Chapter 1 - THE SALUTE
The crack of polished military shoes striking stone silenced the entire courtyard.
Thirty soldiers snapped to attention in perfect unison outside the Vance family estate.
I kept both hands on the handle of the black double stroller and continued walking between them.
My newborn son and daughter slept beneath matching white hats, safely secured against the cold Connecticut afternoon.
Major General Thomas Grayson raised a crisp salute.
“Welcome home, Colonel Sterling.”
Arthur froze at the top of the estate steps.
He was holding a sealed divorce envelope in one hand.
Brooke stood behind him in an expensive cream blouse, one jeweled hand wrapped possessively around his arm.
Arthur’s wealthy parents, Charles and Victoria Vance, stared at the medals on my dark olive dress uniform.
“Colonel?” Arthur whispered.
I stopped beside my attorney, Jonathan Hale.
He placed a brown leather case on the stone ledge and opened its two metal clasps.
Brooke’s face lost all color.
Inside were organized legal folders, financial records and the estate’s original keys.
Jonathan lifted a thick property file.
“Mr. Vance,” he said calmly, “ask Brooke whose name is on the deed.”
Arthur slowly turned toward his mistress.
Brooke lunged for the case.
A detective intercepted her wrist before she touched it.
“Arthur, don’t open that file.”
A heavy brass key slipped from the folder and landed beside Arthur’s shoe.
He bent down and picked it up.
My initials were engraved on the tag.
Arthur looked at the mansion, then at my uniform.
His anger vanished.
“Who are you?”
May you like
I released the stroller brake.
“The woman you never bothered to know.”
