PART 10
Malcolm’s voice stayed calm.
“I’d like an answer.”
Fiona backed away.
“It was issued.”
“No,” I said. “It wasn’t.”
The tent went silent again.
Fiona’s hands trembled.
Then she ripped the badge from her uniform and held it in her fist.
“You want the truth?” she shouted. “I bought it from a retired collector in Virginia. There. Happy?”
A woman gasped.
Donovan closed his eyes.
Arthur sat down like his legs no longer worked.
Fiona threw the badge onto the table.
It bounced once and landed beside my Wraith coin.
The fake beside the real.
No one spoke.
Then Fiona turned on Donovan.
“You’re not leaving me over a pin.”
Donovan looked at her for a long moment.
“No,” he said. “I’m leaving because you lied with a straight face while insulting the only person here who actually earned the respect you were pretending to have.”
Fiona’s face crumpled.
“You don’t mean that.”
May you like
He took the engagement ring and placed it back into its velvet case.
The click sounded louder than the jazz band.
