emotion. She helped David gather the broken piece

nning away? Good.

delicately in

spare them an

he air fel

e small burn on his hand, the destroyed mo

"he really meant it, didn't he? About

oney, h

her desperate attempts to reason with Mark, to appeal to

epression, the light in his eyes ex

nsumed by grief and injustice. The local paper had barely mentioned it, a foot

Not

o a weapon. She knew their playbook.

she said, her voice fier

ff-base apartment, Sar

rd letter, addressed to David Miller, detailing the ROTC scholarship. She' d made sur

e you do

General Thompson.

en listen to us? Dad... Sergeant Je

aid grimly. "General Thompson has a rep

aced Master Sergeant, an aide to th

an," the aide said, his tone dismi

ns Sergeant Mark Jenkins and the t

ed. "Ah, Sergeant Jenkin

is wife. This is

Sarah saw the subtle shift. He' d heard t

hout an appointment. Perhaps you could sp

ompson. My husband is committing fraud. He is emotionally abusing his son. He has diverted a l

d up th

nd her child. Look at my son, Master Sergeant. Look at the burn on

ard. The small, red mark was

e sight of the quiet, obviously distressed boy, and th

d, his tone a fract

ed into an i

etched into

ned. "General Thompson

, his eyes sharp and assessing. He listened without interruption as Sa

tter in David' s name. She recounted Mark' s affair with Brenda Lewis, his redirection of the scholar

k, his dreams, and the devast

documents, then looked at Dav

his voice even. "And Mrs. Lewis is, as you know, the widow of

or favors. I am asking for justice. I want a divorce from Sergeant Jenkins. And I want

as silent for

y said. "The Inspector General's office will hand

eive all due financial support from Sergeant Jenkins, as hi

hope ignited i

rything. But