Chapter 18 - THE NIGHT GWEN TRIED TO LEAVE
Luis had the video.
He had never shown it to me because Gwen had made him promise.
Now Gwen sat beside me as he opened the file.
Eight months earlier.
2:13 a.m.
Gwen came out the side door carrying a small suitcase.
She wore a scarf instead of the beanie. She could barely lift the bag.
Luis's wife, Elena, waited near the curb with her car running.
Then Margaret stepped outside.
Paige followed.
Margaret stood in front of Gwen.
The camera had no audio, but the body language was clear.
Gwen tried to walk around her.
Paige took the suitcase.
Margaret held up a phone.
Gwen froze.
"What was on the phone?" I asked.
Gwen's face went gray.
"A video of you."
"Me?"
"Voss sent them footage from your deployment. You were walking near a damaged vehicle after an attack. They told me it was proof you were under investigation for civilian deaths."
My mouth opened.
"That operation was cleared. Everyone knew that."
"I didn't. They said if I left or went to police, they'd release an edited version and destroy your career."
I watched video-Gwen lower her suitcase.
Margaret took her by the arm and led her back inside.
My wife had stayed in that house because she thought she was protecting me.
All those months I had thought I was protecting her by staying deployed and sending money.
We had both been sacrificing for a lie built between us.
I turned off the screen.
"I'm sorry," I said.
Gwen shook her head. "Don't apologize for what they did."
"I should have seen something."
"From six thousand miles away?"
"I should have called differently. Checked differently."
She touched my face.
"Then do something different now."
"What?"
"Stay."
I covered her hand with mine.
My phone buzzed.
Claire.
The message was short.
COURT TOMORROW. MARGARET IS CHALLENGING THE FREEZE. SHE SAYS THE MONEY WAS ALL GIFTS.
Gwen read it over my shoulder.
May you like
For the first time, she smiled without fear.
"Good," she said. "Let her say it in front of a judge."
