Chapter 3 - The Name Nobody Spoke
James Bennett arrived at the house forty minutes later.
Emily heard his car before she saw him.
She rushed toward the front door.
Then stopped.
Ryan was already there.
Linda stood beside him.
Both of them were smiling.
The same fake smile they used whenever James visited.
“Colonel,” Ryan said.
James stepped inside.
His eyes immediately found Emily.
He noticed the way she stood.
The way she kept one arm near her stomach.
The way she avoided Ryan.
His expression changed for half a second.
Then returned to normal.
“Emily.”
She walked toward him.
“Dad.”
James hugged her.
She felt his hand briefly touch her shoulder.
Then he whispered.
“Are you all right?”
Emily wanted to say no.
Instead she nodded.
James pulled away.
His eyes met hers.
He knew.
Maybe not everything.
But enough.
At dinner, Linda talked constantly.
She discussed the baby's room.
The weather.
The neighbors.
A charity event.
Anything except the tension sitting between everyone.
Ryan drank water slowly.
Emily barely touched her food.
James watched.
Finally he said, “Where's your mother?”
Emily froze.
Ryan looked up.
Linda stopped talking.
James continued.
“Your mother should be here.”
Linda's smile disappeared.
“Why are you asking about her?”
“Because I asked a question.”
“She couldn't come.”
“Why?”
“She wasn't feeling well.”
James nodded.
Then he looked at Emily.
“What happened to your arm?”
Emily instinctively covered it.
Ryan answered first.
“She fell.”
James looked at him.
“Did she?”
“Yes.”
James held his stare.
“For how long?”
Ryan frowned.
“What?”
“How long have you been answering questions for my daughter?”
Nobody spoke.
Then James stood.
“I want to talk to Emily.”
Ryan's voice hardened.
“Anything you need to say can be said here.”
James looked at him.
“That's not your decision.”
Ryan stood too.
The two men faced each other.
Linda quickly intervened.
“Please. This is a family dinner.”
James looked at her.
“Exactly.”
Then he turned toward Emily.
“Come with me.”
Emily stood.
Ryan grabbed her wrist.
James saw it.
The room went silent.
Ryan released her.
“Sorry.”
James said nothing.
He simply opened the front door.
Emily followed.
Once they reached the driveway, she finally whispered the words she had been afraid to say.
“Dad.”
James stopped.
“What happened?”
Emily looked back at the house.
“I found a photograph.”
James went completely still.
“What photograph?”
She showed him.
The moment James saw it, his face changed.
Emily had never seen her father look frightened.
Not when she was a child.
Not during his deployments.
Not even during the worst days of her life.
But now he looked frightened.
“Where did you get this?”
“Ryan's desk.”
James took the photograph.
His thumb covered the woman's face.
“Dad…”
“Did Ryan see you find it?”
“Yes.”
James closed his eyes.
“Then we don't have much time.”
Emily's stomach tightened.
“What does that mean?”
May you like
James looked at the house.
“It means your husband knows exactly what this photograph can expose.”
