Bye, Mr. Ex! novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Truck

"Today," Jonas said slowly. "In the woods."

"Yes, sir," I said. "I counted him through the leg."

He looked at Boyd, who had suddenly become very interested in his morphine pump.

Then he looked at me, and I held his eyes as steadily as I could.

Something moved behind his face, a door opening a crack and shutting again.

"Good work, Sergeant," he said. "Darden got called back to a barracks. I'll drive you home."

I should have said no.

I said, "Thank you, sir," and followed him out.

He drove a plain gray truck with a coffee stain on the seat and a flight helmet bag in the back.

For ten minutes he said nothing at all.

The road to Spring Lake went through pine woods and past a closed fireworks stand, and the headlights made tunnels in the dark.

"I'm going to ask you something," he said at last, "and you can tell me to mind my own business."

"All right."

"Is there anything about that night in Syria you haven't told me?"

My hands went still in my lap.

"I haven't told you anything about that night, sir."

"That's not an answer."

"It's the only one I can give you tonight."

He nodded slowly.

"Tonight," he said. "That's a word that leaves a door open."

"If I said it, it'd be my word against a Silver Star and a Colonel," I said. "You'd have to pick one of us."

"I wouldn't have to pick."

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