Chapter 4: The Question My Father Couldn't Answer
My father was standing beside the command building when I saw him.
He had somehow gotten there before us.
For a few seconds, neither of us moved.
The morning sun had already burned away the coolness from the air, and soldiers crossed the concrete in every direction, carrying folders, radios, coffee cups. Somewhere behind the building, an engine roared to life.
My father stood completely still.
He looked at me.
Then at Commander Grant.
Then at Madison.
His eyes stopped on the photograph in my hand.
That was when I knew.
He recognized it.
I walked toward him.
“Dad.””
He swallowed.
“Rachel.””
“Why were you meeting Daniel Price six years ago?””
His face tightened.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
I held up the photograph.
“Then tell me why you're in this picture.””
He stared at it.
Madison stepped beside me.
“Dad?””
He didn't answer her.
I watched his expression change.
Not surprise.
Not confusion.
Calculation.
It lasted less than a second.
But after six years of being called emotional, unstable, and paranoid, I'd learned to trust the smallest details.
“You knew Daniel,” I said.
My father looked around.
“Not here.””
“Why?””
“Because this is a military installation.””
“That didn't stop you six years ago.””
His eyes hardened.
“Lower your voice.””
“No.””
A soldier passing nearby glanced toward us.
My father stepped closer.
“Rachel, you don't understand what you're getting involved in.””
I almost laughed.
“I already lost my career because of what I got involved in.””
“You didn't lose your career.””
I stared at him.
“You told me I had to accept responsibility.””
“You made mistakes.””
“I didn't sign that document.””
“You were investigated.””
“I was framed.””
His jaw tightened.
“Enough.””
Madison suddenly spoke.
“Dad, did you pay Daniel Price?””
He turned toward her.
“Where did you hear that?””
She went pale.
“You didn't say no.””
My father looked at her as if she had betrayed him.
Then he looked back at me.
“You have no idea what happened.””
“Then tell me.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because people died.””
Silence.
Even the traffic noise seemed to disappear.
Madison whispered, “What?””
My father's face changed.
He looked older.
For the first time in my life, I saw fear in his eyes.
“Dad,” I said quietly, “who died?””
He didn't answer.
Commander Grant stepped forward.
“Mr. Morgan, I strongly recommend you come inside.””
My father shook his head.
“No.””
“Then we're going to have this conversation here.””
Grant's voice was calm.
“But understand that from this point forward, anything you say may become part of a formal investigation.””
My father looked at him.
“You don't know what you're doing.””
Grant didn't blink.
“I know exactly what I'm doing.””
My father turned away.
“I'm leaving.””
I grabbed his arm.
He stopped.
“You don't get to leave.””
He looked down at my hand.
Then back at me.
“You think I'm the villain.””
“I don't know what you are.””
His eyes flickered.
“But I know you're lying.””
He pulled his arm free.
“You always were too much like your mother.””
I froze.
He walked away.
Madison remained beside me.
“What does that mean?””
I didn't answer.
Because my mother had been the quiet one.
The peacemaker.
The person who always told me to let things go.
The person who cried when my career collapsed.
The person who had begged me not to "destroy the family.""
I had never once considered that she might know why.
Grant touched my shoulder.
“Captain.””
I looked at him.
“Your father isn't the only person we need to question.””
“Who?””
He nodded toward the building.
“Jason.””
My stomach tightened.
We entered through a side entrance.
Inside, the air conditioning was almost painfully cold.
An investigator led us down a corridor.
At the end was a conference room.
Jason was already there.
He sat at the table with his lawyer.
His uniform was immaculate.
His expression wasn't.
He looked exhausted.
His lawyer stood.
“Captain Morgan.””
“Counselor.””
Jason's eyes remained fixed on me.
“Rachel.””
I pulled out the chair across from him.
“Jason.””
His lawyer placed both hands on the table.
“This meeting is preliminary.””
Grant sat down.
“No. It's an investigative interview.””
