Sam arrived at HQ at the same time as FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Avery Hill.

“You’re getting around better,” he said to her.

“Better every day. I’ll be glad to lose the cane.”

“I’m sure.”

“Have you come to ruin our lives?”

“Not at all.”

“Well, that’s a relief, I guess.”

Avery walked at her pace as they made their way to the chief’s suite, where a large group of lieutenants and captains had gathered in the conference room.

Lieutenant Archelotta raised his chin at her. “Good to see you, Holland.”

“Good to be seen. Note to self—don’t break your hip.”

“I’ve heard it’s a bitch.”

“You’ve heard right.” She sat in the chair Captain Malone held for her. “Thanks, Cap. Nice to see you all.”

“Welcome back,” Higgins from Explosives said.

“Thanks.”

“Glad to hear the FBI caught the bomber,” Higgins added.

“Me, too.”

“Agent Hill,” Chief Farnsworth said, “this is your meeting.”

“Thanks, Chief. I want to thank you all for your cooperation over the last few months as my team conducted its investigation. It’s never easy to be under scrutiny, especially outside scrutiny from a rival agency. Our report will reflect that spirit of cooperation and genuine effort on the part of leadership to identify and address problems while supporting the diverse workforce that makes up this department. We spoke with numerous people at all levels and roles, from the librarian and psychiatrist to Patrol to SVU to IT to Homeland Security to Internal Affairs. What we found is a group of hardworking, dedicated professionals who strive to provide the best safety and security possible for the District, its residents and the many visitors who come each year to visit the nation’s capital.

“That said, we found deficiencies as well. Some of them you’re aware of, including a deep backlog of untested rape kits, unsolved kidnappings, assaults, burglaries and murders dating back at least a decade or more in some cases. We’re painfully aware that not every crime is solved in a way that brings satisfaction to the victims and their families. We’ve identified several former officers with the greatest percentages of unsolved cases, and in light of the recent successful conclusions to the Worthington and Deasly cases, we recommend the department employ significant resources to resolving as many of these cold cases as possible.

“Within the outstanding cases, we found a disproportionate number involved minority victims, and I expect that when the report is released, that could be the headline the media fixates on. I wanted the opportunity to tell you, face-to-face, that racial disparity is an area that needs work throughout the department. As you know, this is an issue of concern in departments and law enforcement agencies across the country. We recommend additional training in the areas of diversity, implicit bias, cultural assumptions and fair and impartial policing.