Chapter 2 - What Wesley Had Taken
Wesley did not answer in front of everyone.
Arthur ordered the extended relatives into the ballroom while the immediate family remained in the sunroom.
Margaret refused to leave the center of the room.
She stood beside the table with one hand resting near the velvet box.
General Carter asked again.
“How did Pembroke Defense Technologies obtain Colonel Ellis’s restricted career summary?”
Wesley rubbed both hands across his face.
“My mother asked me to retrieve her résumé.”
“My résumé does not contain mission history.”
“I know.”
“What else did you take?”
He looked toward June.
I shifted my daughter slightly higher against my chest.
“Do not look at the baby.”
“Look at me.”
Wesley’s eyes returned to mine.
“Your secure employment verification form.”
The air left my lungs.
That form was stored inside a locked cabinet in our home office.
It contained clearance verification, assignment codes, and contact information for security personnel.
“Why?”
“Dad’s company was bidding on a federal support contract.”
“Mother said listing you as an adviser would improve the application.”
“I told her you would never agree.”
“She said it was only preliminary.”
General Carter’s expression hardened.
“You provided protected personnel information to a private company without the officer’s knowledge.”
Wesley swallowed.
“I did not understand what was included.”
“That is not a defense.”
Margaret stepped between them.
“My son was helping his wife’s family.”
“My family?”
I looked around the sunroom.
Gold-framed portraits covered the walls.
Every face belonged to a Pembroke.
“My name is not on your company.”
“My work is not yours to borrow.”
Margaret pointed at me.
“You married into this family.”
“That created responsibilities.”
My father glanced toward the black collar.
“You keep using the word responsibility when you mean ownership.”
Arthur picked up the contractor application.
His hands began to shake.
“I never approved this version.”
Margaret looked at him.
“You approved the bid.”
“I approved a civilian advisory panel.”
“Not an active-duty officer.”
General Carter turned toward Arthur.
“Your company submitted Colonel Ellis’s name as evidence of direct access to military decision-makers.”
“That could constitute procurement fraud.”
Arthur sat down heavily.
Pembroke Defense Technologies manufactured communications equipment and transportation systems.
The federal contract was worth nearly eight hundred million dollars.
The application implied I would influence procurement decisions.
If investigators believed I participated, my career could end before I had a chance to explain.
Rebecca placed another page on the table.
“The application also states that Nora’s father, Colonel Thomas Ellis, provided operational consultation.”
My father read the line.
“I have never consulted for this company.”
Arthur looked toward Margaret.
“You used both of them.”
Margaret remained composed.
“I used public biographies.”
“The information was not public,” General Carter said.
A civilian investigator introduced himself as Special Agent Marcus Hill from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
“We have already preserved the submitted application.”
“We also recovered an internal email instructing staff to describe Colonel Ellis as a silent family partner.”
Hill placed the email on the table.
The sender was Margaret.
The recipient was Wesley.
NORA WILL NEVER PUBLICLY CONTRADICT US.
SHE VALUES HER CAREER TOO MUCH.
I looked at my husband.
“You knew she intended to use my silence.”
Wesley shook his head.
“I thought she meant you would eventually agree.”
“Did you ask me?”
“No.”
“Then you did not think I would agree.”
“You thought I could be cornered.”
Margaret lifted her chin.
“You are being dramatic.”
June stirred against my chest.
The tiny gold bell on the collar moved when Margaret’s sleeve touched the box.
Its cheerful jingle crossed the room.
My father looked at it.
Then at her.
“You publicly placed that collar beside an infant because you believed humiliation would remind Nora not to challenge you.”
Margaret smiled.
“That is an absurd interpretation.”
May you like
Special Agent Hill opened another folder.
“Then perhaps you can explain why the collar contains a tracking device.”