Jason looked at him.
“Understood.””
I opened my briefcase.
Jason immediately stiffened.
I placed the original authorization on the table.
His lawyer leaned forward.
Jason didn't.
“You recognize it,” I said.
He stared at the paper.
“Yes.””
“Your name isn't on it.””
“No.””
“Mine is.””
“Yes.””
“And you told everyone I signed it.””
Jason's lawyer interrupted.
“My client did not personally accuse Captain Morgan.””
I looked at him.
“He told my sister.””
Jason said nothing.
“He told my parents.””
Still nothing.
“He told investigators.””
Jason finally spoke.
“I gave them information.””
“False information.””
“I believed it was true.””
I smiled.
“You're a terrible liar.””
His lawyer warned, “Captain.””
Jason leaned forward.
“You want the truth?””
“Yes.””
“Then stop pretending you know everything.””
“I know enough.””
“No, you don't.””
His eyes were different now.
No charm.
No polished smile.
Just anger.
“You think I wanted this?””
“You forged my signature.””
“I was ordered to.””
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
“By whom?””
Jason looked at his lawyer.
The lawyer closed his eyes briefly.
“Jason.””
But Jason was already speaking.
“Your father.””
Madison made a sound behind me.
“No.””
Jason looked at her.
“He came to me before the document was created.””
My hands went cold.
“Why?””
“Because Daniel Price was investigating the procurement account.””
“And?””
“Your father needed someone to take the blame if the audit happened.””
I could barely breathe.
“You.””
Jason nodded.
“I was supposed to create a paper trail showing the authorization came from you.””
“Why me?””
“Because you were the one person your father knew he could convince everyone to distrust.””
Madison stood abruptly.
“My father wouldn't do that.””
Jason looked at her.
“He already did.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“He told you I was obsessed with you, didn't he?””
Madison said nothing.
“He told your mother Rachel was unstable.””
Silence.
“He told your father that Rachel had made a mistake.””
Madison's eyes filled.
Jason leaned back.
“Your family did the rest.””
I stared at him.
“Then why did you marry Madison?””
His face changed.
“Because I was told to.””
Madison whispered, “What?””
Jason looked at her.
“I didn't start this because of you.””
She backed away.
“You said you loved me.””
“I did.””
“Then why?””
“Because I was trapped.””
Madison's voice broke.
“By my father?””
Jason nodded.
“And by someone else.””
“Who?””
Jason looked at the ceiling.
His lawyer stood.
“We're done.””
Grant stopped him.
“Sit down.””
The lawyer glared.
“My client is terminating the interview.””
Jason suddenly laughed.
It wasn't amused.
It was exhausted.
“You want to know who?””
I stared at him.
“Yes.””
He looked directly at me.
“General Whitmore.””
My heart dropped.
Jason continued.
“Your father didn't work for him.””
He paused.
“He worked with him.””
Grant's expression hardened.
“And Daniel Price?””
Jason looked toward the door.
“Daniel found out.””
“What happened to him?”” I asked.
Jason's mouth tightened.
“He tried to expose them.””
“And?””
“He disappeared.””
“He died.””
Jason didn't respond.
That was answer enough.
Madison covered her mouth.
I leaned forward.
“Who killed him?””
Jason looked at me.
“I don't know.””
“You expect me to believe that?””
“No.””
He reached into his jacket.
His lawyer immediately said, “Jason, don't.””
Jason ignored him.
He placed a small key on the table.
“Storage unit.””
I stared at it.
“What's inside?””
“Everything I kept because I knew one day they'd come for me too.””
“Where?””
“Denver.””
“Address?””
Jason looked at the clock.
Then at Grant.
“They're already looking for it.””
My phone buzzed.
One message.
Unknown number.
*Don't let Jason leave the building alive.*
I looked up.
Jason was watching my face.
“You got one too, didn't you?””
I whispered, “Yes.””
May you like
His eyes closed.
“Then we're out of time.””
