Chapter 4 - The Colonel Who Wanted Me Gone“Who sent that message?”
I leaned toward Thomas's phone.
“Colonel Martin Hale,” he answered.
“The man who invited me here?”
“Yes.”
“Then I'd say we have a misunderstanding worth clearing up.”
Thomas didn't smile.
“Quinn, that message was sent through our internal command system. Hale may not realize I'm sitting with you.”
“Then surprise him.”
Thomas looked at me for a moment.
“You really haven't changed, have you?”
“I've lost two inches in height and half my hearing. Otherwise, not much.”
Despite himself, he laughed.
Then he stood.
“I'd like you to accompany me to my office. We'll arrange a proper interview and make sure you have whatever you need.”
I looked at my half-finished lunch.
“Can I take my chili?”
“Of course.”
“Good. I'm too old to waste a perfectly decent meal.”
Twenty minutes later, I was sitting in a quiet conference room at the headquarters building.
A uniformed aide brought me coffee.
Thomas had arranged for a staff judge advocate and an inspector general representative to attend our meeting.
I appreciated that.
At my age, I had no desire to play amateur detective with military records.
If something improper had happened, I wanted people trained to establish facts and protect evidence.
The conference room door opened.
A tall man in his early fifties entered.
He had carefully combed gray hair, a sharp jaw, and the polished expression of someone accustomed to being obeyed.
“General Whitfield.”
He nodded respectfully.
Then his gaze fell on me.
For a fraction of a second, his face stiffened.
“Mrs. Braddock.”
I raised my eyebrows.
“You know me?”
“Of course. You're a distinguished veteran.”
“Strange. Your letter invited me here, yet you told the general you couldn't find me.”
Hale's smile remained in place.
“There must have been a clerical misunderstanding.”
“Of course.”
Thomas gestured toward a chair.
“Colonel, sit down.”
Hale complied.
The general placed the printed message on the table.
“Explain this.”
Hale glanced at it.
His expression changed.
“Sir, I can explain.”
“Then please do.”
“We have sensitive historical materials under review. Some are incomplete. Some contain allegations that have not been substantiated.”
“And that justifies preventing Captain Braddock from seeing them?”
“I was concerned about exposing her to inaccurate information.”
I folded my hands.
“Colonel, I've been exposed to inaccurate information about that night for fifty-six years.”
His eyes moved toward me.
“Ma'am, I mean no disrespect.”
“Then we're off to a promising start.”
Thomas leaned forward.
“Who gave Sergeant Reese instructions to approach Mrs. Braddock?”
Hale hesitated.
“I wasn't aware of any confrontation until after it happened.”
“That's not what I asked.”
A long silence followed.
Finally, Hale sighed.
“Sergeant Reese is assigned to assist with the unit's historical security inventory. A civilian visitor wearing a restricted-looking unit insignia was reported to him.”
“Reported by whom?”
“One of my administrative staff members.”
“Name?”
Hale looked uncomfortable.
“Captain Lewis.”
The inspector general representative wrote something down.
Thomas continued.
“Was Reese instructed to question her?”
“He was told to verify that there was no unauthorized access.”
“And to threaten an eighty-one-year-old woman?”
“Absolutely not.”
For the first time, Hale sounded genuinely offended.
I believed him on that point.
Whatever else he had done, I doubted he had ordered Reese to behave like a bully.
But he had still set the encounter in motion.
“Colonel,” I asked, “why are you afraid of the original file?”
He looked at me carefully.
“I'm not afraid of it.”
“Then let us examine it.”
“The records are undergoing verification.”
“How long does verification take?”
“That depends.”
“Fifty-six years seems a generous allowance.”
Thomas coughed to hide a smile.
Hale didn't appreciate the joke.
“Mrs. Braddock, historical investigations are more complicated than you may realize.”
I leaned forward.
“Colonel, I once spent six hours holding pressure against an abdominal wound while mortars landed outside our station. I am capable of understanding complicated situations.”
The room went still.
Hale looked away.
Finally, Thomas spoke.
“Colonel, I want all records associated with Forward Medical Station Seven preserved immediately. No destruction, alterations, transfers, or unauthorized access. The inspector general will coordinate with the relevant records custodians and investigators.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And I want to know why Captain Braddock's invitation was issued without my knowledge.”
Hale nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
The general dismissed him.
But as Hale reached the door, I called after him.
“Colonel?”
He turned.
“Yes, ma'am?”
“Did you know Major Robert Mercer?”
Hale's hand tightened on the door handle.
“Only by reputation.”
“Interesting.”
“Why?”
“Because you look very much like him.”
For the first time, the polished expression disappeared.
He stared at me.
May you like
Then he said something so quietly I almost missed it.
“Robert Mercer was my grandfather.”
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