The Officer's Secret

An understatement from what Nate had seen.

“Ms. Bennett had enough sense to call for help,” Sergeant Thorndike continued. “When I arrived she was white as a sheet and hyperventilating. Said she lives in Independence, Alabama. Received a phone call at approximately 2330 hours from the deceased. The victim sounded anxious, according to the sister. Major Bennett had fought with her estranged husband, Graham Hughes, shortly before the phone call.”

“The major used her maiden name?”

“Roger that, sir.”

“Has the husband been notified?”

“Negative. We’re trying to track him down. Evidently he moved out a few days after Major Bennett arrived stateside.”

“Alert the post chaplain to a possible notification of next of kin. I’ll want to talk to the husband. Let me know when you find out where he’s staying.”

“Will do, sir.” The sergeant unclipped his cell phone from his belt and stepped to the corner of the attic to call the chaplain.

Nate neared the body. He examined the knots that formed the noose and then the victim’s neck and hands, noting her intact skin. No signs of struggle. Blood had pooled in her extremities, consistent with death by hanging and the beginnings of rigor mortis. It all looked like a textbook suicide, and yet… Something about it bothered him, and it took a minute to put his finger on it.

The sergeant closed his cell. “Chaplain Grant will be here shortly, sir.”

Nate pointed to the victim’s bare feet. “Where are her shoes?”

“Main floor, sir. Under a table by the door.”

“It’s a cold night. Why would Major Bennett walk around her house without shoes?”

The sergeant shrugged. “You got me there, sir.”

Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Nate turned as Major Brett Hansen, the pathologist and medical examiner on post stepped into the attic. “Good to see you, Nate.”

“Sir.”

The major nodded to the sergeant and photographer. “What do we have here, gentlemen?”

Nate filled him in on the somewhat limited information accumulated so far. Wasting no time, the doc slipped on latex gloves and began his visual exam of the victim’s body. Once complete, Sergeant Thorndike would lower her to the floor so additional forensic evidence could be gathered.

Knowing the procedure would take time, Nate descended the stairs to the first floor where the bereaved sister sat, legs crossed and head resting in her hands.

Peering into the kitchen, he saw Mills bent over the wine bottle. “Find anything yet?”

The MP looked up. “The glass you pulled from the dishwasher had been wiped clean, sir. We might get lucky on the bottle.”

“Good man.”

Entering the living room, Nate glanced, once again, at the grief-stricken woman. She appeared fragile as a butterfly and, no doubt, was devastated by what she’d discovered tonight. As much as he hated to disturb her, Nate needed information.

Moving closer, he touched her shoulder. The knit of her sweater was soft to his fingertips. “Ms. Bennett? Maggie?”

She looked up, startled. The pain in her eyes cut through him like a well-aimed laser beam.

“If I could have a few minutes of your time, ma’am.”

Fatigue lined her oval face, but her ashen coloring concerned him more. She had found her sister’s body and was surrounded by law enforcement personnel trying to make sense of a tragic death. No one had time to offer her more than a perfunctory word of compassion or support.

He glanced at the empty glass on the end table. “Would you like more water?”

She shook her head and rubbed her hands over her arms. “Thank you, no.”

“If you’re cold, I could raise the thermostat?”

“I… I’m just tired.”

“Of course.” He pulled up a chair. “Could you tell me what happened tonight?”

When she didn’t answer, he scooted closer. “I know it’s difficult.”

She nodded. “Dani called me. She was upset…almost hysterical. She had told her husband she wanted a divorce.”

Nate removed the notebook and pen from his pocket. He needed to put aside the fact that this woman ignited a spark of interest deep within him and focus instead on the questions he had to ask and she, hopefully, would be able to answer.

“Graham…” Maggie hesitated. “My sister’s husband wanted them to reconcile.”

“Go on.” Painfully aware of the heat that continued to warm his gut, Nate swallowed hard and concentrated on the information Maggie began to recount.

“They…they had argued. Graham was upset. But then so was my sister. Dani told him to leave. Obviously, he…he came back later and—”

When she failed to complete the statement, Nate asked, “When did your sister and Mr. Hughes marry?”

