Page 99 of Rangers Last Promise

“Did Grant ever tell you why he gave you the key?”

I look back at him.

“No. He said it opened his lockbox and that I should keep it.”

“Nothing else?”

“He told me not to lose it.”

“That sounds like Grant.”

“He also said if I lost it, he'd shave my head while I slept.”

Doc smiles.

“He threatened Wolf with the same thing once.”

“Why?”

“Wolf lost his knife.”

“That seems reasonable.”

“It wasn't Grant’s knife.”

I laugh.

Then Doc reaches beneath the collar of his shirt and pulls out the chain holding Grant’s dog tag.

My laughter fades.

“He gave you the key before deployment,” he says. “Before he knew anything about the betrayal.”

“Yes.”

“But later, he wrote Mara has the key.”

“Meaning he decided to use something he'd already trusted me with.”

Doc nods.

“He knew you would keep it.”

“I forgot what it opened.”

“But you kept it.”

I hadn't thought about that.

Fifteen years.

College.

The academy.

Moving twice.

Dad dying.