"Had I known you were coming, I could've arranged a proper meeting."
The woman looked at him.
"I didn't come for a meeting."
He hesitated.
She continued.
"I came to document what happens to motorists who aren't personally known to your office."
The sheriff's face tightened.
Then he glanced toward the older deputy.
For a moment, the woman wondered how much he already knew.
The sheriff requested a private conversation.
The woman agreed to speak in the presence of the lead investigator, with the exchange documented.
They moved a few steps away from the vehicles, remaining visible to the others.
The sheriff folded his hands.
"Director, I've served this county for thirty years."
She nodded.
"I'm aware."
He looked toward the road.
"We have problems with vehicle fraud and people passing through who don't respect local laws."
She remained calm.
"Then officers should enforce the applicable laws."
He nodded.
"Exactly."
She studied him.
"Which law authorizes a four-thousand-dollar roadside cash settlement?"
The sheriff hesitated.
Then said he'd need to review the department's policies.
The woman nodded.
"Please do."
For several seconds, he appeared uncertain.
Then he changed the subject.
He described budget pressures.
Staffing shortages.
And the difficulty of patrolling remote highways with limited resources.
The woman listened.
Those issues could be genuine.
Rural law enforcement departments often faced practical challenges that larger agencies didn't.
But budget pressures didn't justify taking money from motorists without lawful authority.
When the sheriff finished, she returned to the question.
"Will you direct your department to preserve the relevant stop reports, dispatch communications, towing records, and personnel files?"
He nodded.
"Of course."
"Will you ensure neither deputy interferes with witnesses?"
His expression hardened.
"Are you suggesting my officers would intimidate people?"
She looked toward the rookie.
The young man stood beside a state investigator, visibly nervous.
Then she answered.
"I'm asking you to preserve the integrity of the investigation."
The sheriff followed her gaze.
For a fraction of a second, something crossed his face.
The woman noticed.
But she didn't accuse him.
Not yet.
She needed to know what the records would show.
The senior deputy's patrol camera recordings became an immediate priority.
The traffic stop had occurred on a public highway during an authorized investigative operation, and the state team already possessed its own documentation.