Pelayo reaches into the paper bag, takes something out. “The kind of father who would be smart would sit tight, wouldn’t do anything to put himself or his daughter into jeopardy. That kind of father…and, Mister Cornwall, in the meanwhile, you’ve also embarrassed me in front of my staff. I can’t let that stand, now, can I?”

Tom stares hard at the small metal object in Pelayo’s right hand. He whispers, “No.”

Pelayo says, “Oh, I’m so sorry. ‘No’ is not an option today.”

CHAPTER 38

AT THE Nashville Airport, Special Agent Rosaria Vasquez says, “Boss, what do you mean, I’m not going back to Fort Belvoir?”

“I need a fire to be put out,” Senior Warrant Officer Fred McCarthy says. “A fire that you caused earlier today. Did you tell me you were going to Fort Campbell?”

“No, I didn’t,” she says.

“Why?”

“I was conducting my investigation, sir—you know how it is. You’ve never asked me before to be briefed on what I do, hour by hour, even day by day.”

“Well, now I’ve changed my mind.”

“Sir?”

Before her the two happy soldiers are being escorted out of the terminal by members of their family, their real family, not a fake one.

He says, “Did you check in with anyone at the 502nd MP Battalion?”

“I did not,” she says.

“Even though they’re the CID group responsible for Fort Campbell and its personnel?”

She says, “I wasn’t investigating their personnel. I was investigating Captain Cornwall and her temporary assignment there.”

“Well, that’s still a problem,” he says. “Lieutenant Colonel Macrae, he runs the 502nd and he’s one pissed-off CO. Military courtesy and all that. He’s raising a fuss and he’s getting some attention, attention we don’t need, and I don’t need. So you need to get back to Fort Campbell and make nice with him. Apologize. Now.”

Rosaria says, “But that’s more than an hour’s drive away. I’ll miss my flight.”

“Then you should get started, and get that job done.”

“But…don’t you want to know what I’ve found out so far?”

“Special Agent, is your investigation complete? Do you know where Captain Amy Cornwall is at this moment?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Then I don’t have to know a thing.”

“Boss…” That old feeling of being kept in the dark, of being helpless and confused. Rosaria, pack your bags, you’re going back to Child Services. Rosaria, stay home tonight, we’re taking our children out for our wedding anniversary. Rosaria, sorry, that’s the way it is, you’re going to another family, and we’re sorry you’ll miss your friends at school.

“Yes? Make it snappy.”

“What’s going on? Who’s gotten to you?”

“Special Agent, get ahold of Colonel Macrae and make nice.”

He disconnects the call.

Rosaria sits there, feeling light-headed, wondering what is going on with this Cornwall investigation.

There’s a bing coming from her phone, telling her she’s just received an email.

It’s from Major Wenner, at Fort Belvoir, giving her the contact information for Lieutenant Preston Baker, the officer who was with Captain Amy Cornwall during her last tour of Afghanistan.