I walked to the side table and picked up my heavy black leather briefcase.

Inside it were the certified birth certificates, the hospital registry microfilms, and the original postal delivery confirmations from eight years ago.

One yellowed postal receipt from the Colorado Springs maternity ward carried the stamped signature of Ethan’s unit adjutant, proving beyond any doubt that official notice had been delivered straight into his hands eight years ago.

He hadn’t lost the mail.

He had signed for it, buried it in a file cabinet, and lied to his family.