Chapter 5: Reed's Secret
"Sarah.""
Reed said my name softly.
I stepped away from him.
"Don't.""
Captain Brooks immediately moved between us.
"Sergeant Reed, sit down.""
"Captain, I can explain.""
"Sit.""
Reed obeyed.
Major Keller almost smiled.
That made me hate him more.
Nolan enlarged the payment record.
M.R.
Six transactions.
Nearly forty thousand dollars.
My stomach twisted.
Reed had defended me in the chow hall.
He'd followed me to my apartment.
He'd stood beside me while we uncovered forged documents.
Had all of that been an act?
Brooks looked at him.
"Is Marcus Reed your full legal name?""
"Yes.""
"Have you received payments from Hale Strategic Logistics?""
"No.""
"Any subcontractor connected to them?""
"No.""
"Then explain your initials.""
"I can't.""
Keller leaned back.
"Seems fairly clear.""
Brooks turned on him.
"Nobody asked you.""
His smile disappeared.
Reed looked at me.
"You know me.""
I wanted to believe him.
That was the problem.
"I thought I did.""
His face tightened.
Nolan examined the spreadsheet.
"Captain, there's an account number attached.""
"Trace it.""
Keller stood again.
"I've answered your questions.""
Brooks looked at the MP near the door.
"Major Keller remains here.""
"You cannot detain me based on contractor bookkeeping.""
"Then consider this a request from base security while we clarify evidence involving missing government property.""
Keller stared at her.
Then sat.
Ten minutes later, Nolan returned.
He looked confused.
"The account isn't Reed's.""
I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
Brooks asked, "Whose is it?""
"Marcus Raymond.""
Reed blinked.
"Who?""
"Former civilian warehouse supervisor.""
Nolan rotated the laptop.
"Raymond worked here until five months ago.""
Keller's fingers tightened around the chair arm.
Tiny movement.
But I saw it.
Brooks did too.
"What happened five months ago?""
Nolan continued reading.
"He died.""
The room went quiet.
"How?"" I asked.
"Vehicle accident.""
Reed leaned forward.
"Then why are payments being made under his initials now?""
Nolan scrolled through the dates.
Three transactions occurred after Raymond's death.
Brooks looked at Keller.
He stared at the wall.
"Major?""
"I don't know anything about Raymond's finances.""
"Did you know him?""
"He worked logistics. Of course I knew him.""
"Did you know Victor Hale knew him?""
No answer.
Brooks repeated the question.
Keller sighed.
"Probably.""
That word hung in the room.
Probably.
From a man who seemed certain about everything else.
Nolan searched another folder.
"Captain, there's correspondence.""
"Open it.""
Short messages appeared.
Most used codes instead of names.
But one sentence was clear.
RAYMOND WANTS OUT.
Another:
HE KEPT COPIES.
Then:
HANDLE IT BEFORE INSPECTION.
My skin prickled.
Reed read over Nolan's shoulder.
"When was that sent?""
Nolan checked.
"Two days before Raymond died.""
Nobody spoke.
Keller stood so quickly his chair scraped backward.
"This is outrageous.""
Brooks stared at him.
"Why?""
"You're turning a traffic fatality into some conspiracy because of vague messages on a contractor's flash drive.""
I looked at him.
"Nobody said traffic fatality.""
Keller froze.
Nolan slowly turned his head.
The file had only said vehicle accident.
Not where.
Not how.
Brooks's voice became very quiet.
"How did you know Raymond died in traffic?""
Keller's face lost color.
"I must have heard.""
"From whom?""
"I don't remember.""
"Five months ago, perhaps?""
"Yes.""
Brooks nodded.
"Then we'll verify that.""
Keller's phone suddenly rang.
Everyone looked at it.
He didn't move.
It rang again.
Brooks held out her hand.
"Phone.""
"No.""
"Major.""
"I said no.""
He grabbed it.
Before anyone could stop him, he answered.
"Keller.""
Silence.
His expression changed.
"What?""
He listened.
Then his eyes moved toward me.
I felt something cold crawl up my spine.
"That's impossible," he whispered.
Brooks stepped closer.
"End the call.""
Keller ignored her.
"Where?""
Another pause.
Then he hung up.
"What happened?"" Brooks demanded.
Keller looked at me.
Not with anger.
With fear.
"You need to get her off this base.""
Reed stood.
"Why?""
Keller's eyes stayed on mine.
"Because Victor wasn't trying to frame her for theft.""
My pulse hammered.
"What was he trying to do?""
Keller swallowed.
"Make her look like Raymond.""
Nobody moved.
I stared at him.
"What does that mean?""
Keller ran a hand over his face.
"The missing equipment is only part of it.""
Brooks stepped forward.
"Start talking.""
Keller looked at the door.
Then at the MPs.
Then at me.
"I made mistakes.""
Reed's voice hardened.
"What kind?""
"The kind I can't undo.""
Brooks said, "Where did the four refrigeration units go?""
Keller shook his head.
"They weren't stolen for the refrigerators.""
"Then why steal them?""
"The crates.""
That answer made no sense.
Until Nolan whispered, "Shipping access.""
Keller nodded.
"Hale's contract gives his sealed medical shipments expedited clearance. Fewer inspections. Predictable routes.""
Brooks stared at him.
"What were they putting inside?""
Keller opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, an alarm sounded outside.
One sharp tone.
Then another.
The base intercom activated.
"Security alert. Logistics sector. All personnel remain clear.""
Reed moved toward the window.
Smoke was rising beyond the warehouses.
Warehouse Four.
Keller closed his eyes.
"They're destroying it.""
Brooks grabbed her radio.
"All units to Warehouse Four.""
Keller caught her arm.
"Don't.""
She pulled free.
"Why?""
His face was gray.
"Because if Hale knows you've opened that partition, Warehouse Four isn't the target.""
He pointed toward the laptop.
May you like
"That is.""
And at that exact moment, the lights went out.