“Dani ran into him shortly after she transferred here to Rickman. That was two years ago. They dated a few months. She sent me a wedding announcement after they were married.”

“You attended the ceremony?”

“I wasn’t invited.”

Could Maggie’s dislike of her brother-in-law stem from being excluded from their wedding? Nate drew a question mark on his tablet before asking, “Did you know Graham?”

“Yes.”

“Had infidelity been an issue?”

She wiped her hand over her cheek and sniffed. “Not that Dani mentioned. But when we met for lunch last week, she told me that their marriage was over.”

Nate nodded as he continued writing. “When you entered the house, did anything indicate Graham had been here?”

“A bottle of wine on the kitchen counter. Dani never drank red wine.”

“What about her husband?”

“I… I don’t know. When I was upstairs, I heard footsteps on the first floor.” Maggie bit her lip and shook her head ever so slightly, her eyes widening with realization. “Graham must have been in the house the whole time I was searching for my sister.”

“Did you see Graham Hughes?”

“No, but it had to be him.”

Had to was supposition. Maggie seemed eager to place blame on her brother-in-law’s shoulders. Too eager? No matter how unlikely, if Major Bennett’s death were ruled a homicide, the beautiful woman sitting next to Nate could end up being a person of interest, as well.

“Was the front door locked when you arrived?”

Maggie nodded. “I knocked. Dani had mentioned being tired. I thought she might be sleeping. When she didn’t answer the door, I used the key she had given me when we met for lunch.”

“Did your sister say why she wanted you to have a key to her house when you lived so far apart?”

“No, and I didn’t ask for an explanation. Dani and I had been estranged for a few years. I was relieved that we were trying to patch up our differences.”

“What type of differences?”

She lowered her gaze and uncrossed her legs. Nate watched her body language. Her refusal to make eye contact was telling.

Finally she shrugged and tried to smile. “Two women going their separate ways. Dani went into the military. I pursued a career in family counseling.”

Nate was sure there had been more to the differences than Maggie was willing to admit. “Did Major Bennett invite you to visit this weekend?”

With a quick shake of her head, she said, “Dani was independent. She had a hard time accepting help.”

“Yet—” Nate glanced at the small suitcase in the foyer “—you packed a bag and drove here to be with her.”

“I told Dani she shouldn’t be alone, that I was worried Graham might come back.”

“And Major Bennett shared your concern about her husband?”

“She was more upset about something that had happened in Afghanistan. But she didn’t go into the problem. Only that it was serious.”

Nate raised his brow. “Serious enough to cause her to take her own life?”

Maggie bristled. “My sister didn’t take her life.”

Nate wouldn’t state the obvious, which was that, at this early stage in the investigation, nothing indicated foul play.

“How long ago did you and your sister reconnect?”

“Dani called last week and asked if we could meet for lunch, which we did, in Alabama.”

“Not here on post?”

“That’s right. We met just over the state line in a little town called Hope. There’s a ladies’ tearoom on the square.”

Nate would have someone check out the tearoom. Not that he thought Maggie was lying, but he wanted to ensure the information was accurate before he passed it up the chain of command.

“How did your sister seem? Happy? Sad?”

“She was concerned about her marriage, but she wasn’t depressed, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“What did you talk about?”

Maggie shrugged. “Her deployment. Being back in the States.”

“Her marriage?”

“Yes, of course. She said marrying Graham had been a mistake.”

“Did she give a reason?”

Maggie shook her head.

“What about growing up? Did you reminisce about the good times?”

“Sure. We were always close as kids.”

“But that changed?” he asked.

“We…we grew apart, as I mentioned.”

“Looking back to your childhood, what thoughts come to mind?”

A hint of a smile tugged at Maggie’s lips. “Running barefoot in the backyard.”

“Sounds as if you and your sister didn’t like shoes.”

“Only when we were little. Dani had a closet full when we were teens.”

“But she went barefoot in the house?”

Maggie wrinkled her brow. “Not that I recall.”

Nate glanced down at his notes. “Let’s go back to the beginning. What happened after you entered the house?”

She explained how she had searched the rooms and, finding nothing, had made her way to the attic. “The upstairs was pitch-black. I couldn’t see anything and waved my hand in the air to find the pull cord for the overhead lightbulb.”

