Chapter 3 - THE COFFEE WAS ONLY THE BEGINNINGJames Reed closed the cafeteria doors behind him.
Nobody had been ordered to stay.
Nobody wanted to leave.
“What happened?” he repeated.
Vanessa straightened.
“Sir, there was a misunderstanding.”
Sophia looked at her.
“Was there?”
Vanessa’s jaw tightened.
James noticed.
“Explain.”
Vanessa glanced toward the dozens of witnesses.
She wanted privacy now.
Ten minutes earlier, she had wanted an audience.
“I believed Colonel Carter was civilian food-service personnel.”
James looked toward the coffee.
“And?”
Vanessa hesitated.
Sophia answered.
“She intentionally poured the coffee onto the floor.”
James’s expression hardened.
“Why?”
“Because I wouldn’t carry drinks to her table.”
A young private near the wall lowered his eyes.
James noticed him.
So did Sophia.
There was something uncomfortable in that reaction.
Not surprise.
Recognition.
James turned toward Vanessa.
“Did you do that?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Would it have been acceptable if she actually worked here?”
Vanessa had no answer.
Sophia stepped forward.
“That is the question.”
Vanessa looked at her.
Sophia’s voice remained calm.
“This did not become wrong when you discovered my rank.”
Linda stood behind the counter holding her injured wrist.
Sophia gestured toward her.
“It was wrong when you believed I had none.”
Vanessa lowered her eyes.
James turned toward Linda.
“Ms. Mercer, are you all right?”
Linda looked startled.
“My wrist, sir?”
“And everything else.”
That second question changed her expression.
Sophia saw it.
Linda looked at Vanessa.
Then at the floor.
“I’m fine.”
Sophia knew immediately that she was not.
“Linda.”
The older woman swallowed.
Sophia softened her voice.
“You can tell the truth.”
Linda’s eyes became wet.
“This isn’t the first time.”
Vanessa looked up.
James went still.
“What do you mean?”
Linda took a breath.
“She called me lazy last month.”
Vanessa’s face tightened.
Linda continued.
“She yelled at one of our younger employees because a coffee station wasn’t restocked.”
James looked toward Vanessa.
“She was helping another worker who burned her hand.”
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Sophia felt the entire situation change.
One incident could be misconduct.
Repeated incidents were culture.
She looked toward Dalton.
“Major, have there been complaints?”
Dalton hesitated.
Too long.
Sophia’s eyes narrowed.
“Major?”
“Yes, Colonel.”
Vanessa turned toward him.
“What complaints?”
Dalton looked sick.
“Informal ones.”
“How many?”
“I don’t know.”
Sophia stepped closer.
“Then tomorrow morning, we find out.”
Vanessa stared at her.
Sophia looked toward the room.
“Every complaint.”
Then she looked directly at Vanessa.
“Every witness.”
May you like
The coffee was already drying.
The investigation had just begun.
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