Chapter 30

When Erik returned to the headquarters the next morning, he noticed that Hernandez was in Hoffman’s office. The boss appeared very upset.

From what he could see, Zoe was listening to Hoffman’s long tirade without reacting.

It was a good tactic, he thought: it was best to let people like Hoffman blow off steam.

He had received a message, also addressed to Roche and the other officers who were involved the night before, ordering him to report to Hoffman that morning at about ten o'clock, and he had received a copy of the procedure of arrest preparation. Upon the whole, he knew he had got by with little damage.

This made him feel very guilty: it was true that the attempted arrest of the two fugitives had been Hernandez’s initiative, but it did not seem right to pretend to be completely ignorant of the whole investigation. He had been an accomplice, transgressing Hoffman’s orders, and he was prepared to take his own share of responsibility. Hernandez, however, had been immovable.