"Maltz, you were the first officer at the crime scene."
"Under the New Law, every murder must be solved, even if you're retiring in three months-
One week!
I'm giving you one week!
You must solve Audo's murder!"
Woolt spoke with an air of righteous authority.
The New Law had gone into effect three years ago. Everyone knew that.
But its lack of acceptance was even more widely known.
Most officers merely went through the motions. Like Chief Lark, they wore the Sheriff's Badge on their police caps, giving it pride of place.
A smaller number ignored it completely.
For example, Joseph, who had already been killed.
These officers still bore the unmistakable hallmarks of the Constable era.
Although the New Law existed only on paper, it became something else when Woolt invoked it-at that moment, the New Law gained the authority it ought to have had.
And it brooked no argument!
The officers on duty in the office all turned to look at Maltz.
They knew he was being singled out.
But not one of them spoke up.
They weren't the ones being targeted!
Why should they upset the Chief?
Maltz wasn't the only one who knew Woolt was the likeliest candidate to become Chief of the Shire District. Everyone present knew it.
And so pity appeared in the eyes of the officers on duty as they looked at Maltz.
An officer hoping to retire.
A Chief about to take office.
Anyone could see what would become of Maltz.
Perhaps we should give the new Chief a generous gift?
No!
I can't pay for it alone!
Everyone has to chip in!
The officers present all had the same thought, and after exchanging glances, they reached an agreement.
Relieved smiles appeared on every face.
It wasn't just that none of them could afford such a lavish gift alone. With that gift, they had once again formed a faction.
A new faction for the new Chief's tenure, following Chief Lark's death.
Though this faction would be short-lived and loosely knit, it was enough. They could certainly take a hefty bite out of the great cake that was the Shire District, whose portions had already been allotted.
After all, only some of the officers were here today, not all of them.
Maltz, of course, was excluded.
At once, the looks they gave Maltz held more than mere sympathy. They were filled with profound pity.
Poor fellow!
The officers present sighed.
Watching Woolt stand, pat Maltz on the shoulder, and leave the office with his coat and riding crop, they all followed him out.
With his red, dress-coat-like jacket draped over his left arm and his riding crop in his right hand, Woolt sensed the officers following behind him and considered whether any of those off duty were worth winning over.
He knew exactly what these officers on duty were thinking.
He knew even better that the Shire District's "contributions" needed to be redistributed.
But what he knew best was that the total "contribution reward" could not change. It had to remain exactly what it had been, or his position as Chief would never be secure.
With the total fixed, what could he do if he wanted more?
Naturally, he had to reduce the number of people receiving a share.
Otherwise, he could never recoup the cost of winning the others over in the short term.
The dead Joseph and Audo, and Maltz, who'll soon be dead... aren't enough!
I'll have to pick a few more and leave them with some free time for a while!
Woolt considered the best candidates.
But that didn't stop the Chief from berating the patrol officers.
Crack!
The riding crop struck a nearby desk hard enough to strip away a patch of paint, producing a loud report.
But Woolt's curses were louder still.
"You're all useless!"
"Useless! Useless! Useless!"
Woolt pointed his riding crop at the patrol officers and unleashed a torrent of abuse.
They were unlike the regular officers, who belonged to the same class as him.
To Woolt, these patrol officers, little more than temporary workers, were insignificant. He could treat them as harshly as he liked, so he made no attempt to restrain himself.
As his emotions rose, powder began flaking off the Chief's face.
Worse, the powder had caked in his deep nasolabial folds.
It made Woolt, who had always fancied himself an aristocrat, look like a prostitute throwing a tantrum in a tavern after being taken advantage of without getting paid.
All the patrol officers bowed their heads, not daring to speak.
All the regular officers folded their arms and watched the spectacle.
Only Maltz looked at the patrol officers with concern.
Every officer, including Woolt, noticed.
Their contempt for the weak Maltz deepened.
The tirade went on for nearly ten minutes. The patrol officers suffered miserably, and even the officers on duty were somewhat surprised. Only Maltz understood that Woolt was using this opportunity to vent his anger.
Clearly, he had invested more in Audo than expected...
No!
It wasn't just Audo. There were others, too.
In particular, satisfying those Chiefs' appetites would cost no small sum. Even emptying Woolt's private coffers wouldn't be enough.
So...
He's dividing up the cake again?
Maltz considered what he should do, while keeping that same concerned expression on his face.
Another five minutes passed before Woolt finally tired of shouting and left.
Before leaving, he issued one last warning-
"Solve the case within a week!"
"Or hand in your uniforms and get out!"
As he spoke, Woolt's eyes gleamed with malice and ferocity as he looked at the patrol officers.
Twelve patrol officer positions would fetch a tidy sum, too!
Even if they were only temporary workers, those blue uniforms were still worth money!
Maltz saw Woolt's gaze clearly. He knew the man would now stop at nothing to secure the position of Chief of the Shire District.
But the further Woolt went, the more it benefited him.
Then, with the officers respectfully seeing him off, Woolt boarded the carriage parked beside the small square.
As for the carriage being reserved for emergencies?
Wasn't this an emergency?
Only after watching Woolt's carriage leave did the officers return to the police station's offices. Maltz trailed behind them, his face full of worry.
And unlike the officers who went straight back to their own offices, Maltz stopped to reassure the patrol officers beside him-
"I'll do my best to make sure you get to keep your pay for this. You fought. I saw it."
Maltz wore the kindly smile of an elder.
It made the patrol officers feel considerably better after enduring more than ten minutes of abuse.
And when Maltz took out one Gold Ticket and handed it to the patrol officer he had first stopped outside 14 Kirk Street, everyone around him froze.
They hadn't expected Maltz to genuinely care about their feelings.
It wasn't some empty gesture, but something tangible.
"Dico, take everyone out for a drink."
"Thank you, Mr. Maltz."
"Thank you, Mr. Maltz."
The appeal of a Gold Ticket was boundless. Gratitude shone in the eyes of the twelve-man patrol squad, and after comparing this with Woolt's earlier swaggering display, that gratitude deepened.
At that moment, the patrol squad sincerely believed that, compared with Mr. Maltz, Woolt deserved to die.
Maltz watched the patrol squad leave.
He knew one Gold Ticket couldn't buy these patrol officers.
Even a hundred Gold Tickets would hardly be enough.
But he wasn't buying them.
He was merely offering sincere comfort to these young temporary workers.
In full view of everyone!
Nothing is easier to deceive than the human heart!
With that inward sigh, Maltz turned toward his office. He had to make sure everyone saw that he was at the police station.
The officers standing in their respective office doorways watched Maltz's retreating back. Some sighed, some sneered, and some simply didn't care.
Not one felt any respect.
A fellow who could barely save himself, yet still harbored compassion.
He really...
Deserved to die!
Filled with disdain, the officers returned to their own offices.
From beginning to end, not a single person went to the morgue to examine Audo's body.
Woolt hadn't gone either.
These were the officers of South Los.
And the officers of this era.
Before you continue