Chapter 2 - THE MAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPHNobody moved.
The birthday music was still playing from a small speaker near the patio.
It sounded obscene now.
Colonel Hale turned the photograph toward everyone.
“That image was recovered from a damaged camera three months ago.”
Ryan shook his head.
“That doesn't prove anything.”
“No,” Hale replied calmly. “It proves very little by itself.”
Ryan relaxed slightly.
Then Hale added:
“But it raises questions.”
Daniel crossed his arms.
“Who is he?”
I already knew.
“Evan Price.”
My father looked at me sharply.
Ryan didn't.
That bothered me.
“You know him,” I said.
Ryan shrugged.
“He was a subcontractor.”
“What kind?”
“Concrete.”
“You had military contracts then?”
Ryan laughed.
“Everybody had contracts. We did work all over the state.”
Colonel Hale watched him.
“Not just the state.”
Ryan's face hardened.
“You're talking about something that happened nine years ago. My company had nothing to do with the military.”
Daniel spoke quietly.
“That's not what the records say.”
Ryan turned toward him.
“You've got some nerve.”
Daniel didn't react.
Hale placed another document on the table.
A contract.
Cooper Builders.
The date was nine years old.
The contractor listed beneath it was a company called Redstone Logistics.
My pulse quickened.
Redstone.
I remembered that name.
“Why is that familiar?” my mother asked.
I looked at her.
“You shouldn't know it.”
She swallowed.
“Your father used to mention it.”
I turned toward Dad.
“Dad?”
He stared at the floor.
That was answer enough.
Ryan scoffed.
“This is ridiculous.”
I looked back at Colonel Hale.
“What exactly are you asking me?”
“We're not asking.”
He pushed the sealed envelope toward me.
“We're notifying you.”
I opened the second folder.
Inside was an incident report.
The convoy attack had been reopened.
A line had been highlighted.
POSSIBLE INTENTIONAL ROUTE COMPROMISE.
Another line:
UNACCOUNTED PERSONNEL: 1.
Caleb.
I felt the muscles in my wrist tighten.
I remembered him now.
He had been trapped under the second vehicle.
I'd pulled him out once.
Then went back when the fire spread.
My memory after that was fractured.
“You said he survived,” I whispered.
“He did.”
“Where is he?”
Hale looked at me.
“He wants to speak with you.”
The yard disappeared from my attention.
Ryan suddenly stepped between us.
“No.”
Everyone stared at him.
He seemed to realize what he'd said.
“What I mean is, this is insane. She's been home for one day. You can't drag her into some old investigation.”
Hale's voice remained calm.
“Nobody is dragging her anywhere.”
Daniel looked at Ryan.
“Then why are you shaking?”
Ryan's face turned red.
“I am not.”
I watched my brother carefully.
For thirty-nine years I'd known every version of his anger.
This was different.
This was fear wearing anger's clothes.
My father finally spoke.
“What does this have to do with my company?”
Hale turned to him.
“That's what we're trying to determine.”
Then his eyes returned to me.
“There is one more thing.”
He removed a small evidence bag.
Inside was a bent metal identification plate.
Part of a military equipment case.
My name had been scratched into it.
I stared at it.
“I never owned that.”
“You did.”
“No.”
Hale nodded toward the scar.
“You lost it the night of the attack.”
I remembered.
A metal case.
My left wrist.
A soldier grabbing my arm.
The explosion.
Then a voice.
A man's voice.
Not a soldier.
Someone beside the road.
Someone saying:
“Cooper.”
I looked up.
“What?”
Hale studied me.
“You heard that voice too, didn't you?”
I said nothing.
He didn't need me to answer.
May you like
Because Daniel was already staring at Ryan.
And Ryan had gone completely pale.
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