“Keep it that way.”

He put it back in his pocket and stood there a moment with his hand still on it.

“Sergeant, if this goes upstairs, do I lose my stripe?”

“You keep it in your pocket and you answer when I ask.

That’s all you do.”

He nodded, and then he said the other thing.

“A major from headquarters asked me twice this week who put you on afternoons.”

I squared my buckle under my thumb.