Death of the Ayn Rand Scholar by Gray Cavender (classic literature list txt) 📕

to be a hero, and I didn’t mean to be stupid, either. I had these predictive models…and I guess I just wanted to know if they were accurate.” She knew she’d gushed-out a lot of information, but she was nervous.

He nodded a kind of exaggerated nod, and said, “OK…so, you’re a believer in terms of the intelligence-led policing approach?”

“Yes, I am. I mean, it’s not a substitute for police work…it actually depends on police work, and then may augment police work…but yes, I do.”

“And, I take it that Larry Gruber wasn’t too enthusiastic about your models, am I right?”

This time she actually laughed. “That’s an understatement…what’s with him? I wasn’t trying to tell him how to do his job…I just had some information that I thought he might could use.”

“I don’t know what to say…guess that’s just Larry being Larry. He’s a good detective…” he said, and tapered off, and Jillian assumed that he didn’t want to say anything bad about his colleague.

“Someone said he was moving toward retirement and wanted to close one last case. I understand that…it’s just that…he was insulting. He made it as if this was about gender or technology…and that somehow both were a bad thing.”

”Yeah, it’s hard for some people to change. I imagine back when Larry was hired, Tempe PD was a different world from what it is now. Look at you, a civilian employee who’s using computers, a woman, and an ASU grad student. You’re threatening to the Larry Gruber’s of the world. But then, you know that because you’re studying women in policing.”

This freaked Jillian out a little…how’d a detective know things about her? It must have shown in her expression because he made a calming gesture with his right hand, and said, “The story was in the paper. And, I did a little homework.”

“Why?” Jillian asked, and stopped abruptly, causing the detective to have to stop and then take a step back toward her.

She figured he’d say, ‘why what,’ but he didn’t. Instead, he gave her a straightforward answer. “The Chief wanted me to talk with you.”

“Am I in trouble?”

“Absolutely not.” His next comment was out of the blue. “Ever given any thought to being a police officer?”

Jillian’s jaw literally dropped and at first, she was at a loss for words. Finally, she said, “Not really, no. Why?”

“For several reasons…all of them good,” he said and again made a calming motion. “You considered fact-based data…armed with the data, you went through channels…you presented your results to Gruber, as ordered. When he blew you off, you kept at it, even figured out a list of possible targets. That shows brains and determination. And you went there, and, when the action started, you went toward it. That’s instinct, and in my world, that’s a good thing.”

“Well, I don’t know about any of that, but honestly…I don’t even know how it all happened. I was watching the guy rob a wine shop, totally freaked, and then somehow I was standing in front of him.” She held up her hands, at a loss for words.

“That’s what I mean—instinct. Most people don’t have that, Jillian, and, I’m not sure it’s something that can be taught.”

“Whatever…but everyone—The Chief, Lt. Timms—they all say that this was a mistake. Actually, the Chief said it was foolhardy…and my mom agreed.”

Webb chuckled. “And yet, there you were….and you captured an armed robber. Look, Jillian, I’m not saying it’s a good thing to be an iconoclastic cop like Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop, you know, with the Captain yelling at you all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I like Eddie, I like Beverly Hills Cop. I just think there’s a difference between being problematic…a maverick, and acting like you acted.”

“Thanks, I guess, Jillian said, and they started walking again.

“Tell me, what were you thinking as Neely attacked you.”

“Well, with judo, you practice these moves, again and again, but at the same time, you get into a peaceful zone…where you’re both thinking and not thinking…if that makes any sense?”

Webb nodded silently, then asked, “Were you scared?”

“Yes,” she answered and nodded. “Especially afterward.”

“Good,” he smiled again, “that shows that foolhardy was accompanied by common sense…it’s good to be scared. And yet, you still acted…again, instinct.”

They walked without speaking for ten seconds or so. Then Wes said, spoke. “You said that you believed in intelligence-lead-policing…how did you end-up in the Research Division?”

“OK, I’m sure you know that Lt. Timms is working on her PhD at ASU…in Justice Studies.” Wes nodded that he did, and she continued. “Well, we have the same advisor: Professor Carolyn Patek. She introduced me to Linda, who hooked me up with women police officers across the Valley. I’ve been interviewing them, and Linda, too, for my research project. A few months after I interviewed Linda, a position opened-up in the Research Division, and she encouraged me to apply. Of course, I had to go through a set of interviews and a background check, but once I was approved, Linda officially offered me the position, and I accepted.”

“Any qualms about taking such a position? Not everyone wants to work with a police department, especially some people in the university.”

Jillian exhaled, nodded, and said, “Absolutely…I thought about it…a lot. I discussed it with my parents, with Carolyn…Professor Patek, and with several friends…some were fellow students, although mostly it was with non-grad student friends. So, I guess I did have some qualms, yeah. But, you know, the other factor was…well, money. ASU doesn’t typically give master’s students assistantships or stipends, anything like that…most of those go to the doctoral students. So, the Research Division job was a way of paying my own way through grad school. It was a good salary…with benefits, and it gave me even better access to police women…besides, it was interesting work.”

“Given the business with Neely, you must be pretty good at it. Are you OK with working for the police?”

“I think so, yeah. In some ways, it’s almost like taking classes at ASU...I actually did have