Page 291 of Rangers Last Promise

“That wasn’t my question.”

Vance moves along the walkway.

I catch part of his reflection in a dirty window.

He’s heading toward the stairs.

“Harlan didn’t pull a trigger that night,” Vance says.

“You did.”

“I followed orders.”

“So did Miller.”

“Fred was weak.”

“Grant wasn’t.”

“No.”

Something in Vance’s voice changes.

“Grant was the only one who looked at those graves and saw men. The rest of us saw a problem.”

Mara’s breathing changes beside me.

“He had families,” she says.

Vance stops moving.

“Hello, Mara.”

I step in front of her.

She grabs my vest and pulls me back beside her.

“We work together,” she whispers.

Vance laughs.

“Doc promised your brother he would keep you safe.”

“I don’t need Colin to stand in front of me.”

“No. You’ve always been reckless enough to get yourself killed.”

“You’ve been watching me for a long time.”

“Since Grant mailed that box home.”

My pulse changes.

“You knew he sent it?” I ask.

“I knew something left Afghanistan before the mission.”

“What?”