Gentry's face went completely slack. The realization of what he had done, who he had done it to, crashed over him like a tidal wave. He hadn't just messed up; he had committed a career-ending atrocity in front of the highest executive officer in the state.
"Agent Collins," Governor Whitmore said sharply, never taking his eyes off Gentry. "Call Captain Samuel Peterson at the 44th. Tell him I want him on this driveway in exactly ten minutes. If he is late, I will relieve him of his command before he parks his car."
"Yes, sir," Agent Collins replied, already tapping an earpiece.
"And Officer Gentry," Whitmore added, his tone finalizing the death of the man's career, "I highly suggest you do not move a single muscle until your captain arrives to strip you of that badge."
Exactly eight minutes later, a black unmarked SUV tore down Elmwood Drive, its hidden sirens wailing briefly before being cut off as it swerved into Nadine's driveway. The tires screeched against the cobblestones, halting just feet from where Gentry was standing in rigid, terrified silence.
Captain Samuel Peterson threw open the door. He was a veteran cop, a man who had built a career on smoothing over the rough edges of his officers. But as he stepped out of the SUV and saw Governor Charles Whitmore standing on the portico flanked by state security, with a furious Nadine Brooks at his side, Peterson knew there was no smoothing this over.
"Governor," Peterson said breathlessly, practically jogging up the driveway. He shot a venomous glare at Gentry, who was sweating profusely in the afternoon sun. "Sir, I got the call from your detail. I don't know what happened here, but I assure you it is a terrible misunderstanding."
"It is not a misunderstanding, Captain Peterson," Nadine interrupted, her voice ringing out like a bell. "It is a statistical certainty."
Peterson blinked, looking at the black woman in the faded Yale sweatshirt. He didn't know her face, but he recognized the tone of someone who held all the cards. "Ma'am, I am incredibly sorry for whatever my officer did. Travis is a good cop. He just gets overzealous about property protection."
"Stop talking, Sam," Governor Whitmore commanded. "You are embarrassing yourself, and you are insulting Ms. Brooks. Nadine, please enlighten the captain as to why we were meeting today."
Nadine crossed her arms. "Captain Peterson, my name is Nadine Brooks. I am the CEO of Brooks Holdings. You might recognize the name from the external audit notices your precinct received three weeks ago."