It could not prove what Morrison had done.
That required evidence.
Several minutes later, Chen returned.
“Your identity and assignment have been confirmed,” she said quietly.
Morrison's face changed.
For the first time since I had entered his line, he seemed uncertain.
I removed the small digital recorder from beneath my jacket.
“Supervisor, I have an audio record of my interaction with Officer Morrison.”
Morrison straightened.
“You recorded me?”
“You can't do that!”
Chen held up one hand.
“Bradley, stop.”
He looked at her in disbelief.
“He set me up!”
I met his eyes.
“I didn't ask you to call me 'boy.' I didn't ask you to accuse me of carrying drugs. And I didn't ask you to threaten me with arrest.”
His jaw tightened.
“That's not what happened.”
“Then let's listen.”
I placed the recorder on the counter.
The young college student stepped forward.
“Ma'am?”
Chen turned.
“I recorded part of it on my phone,” he said. “I didn't interfere with anything. I just thought somebody needed to have proof.”
Chen looked at the student, then at the recorder.
“Thank you. We'll need to preserve that recording and take your contact information.”
I pressed PLAY.
The first sentence rang out clearly.
“Back up, boy. Your kind doesn't get special treatment here.”
Morrison looked toward the floor.
The audio continued.
Then came the accusation about drugs.
Then the threat.
No one spoke while the recording played.
At the end, Chen reached for the radio again.
“Officer Morrison, you are relieved from passenger-screening duties pending review. Please report to the duty manager.”
“You can't be serious.”
“I am.”
“You're taking his side because he's got some fancy government ID?”
Chen's expression hardened.
“No, Bradley. I'm responding to what was documented. Your conduct is going to be reviewed.”
He pointed at me.
“He came here looking for trouble!”
I answered quietly.
“I came here to do my job. Your conduct was your choice.”
Morrison's face turned a deep red.
He opened his mouth, then closed it.
For a moment, I thought he might apologize.
Instead, he said something I would remember for years.
“You people are always trying to ruin somebody's life.”
I looked directly at him.