Chapter 11 - My Father’s Medal Box
I knew immediately.
The wooden medal box.
My father had given it to me shortly before he died.
I had carried it through every move.
Every deployment.
Every new home.
I retrieved it from secure storage.
The box contained his service medals, photographs, and an old brass compass.
Nothing else.
At least, that was what I had always believed.
A forensic technician examined it.
Twenty minutes later, he found a hidden compartment beneath the velvet lining.
Inside was a microdrive.
Fifteen years old.
Still readable.
My father had preserved everything.
Bank transfers.
Contract numbers.
Emails.
Names.
Charles Voss.
Two former procurement officials.
Three shell companies.
Millions of dollars.
And one audio recording.
My father’s voice filled the secure room.
“If anything happens to me, Charles Voss knows I discovered the payments.”
I closed my eyes.
Hearing Dad’s voice after all those years almost broke me.
Then another voice appeared on the recording.
Voss.
“You have a daughter, Daniel.”
My father answered.
“Leave Anna out of this.”
“You should’ve thought about her before you started digging.”
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
General Hayes looked at me.
“Anna…”
“I’m fine.”
I wasn’t.
But I would be.
For fifteen years, my grandfather had protected the company because he lacked enough evidence to prove what happened.
Now we had it.
Federal authorities moved before sunrise.
Two former executives were arrested.
A retired procurement official surrendered.
Charles Voss disappeared.
Again.
And Mark called me.
“He’s coming for the drive.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he called me.”
“Where are you?”
Mark hesitated.
“Anna…”
“Where are you?”
His answer made me stand.
May you like
“Outside your temporary housing.”
Then the lights went out.
