Chapter 5 - The Letter My Wife Wrote Before They Came for HerI read Rosalie's letter in a private hospital office with Special Agent Mercer sitting across from me.
A forensic technician had documented the envelope before arranging for a scanned copy to be provided.
The original remained preserved as evidence.
The letter began with an apology.
My love,
If you're reading this, something has happened that I couldn't prevent.
I know how much you hate secrets between us. I hate them, too. But I couldn't tell you what I was doing while you were overseas.
Not because I didn't trust you.
Because I knew you'd come home before your mission was finished, and I couldn't bear the thought of another soldier dying because I became afraid.
I had to stop reading.
For seven months, I'd worried about enemy attacks, mechanical failures, and whether I would ever see her again.
Rosalie had been living with dangers I hadn't even known existed.
I continued.
Three months ago, Hannah sent me a spreadsheet showing unexplained inventory transfers at Miller Aerospace.
She thought the records proved somebody was stealing company property.
But when I checked the serial numbers, I found something much worse.
Components that had failed mandatory inspections were being relabeled as approved and shipped to military maintenance facilities.
Some of those components ended up overseas.
I looked at Mercer.
“That's the failed aircraft.”
He nodded slowly.
“Keep reading.”
I initially believed Amanda was hiding financial losses. Then I discovered Charlotte had approved revised certification language, Jessica had signed off on testing records, and Natalie had altered procurement entries.
Melissa managed the public statements whenever somebody questioned the company.
I don't know how much Mother knows.
I want to believe she doesn't know everything.
There was a long space before the next paragraph.
I was wrong about that.
My hand tightened around the paper.
Last Thursday, Mother called me to the family estate. She said she wanted to reconcile.
Instead, she showed me photographs of you overseas.
She knew where you were stationed. She knew the name of your unit. She even knew about the aircraft investigation.
She told me that if I refused to cooperate, information about your mission could be released to people who wanted American service members dead.
I stopped.
A cold sensation spread through my chest.
Mercer leaned forward.
“Alexander?”
I handed him the page.
He read the paragraph twice.
“Did Catherine have authorized access to your deployment details?”
“Not that I know of.”
“Then we need to establish how she obtained them.”
I remembered Peter Voss.
His supposed death.
His position on the aircraft review board.
His access to military maintenance information.
Suddenly the photograph from Savannah looked very different.
I continued reading.
Peter Voss contacted me two weeks later.
He claimed he'd been working secretly to uncover the same fraud.
He gave me information that matched several records I already possessed.
He also said he knew you.
I wanted to believe him.
But yesterday, I discovered that one of the files he gave me contained altered serial numbers.
I think he was trying to find out how much I knew.
The final page was shorter.
Alexander, I have arranged for copies of the evidence to be held outside the company.
If anything happens to me, don't trust the people who claim this is just a family disagreement.
And please remember one thing.
I never wanted revenge against my mother.
I wanted the truth to come out before another family received a folded flag.
I love you.
Rosalie.
I placed the letter on the table.
For several moments, neither Mercer nor I spoke.
Then he said something quietly.
“Your wife may have uncovered a federal procurement conspiracy.”
I shook my head.
“She uncovered it because she couldn't stand the thought of somebody else losing their husband.”
Mercer nodded.
“That's what makes her testimony important.”
I looked at him.
“Can you protect her?”
“We're coordinating with the FBI and hospital administration. We'll pursue every lawful protection available.”
“That's not what I asked.”
He met my eyes.
“I can promise you we'll take the threat seriously. I can't promise there's no risk.”
It was the only answer an honest investigator could give.
And I respected him for it.
A moment later, Mercer's phone rang.
He listened without speaking.
Then his expression changed.
“Understood. Secure the recording. Don't circulate it outside the case team.”
He ended the call.
“What happened?” I asked.
“The federal team located a vehicle camera recording near your house.”
“From the night Rosalie was attacked?”
“Yes.”
I leaned forward.
“What does it show?”
“Three people entering your property through the rear gate.”
“Can they be identified?”
“One appears to be Peter Voss. The others are wearing dark clothing. We're enhancing the original footage for review, but we won't rely on guesses.”
“Was Catherine there?”
“We haven't established that.”
I looked toward the letter.
Rosalie had feared her mother.
But she had still wanted to believe there was something good left in her.
I wondered whether Catherine had ever deserved that faith.
Mercer received another message.
He read it, then stood.
“We need to go.”
“Where?”
“An interview room downstairs.”
“Why?”
“Hannah just requested federal protection.”
I rose.
“What did she tell them?”
Mercer hesitated.
“Something about the meeting at the family estate.”
I moved toward the door.
He stopped me.
“Alexander, I need you to hear this before we go.”
“What?”
“The surveillance team just identified the person who gave Peter Voss access to Rosalie's medical information.”
I stared at him.
Mercer lowered his voice.
“It wasn't Catherine.”
May you like
He paused.
“It was Dr. Samuel Higgins.”
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