“If you hadn’t been here before, how did you know about the pull cord?”

Angling her head, she paused, as if weighing her words. “My dad was military,” she said at last. “We lived in similar quarters sixteen years ago.”

“At Fort Rickman?”

“That’s right. In this same housing area.”

“A three-year assignment for your dad?”

“Yes, but—”

Maggie clasped her hands then worried her fingers. “My father…” Deep breath. “His tour of duty was cut short.” She looked down as if gathering courage to go on. “Regrettably, my father committed suicide.”

Not what he had expected to hear. Nate fought to keep his expression neutral as she glanced up at him with troubled eyes.

“He hanged himself in the attic of our house.” She leaned closer to Nate. “The similarity in the two deaths proves Dani would never have taken her own life.”

“Because—?”

Her eyes widened as if the conclusion she had drawn was obvious. “Because Dani did everything to overcome the stigma of his death. That’s why she went into the military. She idolized him. Dani tried to be the son he always wanted. Problem was she tried to prove herself to him, even after his death.” She leaned closer. “Don’t you see, for Dani, suicide wouldn’t have been an option?”

Unless Major Bennett wanted to prove how much she loved her father by following him into death. Nate kept that thought to himself.

“You brought up depression earlier. Is there a history of depression or anxiety disorders in your family?”

“None that I know of.”

“Tell me about when you were in the attic. You said the light was off?”

“That’s correct. The moon shone through the window and—” She struggled to find her words.

His voice softened. “That’s when you saw your sister?”

She nodded. Tears pooled in her blue-green eyes and slowly trickled down her cheeks. Nate tried to remain detached despite his desire to wipe away her pain. He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and shoved it into her hand, his fingers touching hers for longer than necessary, as if attempting to pass on support.

Maggie seemed oblivious to the way his hand burned where it touched hers. What was happening to his ability to remain neutral? He had been around other attractive women…had dated a few along the way…but no one had ever affected him like the woman sitting close to him.

Nate turned to look over his shoulder as Jamison scurried down the stairs and motioned him into the foyer, providing the reprieve Nate needed. Time to regroup and focus on the internal warning signal that was telling him something unexpected and downright powerful was happening to his status quo.

“Excuse me for a minute.” He rose from the chair and met the agent in the kitchen.

“You okay?” Jamison stared at him with narrowed eyes.

Nate straightened his shoulders. “Yeah, why?”

“You look troubled.”

“An officer died tonight. That is troubling.”

“Of course, it is. The ME is getting ready to release the body. They’ll bring Major Bennett downstairs soon. Might not be good for her sister to watch.”

Jamison was right. Maggie shouldn’t be around when the body was removed.

“What did the doc say?” Nate asked.

“Only that he’ll order a toxicology screen. Drugs and alcohol. As backed up as the lab is at Fort Gillem, I don’t know when we’ll get the results back, though.”

“See what you can find out about Major Bennett’s father,” Nate said. “He was stationed at Rickman sixteen years ago and evidently committed suicide.”

Jamison let out a low whistle. “Quite a coincidence.”

Before Nate could respond, the front door opened and CID agent Kelly McQueen scurried inside and joined the men in the kitchen. She was blond-haired and blue-eyed and the best marksman in the unit.

“What do you need me to do?” she asked after Nate filled her in on what they had learned so far.

“Help me decide where Major Bennett’s sister can stay tonight,” Nate said. “The downtown area has had problems with all the rain. The basement of the Freemont Hotel is flooded, and they’ve shut down temporarily.”

A number of small motels were located immediately off post, but most of them were fleabag rentals that catered to a transient troop population. At this difficult time, Maggie deserved something more ac com mo dating.

“I’ve got an extra room,” Kelly volunteered. “She’s welcome to stay at my place.”

Nate nodded. “That works.”

Kelly was good at her job and had compassion to embrace someone reeling with grief. Her apartment was directly across from Nate’s in the bachelor officer quarters on post so he would be able to keep an eye on Maggie and offer his support.

“I’ll have Mills follow us to the BOQ,” said Nate. “He can bring me back here once I get Maggie settled.”

