Unit Seventeen

Unit Seventeen 7 Questions

The next morning just before eleven Blake walked into the Birmingham Police Internal Affairs offices. They were plainly decorated and had a very business like feeling to them. She approached the front desk and said, "I'm here to see Special Investigator Cullens, I'm Sari Blake and I believe I have an appointment."

The receptionist looked up with a smile and typed for a moment, "Sergeant Blake? Yes, you do, I'll let S.I. Cullens know you're here. Please have a seat and help yourself to a cup of coffee."

Blake bypassed the coffee and sat down placing her briefcase beside her.

After a few minutes, a medium-height man in his mid-fifties came out. He was dressed in a plain dark gray suit, with a matching tie. He had a bit of a belly and his balding head caught the lights as he entered the lobby, "Sergeant Blake? I'm Special Investigator Mel Cullens. Thanks for being prompt." He offered her his hand.

She shook the outstretched hand and spoke, "No problem. Hopefully, we can get this all sorted out so I can get back to work."

"That's my hope as well. This way." He led Blake deeper into the building until they reached an office near the far end of the floor, "My office. Please have a seat, would you like some coffee, or a bottle of water before we get started?"

"No, thank you." She replied.

"Well to business then. I'm required by law to tell you that our session will be recorded and that anything you say will be entered into my files and can be used in determining your ability to return to work. If at any time, you find yourself unwilling to continue, you are free to leave, however, that will lead to a positive finding in your case and your permanent removal from the police force. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good." He sat down and smiled across the desk at her, "So, your ex-husband Roger Blake has found himself entangled in some serious legal matters that include first-degree consorting with an infernal power rendering him a thrall under the law. This review is to determine if that event has any affect on your ability to perform your duties as an officer of the BPD or MSRT. I've reviewed your records. You've got a very impressive docket. Fourth in your class, master rank marksman with pistol and rifle, first minority woman to qualify for, and be admitted to, MSRT training. You've received nine commendations for exceptional duty in the field, including during the Birmingham Event half a year back. You received a field promotion to sergeant, which was confirmed after the Event was resolved. You've only received one disciplinary action against you, for striking a civilian during cleanup operations."

Blake interrupted him, "That D.A. was cleared from my record from body camera footage of the incident. I have the documents for that here." She took out a folder from her briefcase and set it on the edge of Cullens' desk.

"Alright," he said as he took the file, gave it a fast read, and added it to a small pile of papers on the side of his desk, "Although the D.A. was cleared you were still taken to civil court, where you were advised by police council to settle for ten thousand dollars, paid for out of your union insurance, correct?"

"Yes. I wanted to fight it, but with all the other cases piled up from the Event and the backlog it was creating I was advised to settle out of court and let the insurance carry it, which I did, but under protest."

"So it says." He flipped another sheet of paper, "You were married to Roger Blake for three years after you left the police academy, then the marriage dissolved because of infidelity on his part. You split and he moved out and you continued to keep his name, why if I can ask?"

"Honestly, because Blake is faster to write than Mehrotra, fewer people mispronounce it, and it doesn't trigger as many bigots."

"That makes a kind of sense I suppose. Over the past five years, you've given Mr. Blake financial aid six times, for a total of fifteen hundred dollars. As the divorce was a hostile one, and there is no love left between the two of you, why help him at all?" Cullens asked.