Chapter 14 - THE MAN IN THE ROOM
The MPs reached the barracks before Maya did.
Her door was open.
Tessa stood at the far end of the hallway with two soldiers.
“I saw him go in,” she said. “Then I saw the MPs coming, and he ran out the rear stairwell.”
“Who?” Maya asked.
Tessa shook her head. “Hood up. Couldn’t see his face.”
Inside, Maya’s room had been turned upside down.
Mattress lifted.
Desk drawers emptied.
Clothes dumped across the floor.
Her laptop was still there.
Again, nothing expensive was missing.
Then Maya saw the open shoebox under the bed.
The letter from Eli Ruiz was gone.
It was her only handwritten copy.
An MP asked, “What was taken?”
“Evidence.”
Maya’s phone rang.
Eli Ruiz.
She answered immediately.
“Maya?”
“Eli, are you okay?”
“I was about to ask you that.”
She stepped into the hallway.
“Did you send anyone a copy of your old statement?”
“No. But I kept my original.”
“Where?”
“With my lawyer.”
Maya closed her eyes.
For the first time that day, she breathed.
Eli continued. “Someone called me last week asking whether I still blamed Rourke.”
“Who?”
“He said he was reviewing the case for the Army.”
“Name?”
“Major Stephen Vance.”
Maya looked at Captain Cole.
His face went still.
“What?” she asked.
Cole said, “Vance signed the order reinstating your evaluation after I canceled it.”
The same officer who had protected Rourke had contacted Eli before the investigation reopened.
Park arrived minutes later.
When Maya gave her the name, Park didn’t look surprised.
That scared Maya more than surprise would have.
“You know him,” Maya said.
Park answered carefully.
“We’ve seen his name.”
“Where?”
“In Rourke’s email.”
Maya’s pulse quickened.
Park looked toward the MPs inside Maya’s room.
“Major Vance approved your transfer to this battalion.”
Maya finally understood.
May you like
She had not been unlucky enough to land under Rourke.
Someone had placed her there.