The corporal responded with a thumbs-up. “Can do, sir. By the way, Ms. Bennett’s driving a silver Saturn. I checked the car and her personal effects. She’s clean.”

“You need authorization.”

Mill’s face darkened.

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What about the wine bottle? Did you find prints?”

“Negative.”

Nate turned back to Jamison. “Pull the major’s medical records and see if there’s any history of psychological problems. Also, check with the main gate and find out what time the sister, and any other guests the major may have had this evening, entered post. Question the neighbors in case the major and her husband aired their dirty laundry and find out if any strange cars or visitors stopped by this evening.”

“Will do,” Jamison said.

“Lieutenant Colonel Foglio lives across the street,” Kelly volunteered. “That teenage son of his is staying with his dad again.”

“The one with the tattoos?” Jamison asked. “What’s his name? Carl, Kurt…?”

“It’s Kyle,” Kelly said. “After the trouble he got into last summer, I didn’t think Lieutenant Colonel Foglio’s current wife would allow the kid back in her house.”

“Be sure to ask Foglio where his son has been this evening,” Nate said to Jamison.

“You got it.”

“Have we located Graham Hughes yet?” Nate asked.

Jamison pulled a notebook from his pocket. “I called his boss. Graham’s a civilian contractor who works for AmeriWorks. After splitting with his wife, he moved in temporarily with a guy who has the desk next to him in the contracting office. The guy’s name is—” Jamison referred to his notes “Arnold Zart. Travels between Fort Rickman and various forward operating bases in Afghanistan. He’s got an apartment off post.”

Nate nodded. “Once we get the sister settled in at Kelly’s place, the chaplain and I will pay Mr. Zart a visit.”

Jamison removed a sheet of paper from his notepad and offered the handwritten note to Nate. “Here’s Zart’s address.”

“Thanks.” Nate stepped back into the living room and motioned Kelly forward. “Maggie, this is Special Agent Kelly McQueen.” Kelly offered a few words of compassion along with a warm smile.

“Agent McQueen has a spare room at her place,” Nate continued. “You’ll be able to get some rest there tonight, and we can talk more in the morning.”

“But I…” Maggie looked around seemingly momentarily confused.

“I’m going home shortly,” Kelly said. “You and Nate can take your time and come over when you’re ready.”

With a final smile, Kelly headed into the foyer just as the front door opened once again. Chaplain Grant, a tall lieutenant colonel with a sincere face, stepped inside.

Nate excused himself from Maggie and approached the chaplain. “Thanks for being here, sir.”

“Terrible shame.”

“Yes, sir.” Nate lowered his voice. “Major Bennett and her husband had separated about a week ago. He’s currently staying with a guy who works with him in the AmeriWorks contracting office on post.”

“Over the phone, Sergeant Thorndike mentioned a sister from Alabama.”

Nate nodded. “She’s had a rough night. The sister’s the one who found the major’s body.” Nate ushered the chaplain toward the living room, introduced him to Maggie and then stepped back, giving the two of them a bit of privacy while the lieutenant colonel offered words of comfort, which Maggie seemed to appreciate.

“Have you talked to your brother-in-law?” the chaplain eventually asked her. When she shook her head, Chaplain Grant turned serious eyes toward Nate. “Might be beneficial to have Maggie with us when we notify Mr. Hughes.”

“Ah, sir—?” Before Nate could register an objection to the idea, the chaplain had refocused his gaze on Maggie.

“I’m sure you and Mr. Hughes have things you’d like to discuss, concerning your sister’s internment, if you feel up to seeing him at this late hour.”

Maggie nodded. “You’re right, Chaplain. I… I need to talk to Graham.”

Nate wasn’t sure whether her current interest in her brother-in-law had to do with discussing the major’s burial or establishing his guilt. Either way, the chaplain had made the offer, and Nate wouldn’t withdraw it now. Besides, seeing the dynamic play out between the victim’s sister and husband might reveal more information than Maggie had been willing to share.

Touching her elbow, Nate encouraged Maggie to stand. Corporal Mills approached, carrying her coat and handbag, which Nate took from him.

