Chapter 6 - THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF CARDSWithin ten minutes, the grand ballroom of the Fort Arlington Officers’ Club had transformed from a glittering celebration of military achievement into a federal crime scene.
The string quartet had stopped playing long ago, their instrument cases packed and abandoned near the service exit. The guests had been quietly escorted out by base security, their names logged for federal witness statements regarding the public presentation of fraudulent promotion documents.
Ethan was hauled out of his chair by two federal agents, his dress uniform looking pathetic and rumpled as they marched him past the mahogany tables and out toward the waiting black SUVs. He didn't look up. He couldn't face the portraits of the generals staring down from the walls—generals who represented an honor he had traded away for greed and arrogance.
Linda was helped to her feet by a sympathetic junior officer, though her expensive red dress was stained with spilled champagne and her mascara was smeared across her cheeks. She looked at me with a mixture of pure hatred and bottomless despair.
"You'll pay for this, Grace," Linda hissed venomously as she was guided toward the exit. "You'll leave here with nothing! You destroyed my son!"
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"Your son destroyed himself, Linda," I replied calmly. "And as for having nothing—I never belonged in your world anyway."
She was led away, her expensive heels clicking weakly against the marble floor until the heavy oak doors swung shut behind her.
