Chapter 4: The Woman in the Garage
The military police vehicle disappeared through the outer gate before anyone could stop it.
I stood in the conference room with my sister beside me, staring at the empty doorway.
“Where did they go?”” I asked.
The young officer checked his radio.
“North side of the installation. We lost visual contact near the maintenance road.””
General Hayes immediately reached for his phone.
“Lock down the gates.””
The officer hesitated.
“Sir, Colonel Turner has already cleared the installation.””
“Then find him.””
“Yes, sir.””
The officer turned to leave.
“Wait.””
He stopped.
“Who was the former investigator?””
“Major Daniel Brooks.””
I froze.
I knew that name.
Six years earlier, Daniel Brooks had been the lead investigator assigned to my case.
He had interviewed me for nearly four hours.
He had asked the same questions over and over.
Where had I been?
Who had access to my credentials?
Why would I sign the authorization?
Did I have financial problems?
Was I angry with Jason?
At the time, I had hated him.
Now I wondered whether I had misunderstood him.
“Where does Brooks live?”” I asked.
General Hayes looked at me.
“We don't know.””
“Then how did Jason find him?””
“We're trying to determine that.””
Madison suddenly grabbed my sleeve.
“Rachel.””
I looked at her.
“I know where they went.””
Everyone turned toward her.
Madison swallowed.
“There was an old storage facility Jason used.””
“Where?””
“Off post. About twenty minutes north.””
“What kind of storage facility?””
“I don't know exactly.””
“You've been there?””
“Once.””
“When?””
“Years ago.””
I stared at her.
“Why?””
She looked away.
“Jason told me to go there.””
“For what?””
She didn't answer.
“Madison.””
“I picked up a box.””
“What was inside?””
“Files.””
My stomach tightened.
“What files?””
“I don't know.””
“You never opened it?””
“No.””
I watched her face.
She was telling the truth.
At least this time.
General Hayes stepped closer.
“Commander, we need to know the location.””
Madison gave him the address.
He immediately relayed it to the military police.
Then he looked at me.
“You stay here.””
“No.””
“That's an order.””
“With respect, sir, this concerns my case.””
“And that's exactly why you should stay out of it.””
I shook my head.
“You don't understand.””
“I understand perfectly.””
“No.””
I picked up my briefcase.
“Jason knows I have the original document. He knows Madison is talking. He knows Brooks has something.””
I looked at the general.
“He's not trying to escape.””
Hayes's expression changed.
“What do you think he's doing?””
“Cleaning up.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Madison whispered, “She's right.””
General Hayes looked at her.
Madison's eyes filled with tears.
“That's what he always did.””
The room became still.
“What do you mean?”” I asked.
She rubbed her palms together.
“When something went wrong, Jason never panicked.””
“He planned.””
“Yes.””
“What happened next?””
“He made people disappear.””
My blood ran cold.
“Disappear how?””
“Transfers. Resignations. Sudden medical retirements.””
She looked at me.
“Anyone who knew too much stopped being around.””
General Hayes immediately reached for his phone.
“Commander Turner is coming with us.””
The legal advisor started to object.
“General—”
“She's the commanding officer now.””
He looked directly at me.
“And this is no longer just an old personnel dispute.””
We left through the rear entrance.
The Colorado evening had begun cooling, but the air still carried the dry heat of the afternoon.
A military vehicle waited outside.
I climbed in.
Madison followed.
She sat across from me, gripping the edge of the seat.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then she whispered, “I'm sorry.””
I looked at her.
“For what?””
“Everything.””
I stared through the window.
“You're going to have to be more specific.””
She swallowed.
“I knew Jason was lying.””
I turned.
“What?””
“I didn't know all of it.””
“But you knew he lied.””
“Yes.””
“When?””
She looked down.
“After the investigation.””
“Six years ago?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't you tell me?””
“Because by then, it was too late.””
“No.””
My voice was quiet.
“It was never too late.””
She began crying.
“You don't understand what he had on me.””
