She turned to me, her face showing the same warm, attentive interest she had shown at breakfast.

“Your office handles vendor evaluations for the regional quartermaster corps, doesn’t it?” she asked.

“I command a battalion,” I said.

“I don’t sign commercial vendor contracts.”

“But you know the senior officers who do,” Eleanor said.

She smoothed the lapel of her blazer with two fingers.

“We always knew you were strong, Sarah, and now Derek could really use a sister in high places.”

“That would be a conflict of interest,” I said.