"Downplay what?" asked Shannon. Despite not being entirely clear on what Delacroix was referring to, Shannon allowed himself to face the other man as he would anyone else. If he was going to make such overtures, then Shannon was going to take him up on them whether the reporter realized the extent of them or not. It wasn't his fault if other people couldn't keep up with their own actions. "Because if it's about the civilian thing, I should hope not. I'm still more in the loop than you are."

There was a sigh. Shannon shook his head. "Most people who lose their integrity don't even realize it before it's too late. Once they look up and see how far they've fallen, there's not much else to do but keep digging." That didn't just apply to journalism, either. It was something Shannon had seen a lot of in his work with the police, people who had no choice but to keep moving even if it only made their grave deeper.