turned back to Franco, who’d said nothing during the exchange. “You got something else to say to me?”
“Yes, actually. Why don’t you give us a minute here, Chang? We’ll discuss the rest of this in my office in . . .” She checked the time. “Thirty minutes.”
He went out, giving the door a sulky little slam.
“Do you try to irritate people, Dallas, or is it just an innate skill?”
“I guess it’s the second, because it comes real easy. Especially with pissants like Chang.”
“If I tell you I agree that Chang is an annoying, self-satisfied, and boring pissant—a statement I will vehemently deny making if repeated—can we table some of the hostility?”
“Why do you use him then?”
“Because he’s good. He’s very, very good. If I had to like everyone I worked with or who worked for me, I sure as hell wouldn’t be in politics. Now, issue one, your statement this morning. Chang feels, and I agree—as does the mayor—that your use of Detective Halloway’s death was ill advised.”
“My use? Just one damn minute. They used him, shirking responsibility for his death. I responded and stuck the responsibility right back up their ass.”
“And I understand the instinct that prompted you to do so. For God’s sake, Dallas, do you think I function without a heartbeat? I don’t. And that heart breaks for that woman down the hall. Damn it. She’s lost her son. I have a son. He’s ten. I can’t imagine having to say good-bye to him the way Colleen Halloway is saying good-bye today.”
“It seems to me it would be harder if people were allowed to think her son died for nothing.”
“Didn’t he?” Franco retorted, then shook her head. “Oh, I know how you cops think. On the job. I won’t argue with you because I don’t understand that either. But the point is that the more often his name is said, the more he’s made the story, the harder it is to focus the media and the public on the message we want to send. Whatever you might think,” she added as she turned back.
“I know more about this than you and Chang knows more than both of us. The second point is no statement should have been made without clearance.”
“You won’t box me in that way. I’m no media hound, but if and when I feel using it helps my investigation, I’ll use it.”
“Yet you toss back the bookings Chang arranged, programming where we’d have some control.”
“I’m not sitting in some studio parroting departmental or mayoral approved responses and statements when my time and energies are required in a priority investigation. The fact is, I’m never doing it.”
“Yes, so your commander has made clear.”
