Chapter 39
Holly started the next day by asking Jane Grey to…
Chapter 40
Harry Crisp looked less like an FBI agent than Holly…
Chapter 41
Holly had begun going through the departmental personnel files, something…
Chapter 42
Holly didn’t have to wait long. When she got back…
Chapter 43
Holly worked late on the personnel files, then went home,…
Chapter 44
At eleven o’clock the phone on Holly’s desk rang. She…
Chapter 45
Holly sat and waited, staring at Mosely. Daisy made the…
Chapter 46
Holly went straight to Jackson’s house after work. One of…
Chapter 47
The next morning, Holly was back at her desk. She…
Chapter 48
After work, Holly drove out to Jackson’s house, with Hurd…
Chapter 49
Rita Morales showed up at the service gate to Palmetto…
Chapter 50
Holly sat at Jackson’s dining table and listened to Rita’s…
Chapter 51
Ham Barker got into bed and turned on the TV,…
Chapter 52
Rita turned up on time for work at Palmetto Gardens,…
Chapter 53
Harry Crisp looked at his wristwatch, then at the group…
Chapter 54
Holly was wakened from a deep sleep by the telephone.
Chapter 55
Holly went into the office like a good girl, but…
Chapter 56
Holly got changed and fed Daisy. She still had a…
Chapter 57
Holly, Daisy, Hurd, Jackson, and Ham all arrived at the…
Chapter 58
At two A.M., after nearly eight hours of briefings and…
Chapter 59
Harry Crisp jumped out of his seat. “There’s five!” he…
Chapter 60
Holly sat in the dining room of the Palmetto Gardens…
Chapter 61
Holly waited for Hurd Wallace to arrive and take over…
Chapter 62
The evening was growing cool. Holly and Jackson sat on…
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Praise
Other Books by Stuart Woods
Copyright
About the Publisher
CHAPTER
Colonel James Bruno stood at the defense table, ramrod straight, and watched his judges with beady eyes. For the first time since his trial had begun, he was not smiling.
“Seats!” the clerk of the court called out, and all sat.
The brigadier general, who was president of the court, cleared his throat. “The following three verdicts have been reached unanimously,” the general said. “As to the first charge, sexual harassment, we have reached a verdict of not guilty.”
Holly’s stomach shrank into a knot. She locked her knees so that they would not buckle. She knew what could only come next.
“As to the second charge, attempted rape, we have reached a verdict of not guilty,” the general said. “And as to the third charge, conduct unbecoming an officer, we have reached a verdict of not guilty.”
“Yes!” screamed a woman in the front row.
Holly recognized her as Colonel Bruno’s wife. It was the first time she had appeared in court.
“Colonel Bruno,” the general said, “you are restored to duty. This court is adjourned.”
Holly made her way slowly through the crowd, ignoring the reporters who were demanding her reaction to the verdict. On her way she came abreast of the young blond lieutenant who had been the other complainant in the case. Holly found her hand and squeezed. The woman was in tears.
The cold outside air struck like a slap, reviving her, and she saw her father’s car at the curb. She got in beside him.
“I’m sorry,” he said. He was dressed in his master sergeant’s uniform and wore the green beret of the special forces.
“You knew, didn’t you?” she asked.
Hamilton Barker nodded. “It was in the cards,” he said. “It was Bruno’s word against yours. He’s a West Pointer, and so were most of the court. They weren’t going to destroy his career.”
“They’ve destroyed mine,” Holly said. She could see the gold oak leaf on her left shoulder out of the corner of her eye.