“No.

Just the notice.”

“Keep the original printout.

We’ll compare it with the live record when you get here.”

I reached for my black work notebook, then stopped before opening it.

I wanted to know whether this was an ordinary delay before I began recording a problem that involved my own sister.

“Ruth, if the record changed after Friday, who was allowed to change it?”

“That depends on what changed.

Bring me the notice.”

At 9:15, Ruth placed my printout beside the live record on her monitor in the regional defense records office.

Fluorescent lights reflected off the screen, and the office printer clicked through a stack of unrelated personnel forms.

“Look at the verification field,” she said.

I leaned closer.

The field was empty.