“Hammond.”
I turn to find Cap leaning on the garage door.
“Yeah, sir?”
“I’ve got a pile of paperwork with your name on it.”
Of course he does.
My penance for my mistakes, taking up Cap’s slack in all things departmental administration.
Dropping the polish rag into the bucket, I wipe my hands and follow him into his office. He points to a stack on the desk. “These need a second set of eyes over them before I sign off. I have meetings most of today, I need them first thing tomorrow with any amendments.”
“Yes sir.”
He passes me the paperwork before plucking up a red pen and tossing it at me. “They are also confidential.”
I catch the pen midair. “Understood.”
He waves a hand at the door. I’m dismissed.
I take the stairs two at a time and head for the common room. But it’s packed with 43 and 53 having their evening break.
Executing an about turn, I stalk down the hall for my quarters, only to remember the lighting is so shit, I’ll go blind before I make it halfway through the stack.
With a sigh, I duck a head into the locker room. The cleaner is in there, mopping, his headphones on his head as he bops away to a tune. Is there nowhere quiet in this place?
Finally, I wander downstairs to the gym and set up the papers on a bench. Dragging an exercise ball over, I get to work reading every single page.
Done with the first file, I open the second one.
It’s an internal investigation into Schmidt.
No wonder these are confidential.
I start from the top and work my way down each section methodically. This one I have a vested interest in ensuring they are correct. Every detail of that day must be included. His decisions. His lack of leadership. The fact he put two probie lives in danger by ignoring standard protocols.
When I get to the last page of the report, and have gone over the recommendations twice, there are red notes in every margin. I run a hand through my hair. This should feel like justice, but it feels like a consolation prize for Davies’s life.
It will never be enough.
Deciding to control the need for control, ironically, I close the file and move on to the next. What I find surprises me more than the fact Cap let me have a say in Schmidt’s repercussions.
Incident Report(s) - Sexual Assault allegations against G Schmidt ~ Brought forward by Heidi Owens (2016), Renee Arnell (2018), Rebecca Stone (2021).
Holy fuck.
I knew Heids and Schmidt had a history from 41. I never knew what it was, only that it was bad.
It’s taken this long for anything to come to light? For anything to be done?
Motherfuckers.
How the hell did she work alongside the asshole all this time?
I almost don’t want to open this one.
But deciding doing so only makes me another man who refuses to look, I flick the page and read it. Eyes running over the text, my hand slides over my mouth.
