Chương 12
“That probably didn’t improve things.”
“No.”
He sounded tired.
“I’m not especially gifted at improving things today.”
I understood that more than I wanted to.
“Did he mention the police?”
“Yes.”
“He thinks filing the complaint puts him back in control.”
“That sounds like Chase.”
“It sounds like me thirty years ago.”
That caught me.
Graham continued before I could respond.
“I used to think authority meant whoever wrote the report first.”
“That’s not authority.”
“No.”
His voice softened.
“It’s fear wearing bars.”
I stared at the gray stairwell wall.
“Did Chase learn that from you?”
Another pause.
“Probably.”
There was no defense in his answer.
I appreciated that.
Then he said, “Evan came by.”
My grip tightened on the phone.
“When?”
“Half an hour ago.”
“Why?”
“To apologize.”
“To Chase?”
“To us.”
I looked down the stairwell.
“What did you tell him?”
“That apology without changed behavior is just noise.”
The words sounded rehearsed.
“Rita?”
“Yes.”
I almost smiled.
“She stayed after everyone left.”
“Of course she did.”
“She said someone needed to make sure I didn’t become sentimental.”
“That does sound like her.”
The smile disappeared.
“Where is Evan now?”
“Home, I think.”
“He hasn’t called me.”
“Maybe he’s finally learning not to.”
That landed strangely.
I had spent two years asking him to speak.
Now his restraint felt almost like absence.
“I need to go.”
“Lauren.”
“Yes?”
“If Chase calls you, don’t answer alone.”
“I can handle Chase.”
“That isn’t what I said.”
I went still.
He was right.
Again.
That was becoming inconvenient.
“Fine.”
“Good.”
“Do not follow him.”
“I won’t.”
“Do not contact Bell.”
“I haven’t.”
“Do not contact the media.”
“I’m seventy, not concussed.”
“You’re also a retired colonel.”
“That is unnecessarily personal.”
Despite everything, I laughed.
So did he.
It lasted three seconds.
Then we both remembered the day.
“I’ll call if I hear anything.”
“Okay.”
When I returned to the briefing room, Priya had acquired two turkey sandwiches and was holding one toward me.
“I don’t want it.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
“What was the question?”
“There wasn’t one.”
I took the sandwich.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Haskell was eating chips directly over a folder marked CONTROLLED UNCLASSIFIED INFORMATION.
Reyes pointed at him.
“Move the food.”
He moved the food six inches.
“That does not count.”
He sighed and stood.
For fifteen minutes, we ate.
Nobody discussed Vale.
Nobody discussed Chase.
Priya complained that her hotel had given her a room beside the ice machine.
Haskell claimed he could sleep through anything after eighteen years around flight lines.
Reyes said that explained several meetings.
I ate half the sandwich before realizing I was hungry.
Then an ensign entered.
“Commander Maddox?”
I looked up.
“There’s a Detective Bell on the line for you.”
Every ordinary sound in the room seemed to pull away.
Reyes nodded toward the side office.
“Take it there.”
Bell’s voice was brisk.
“Commander.”
“Detective.”
“I spoke with your husband.”
“Okay.”
“He provided an original photograph and allowed us to document the relevant message thread on his device.”
I waited.
“He also provided the screenshot Chase sent him.”
“What did you find?”
“We found inconsistencies.”
That was the safest possible phrase.
“Which ones?”
“The time format in the screenshot does not match the device settings on Mr. Chase Maddox’s phone as documented this morning.”
My breathing slowed.
“What else?”
“The contact image in the screenshot appears to have been pulled from an older source.”
“That proves access, not fabrication.”
“Correct.”
I liked him more for saying it.
Bell continued.
“We also compared the message bubble formatting.”
“And?”
“It does not match the version of the messaging app installed on his phone.”
I closed my eyes.
“So it’s fake.”
“I did not say that.”
“What did you say?”
“I said we have inconsistencies.”
I exhaled.
“Right.”
“More importantly, we asked Mr. Maddox to provide the original message thread.”
“And?”
“He said he deleted it.”
Of course.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“Before or after the screenshot?”
“He says after.”
“Can it be recovered?”
“We’re evaluating.”
Bell paused.
“Commander, there’s another issue.”
I sat down.
“Go ahead.”
“Your husband admitted striking his brother.”
“I know.”
“Mr. Chase Maddox has visible injury consistent with that statement.”
“Understood.”
“The assault complaint against your husband is likely moving forward.”
That hurt in a different place.
Not surprise.
Consequence.
Evan had made a choice.
Now it existed outside him.
“Has he been arrested?”
“No.”
“Will he be?”
“I can’t predict that.”
“All right.”
Bell lowered his voice slightly.
“As for the dinner incident, Mr. Chase Maddox changed parts of his account.”
I frowned.
“How?”
“He initially said you attacked without provocation.”
“Yes.”
“He now acknowledges he grabbed your wrist first.”
I leaned forward.
“Why did he change it?”
“Witness statements.”
“Who spoke to you?”
“Several people from the dinner.”
I closed my eyes.
Graham.
Diane.
Miles.
Probably Rita, with enthusiasm.
Bell continued.
“Accounts differ on tone and sequence, but they’re consistent on the physical contact beginning with him.”
“Okay.”
“Do you want to make a complaint?”
That question sat heavier than I expected.
“Against Chase?”
“Yes.”
“For grabbing me?”
“Yes.”
I stared at the small scratches on the desk in front of me.
I had spent all morning wanting people to stop treating me like an object in Chase’s story.
Now the decision belonged to me.
“What happens if I say no?”
“Nothing automatically disappears.”
“But?”
“But your preference matters.”
I thought about Graham saying Chase was scared.
I thought about the fake message.
I thought about the coffee cup hitting my chest.
“Can I decide later?”
“Yes.”
“How much later?”
“Soon.”
“Tonight?”
“That’s fine.”
“Then tonight.”
“Understood.”
He paused.
“One more thing.”
My shoulders tightened.
“Go ahead.”
“Mr. Chase Maddox’s attorney contacted us.”
“He has an attorney already?”
“Yes.”
“That was fast.”
“It usually is when families have resources.”
I hated how unsurprising that sounded.
“What did the attorney say?”
“He requested that all communication go through counsel.”
May you like
“Fine.”
“And he stated that Mr. Maddox intends to withdraw the claim that you personally sent the threatening message.”
