Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
“Where I go, he goes,” Jo barked out.
The guy stiffened but nodded his head once. He gestured to the massive wooden door that led to Colonel Gill’s office. He opened the door and we stepped inside.
Colonel Rylan “Ry” Gill was a huge man with a permanent scowl on his face. At least, that’s what it looked like. He shot Josephine a look when she entered. The cursory glance he gave me might have been insulting if he hadn’t looked at Jo with a wary expression. Like he’d sized us both up and knew Jo was more of a threat than me. He’d be partially right. Under normal circumstances, Jo was definitely the one to worry about. But not at the moment. I was pissed. If this guy gave Jo the slightest bit of lip, I was ready to throw him a beating like he’d never had.
“Sorry for the way the guards were at the gate with you, Dr. Peyton.” Gill’s expression was still one of vast disapproval, but his tone and words were respectful so, for the moment, he got to live. “They were only doing their duty. I’d left orders I wasn’t be disturbed.”
OK. No self-respecting Colonel explained himself to just anyone. Yet, this guy was treating Josephine like she was his superior. Either he owed her a really big debt, or he knew exactly how dangerous the woman was. This guy went up a few notches in my estimation.
“We need to talk about Alex. The kid who got arrested a few days ago.”
With a sigh, Gill reached for a file on his desk and opened it. He flipped through the pages like he was reviewing it. I could tell it was more something to do with his hands while he gathered his thoughts.
“Alex Brown. The kid shot up an airport. What do you expect us to do with him?”
“Just give him a fair shake. He’s not cut out for this and if you’re the same man I knew a few years ago, you know every man under your immediate command and what they’re capable of.”
“Alex Brown. Born and raised in Sparta, Mississippi. Left high school when he turned eighteen without graduating. Got duped into joining the Army, but Uncle Sam needs recruits so they wouldn’t let him out of his enlistment.” He looked up at Josephine. “Kid couldn’t kill a bug much less a person, even if they were shooting at him.” He sighed and dug his fingers into his eyes. “When they told me he shot up the Standiford Field terminal, I couldn’t believe it. He’s as gentle as they come. Simple, maybe, but the only trouble he’s ever been in was a direct result of his lack of intelligence.”
“Kid doesn’t need to be in the Army, colonel.” Jo leaned over and placed her palms on his desk, looking straight at the man. “I realize he’ll have to do some time for what he did, but make it minimal jail time and an other than honorable discharge. Let him go back home to his family.”
“Believe me, I’d love to do nothing more. Unfortunately, the JAG prosecutor is out for blood with this.”
“Because he shot up an airport filled with civilians? That would make sense.”
“With all the racial tension happening all over the country, JAG’s taking a hard line with anything that even remotely smacks of racial violence.”
“This wasn’t about anything to do with that.” I knew there was no way Josephine was going to let this go easily. We both knew the kid would have to do time, but she wanted to give him a fair chance. “Kid’s scared and, like you said, a little on the simple side. Surely you have some sway. Get them to sentence him to a couple years. No one was hurt or killed. He surrendered peacefully. That has to count for something.”
“I’ll try, Dr. Peyton. I’ve got a buddy willing to take his case. He’s really good at what he does. If anyone can get him a fair shake, this lawyer can do it. That’s all I can promise.”
“Ian McGregor,” she said.
The colonel tilted his head at her. “Yes. You know him?”
“He’s my half-brother. I’ll talk to him when we get done here. Can we talk to Alex? I want to make sure he has a way to contact his family. If he doesn’t, then I’ll get them a message.”
“You know you can’t have contact with a prisoner, Jo.” It was the first time the colonel had used anything other than a formal address when speaking to Josephine.
“Today I can, Ry. Ten minutes. That’s all I’m asking for right now. The kid needs a way to let his family know where he is and what’s going on.”
With a sigh, he nodded. “Ten minutes. Not a minute more. I’ll even give you another ten minutes when you get his family here. But Jo?” When she raised an eyebrow at him, he continued. “This evens us out.”