Part Three — My Name Was on His Contract
The general waited until Lauren had been escorted out before sitting beside my bed.
“What happened?”
He asked the question gently.
So I told him.
Not everything about the marriage.
Just enough.
Daniel’s company.
The money problems.
Lauren.
Being thrown out.
General Rhodes listened without interrupting.
Then he opened his tablet.
“There is something you need to see.”
He showed me a page from a procurement document.
At the top:
LAWSON STRATEGIC SOLUTIONS
Below that were executive biographies.
Daniel Lawson — Founder and CEO.
Lauren Cross — Chief Financial Officer.
Then a section titled:
Strategic Advisory Resources.
I read the third name.
My own.
Lt. Col. Rebecca Bennett — Senior Defense Logistics Advisor
My blood went cold.
“What is this?”
“The document was submitted six weeks ago.”
“I’ve never seen it.”
“It states that you provide informal compliance and operations guidance.”
“I do not.”
