“You’re allowed to sit,” she said.
“I don’t think I’m going to be here long.”
“What do you mean?”
Price placed his county phone on her desk.
Three text messages were open. All came from numbers saved under deputies’ names.
YOU REALLY WANT TO BE THE GUY WHO SINKS COLE?
REMEMBER WHO TRAINS YOUR BACKUP.
HOPE YOUR CAMERA SAVES YOU WHEN YOU’RE ALONE.
Amara felt cold anger rise, but she kept her face still.
“When did these arrive?”
“Last two days.”
“Why didn’t you report them immediately?”
Price looked embarrassed. “Because I wanted to believe they were just people venting.”
“And now?”
“Now my locker was open when I came in this morning. Nothing missing.”
Amara reached for the office phone, then stopped. “Do you want to make a formal retaliation complaint?”
“I’m going to move you temporarily to court security under Captain Monroe while the complaint is investigated. Same pay, same hours if we can manage it.”
Price swallowed. “Everyone will know why.”
“They already know you told the truth.”
He looked down.
Amara said, “That should not be dangerous here.”
Price gave a tired laugh. “Shouldn’t be.”
Before leaving, he paused at the door.
“There’s something else.”
Amara waited.
Price closed the door again.
“Last year, I was with Ransom on another stop. Guy had a classic car, cash in an envelope, same kind of questions. Ransom wanted to search. The driver said no. We let him go eventually.”
“Was there a complaint?”
“What’s important about it?”
Price looked toward the hallway, then back at her.
“Afterward Cole told me the easiest people to search are the ones who look like they have more money than they should.”
Amara’s jaw tightened.
“Exact words?”
“As close as I can remember.”
“Did he say anything about race?”
“No. Not then.”
Price hesitated.
“He had a nickname for those stops.”
Amara felt the room narrow.
“What nickname?”
Price answered quietly.
“Fishing rich.”
Amara wrote the phrase down.
Two words. Nothing illegal by themselves.