“Then tell me.””
She hesitated.
“He recorded me taking money from the contractor.””
“You said that.””
“I didn't know what the money was for.””
“What was it?””
“Tuition.””
I frowned.
“For whom?””
“My son.””
I stared at her.
“Madison, you don't have a son.””
Her face crumpled.
“Not mine.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“Jason had a child before we got married.””
I felt the vehicle suddenly become very small.
“Where is he?””
“I don't know.””
“His name?””
“Ethan.””
I stared at her.
“What happened to him?””
Madison shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Then why were you paying his tuition?””
“Because Jason told me he was in trouble.””
“What kind of trouble?””
“He said Ethan had gotten involved with drugs.””
I closed my eyes.
There were too many pieces.
Too many secrets.
And every time I thought I understood Jason, another door opened beneath my feet.
The vehicle slowed.
Ahead, a chain-link fence appeared through the trees.
A weathered sign hung crookedly over the entrance.
*PINE RIDGE STORAGE*
General Hayes raised his hand.
The driver stopped.
Military police vehicles surrounded the property.
An officer approached.
“Sir.””
“What do we have?””
“Gate was open.””
“Any sign of Turner?””
“Negative.””
Hayes looked at me.
“Stay behind me.””
We entered.
Rows of storage units stretched into the distance.
The late sunlight cast long shadows between them.
Madison suddenly stopped.
“Unit 214.””
I followed her gaze.
A padlock hung from the door.
Broken.
General Hayes signaled the officers.
They moved forward.
One opened the unit.
The smell hit me first.
Dust.
Old paper.
Metal.
A single fluorescent bulb flickered overhead.
Boxes covered the floor.
Some were labeled with dates.
Others with names.
I stepped inside.
Then I saw mine.
*RACHEL TURNER — 2019*
My breath caught.
I knelt.
The box was open.
Empty.
“They took it,” Madison whispered.
“No.””
I touched the bottom of the box.
There was a folded piece of paper underneath.
I pulled it out.
A handwritten message.
*You were never supposed to find this.*
I looked at General Hayes.
“Sir.””
He took the note.
His expression darkened.
“Search everything.””
The officers opened boxes.
One contained photographs.
Another contained financial records.
Another contained printed emails.
Then someone shouted from the back.
“General!””
We turned.
An officer held up a small black recorder.
“This was hidden inside the wall.””
Madison covered her mouth.
I stepped closer.
“Play it.””
The officer looked at Hayes.
He nodded.
A click.
Static.
Then Jason's voice.
Clear.
Calm.
Six years younger.
“If Rachel takes the blame, nobody looks at the transfer.””
My entire body went cold.
Another voice answered.
A woman's voice.
“You promised nobody would get hurt.””
Jason laughed quietly.
“Rachel will survive.””
I looked at Madison.
She was crying silently.
The recording continued.
“She'll lose her clearance.””
“So?””
“She'll lose her career.””
“That isn't my problem.””
Then the woman asked the question that changed everything.
“What about your wife?””
Silence.
Jason answered.
“Madison will do what I tell her.””
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
Then my sister whispered,
“I told you.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
“He always said you were expendable.””
A sound came from outside.
An engine.
Everyone turned.
A vehicle accelerated away from the storage facility.
“Stop that car!””
Military police ran toward the entrance.
But it was already gone.
General Hayes grabbed his radio.
“Get a plate.””
An officer shouted back.
“Sir, we have a partial.””
I stepped outside.
“Which vehicle?””
The officer looked at me.
“Black SUV.””
My stomach tightened.
Jason's vehicle.
Then the radio crackled.
“General, we've got another problem.””
“What?””
“Major Brooks has been found.””
Hayes went still.
“Where?””
“Two miles from here.””
“Condition?””
A pause.
“Alive.””
I exhaled.
Then the officer continued.
“But he's asking for Commander Turner.””
May you like
I looked at the road where Jason had disappeared.
“Take me to him.””
