“Colonel Reynolds asked his father whether any letters had come from his ex-wife. This was approximately seven months after the divorce, shortly before the children were born. General Reynolds told him yes. He said the letters contained manipulative claims about a pregnancy and demands for money.”
Margaret made a sound so soft it barely registered.
Daniel did not move.
“What did Colonel Reynolds say?” Hale asked.
Greer swallowed.
“He said, ‘Handle it.’”
Silence.
Even through a screen, I felt Daniel break.
Not dramatically.
Not with denial.
Something simply collapsed.
Captain Hale’s voice remained steady.
“Did Colonel Reynolds later know children had been born?”
Greer’s eyes shifted.
“Yes.”
My heart stopped.
The room blurred for half a second.
Beside me, Lena whispered a curse.
Captain Hale’s jaw tightened. “When?”
“After the hospital packet arrived. Photos. Birth announcement. Medical information. Four infants.”
Margaret covered her face.
“General Reynolds showed him?”
