“The forty-two thousand dollars put into an escrow account under David’s name was flagged two days ago as an attempted bribe to stop a Department of Defense audit.”

Martha came to the glass storm door with a silver coffee spoon in her hand.

She stared through the glass at the blue flashing lights now bouncing off the trees around the neighborhood.

“Eleanor,” Martha whispered, cracking the door an inch.

“Tell them to stop.

We’re your family.”

I walked up the path and stopped at the foot of the porch steps.

“Major Vance,” Captain Keller said, turning toward me.