“Rewrite.”
“Why?”
“Subject was actively resisting.”
“He wasn’t when the shove happened.”
Price stared.
“Sheriff reviewed.”
Elena refused.
That was Monday.
Tuesday morning, her report disappeared from the system.
She resubmitted from a secure copy.
Tuesday afternoon, Captain Ames called her in.
“Why are you making this difficult?”
“Because it happened.”
“Your interpretation.”
“My observation.”
Ames sighed.
“You want to work here?”
“Yes.”
“Then understand how we work.”
Elena smiled faintly.
“I’m starting to.”
Wednesday, her patrol car was reassigned.
Thursday, she received a written reprimand for “insubordinate documentation practices.”
Friday, Sheriff Hollis called her into his office.
The conversation lasted six minutes.
He stood behind his desk.
She remained near the door.
“You got ambition?”
Elena asked, “Meaning?”
“You trying to make sergeant?”
“No.”
“Then why are you pushing?”
“Report should be accurate.”
Hollis laughed.
“That’s academy talk.”
“No.”
“That’s court talk.”
He came around the desk.
“Out here, your job is protecting your people.”
Elena met his eyes.
“From what?”
“Everything.”
“Even what they did?”
The sheriff stopped.
That was the line.
Elena knew it when she said it.
Hollis’s face changed.
“You think you’re clever.”
“No.”
“Everybody new thinks rules matter more than relationships.”
Elena said nothing.
He moved closer.
“Tell you what.”
“Tomorrow, you withdraw the supplemental report.”
“And if I don’t?”
The sheriff smiled.
“Then maybe Red Mesa isn’t right for you.”
Elena left.
The state team prepared extraction.
Her operation had enough evidence already.
But Elena asked for one more day.
Director Bell hated it.
“Why?”
“Because he thinks I’ll withdraw.”
“So?”
“I want to see what happens when I don’t.”
“You already know.”
“I know what former deputies said.”
“That’s why we have witnesses.”
“I need current conduct.”
Bell stared over secure video.
“Elena.”
She waited.
“You don’t need him to hit you.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
She smiled faintly.
“No.”
Bell did not believe her.
Neither did she.
Saturday afternoon, Elena returned to the station on her day off.
Uniformed.
Body camera active.
She brought a printed copy of the report.
Walked toward records.
Sheriff Hollis saw her.
“What are you doing?”
“Submitting.”
“I told you to withdraw.”
“I’m not.”
Mason stood near the patrol office.
He heard.
The sheriff came closer.
“This is your final warning.”
Elena held the paper.