Nate handed Maggie her purse and helped her with her coat. “If you give me the keys, I’ll have Mills drive your car to the BOQ and leave it there, while you and the chaplain and I talk to Mr. Hughes.”

“What about Dani?” she asked as she placed the keys in Nate’s outstretched hand.

“She’ll be taken to the morgue. An autopsy will be performed sometime later today. Once you and Mr. Hughes determine how your sister should be buried, her body will be released to the funeral home. If you’d like, I can help you with the arrangements.”

Nate was relieved to see her face soften. She attempted to smile. “Thank you.”

Warmed by her response, he asked, “Is there anyone you’d like to call? A family member? Your mom? Maybe a boyfriend?”

Her eyes clouded as she shook her head. “My mother died a number of years ago. There’s no one else.”

Her loneliness in the midst of her grief cut him deeply. Upstairs the sound of footsteps indicated the body was being prepared for transport. It was time to get Maggie out of the house.

“My car’s outside.” Nate put his hand on the small of Maggie’s back and urged her toward the door Corporal Mills held open. The chaplain grabbed her suitcase and followed them into the damp night air. Maggie wrapped her arms around her waist and accepted Nate’s steadying hand on her elbow as she walked down the steps and settled into the front seat of his car, while the chaplain slid into the rear.

A light went on in the front bedroom of Lieutenant Colonel Foglio’s quarters across the street. The curtain moved ever so slightly.

Looking back at Quarters 1448, Nate’s eyes focused on the attic dormer window. The copycat suicide was unusual, and often little things made a difference in an investigation. The fact that Major Bennett had been barefoot when she died bothered him. But something else troubled Nate more.

The victim would have needed light to loop the rope over the crossbeam. Why would Major Bennett then turn off the light and take her own life in the dark?

TWO

Sitting next to Nate in the passenger seat, Maggie watched the headlights cut through the darkness, knowing she had kept information from the CID agent. She needed time to put some semblance of order to the confusion of her life before she made the decision to tell him.

Dani had implied some military law enforcement personnel couldn’t be trusted. Maggie wasn’t sure if that included the CID. Graham worked in the AmeriWorks contracting office and her sister hadn’t mentioned the problem to him. Could the contractors be involved, as well?

It was hard to believe her sister was dead. Right when they were beginning to reconnect.

Oh, God, why? Maggie had been working on improving her relationship with the Lord. Hopefully He would provide the strength she needed.

Her parents, now Dani—

“Graham’s staying at an apartment complex not far from post.”

Nate’s comment pulled her from a path to the past where memories cut like shards of glass. Tonight another tragedy left her riddled with grief and filled with questions.

From the backseat, the chaplain once again offered words of sympathy that Maggie appreciated but wasn’t able to fully comprehend. The fact that Dani was dead seemed surreal. Maggie still refused to believe it could have been suicide.

Her sister had worked too hard to get where she was in the military to take her own life. Plus, if she had wanted to end it all, she wouldn’t have chosen a noose.

The chaplain finished his discourse and settled back in his seat, giving Maggie an opportunity to glance at the agent sitting behind the wheel. Despite the civilian coat and tie he wore, Nate had military written all over him with his short haircut and intense gaze. He was probably a workaholic, who put the job first. Her father had fit that bill. Although so did she, if truth be told.

Just as Dani had turned to the military for fulfillment, Maggie had allowed counseling to take over her own life. They’d both learned from their dad, no doubt.

Riding across post in silence, Maggie concentrated on seeing Graham again. The last time they were together, Maggie had been in high school. Back then, he’d been the bad boy all the girls ran after. But people changed and maybe Graham had, as well.

Would she even recognize him after all these years? No matter what, she needed to be in control of her emotions and display strength instead of weakness. Dani deserved as much.

Nate drove through the main gate and turned onto a stretch of road lined with seedy bars, pawnshops and fast-food restaurants, all low-rent businesses that preyed on young soldiers far from home. Alabama had its fair share of ticky-tacky, but nothing compared with those hawking wares to the nation’s youthful warriors.

“Shouldn’t be much farther.” Nate checked the address written on a sheet of paper. Eventually, he pulled into an apartment complex and braked to a stop in front of a row of two-story town houses.