The Second Life of the Malicious Colonel's Daughter novel · Chapter 10 of 24

Chapter 10: The Stamp

"Keep working, Captain," Colonel Redfern said. "Don't mind me."

I put the pick back into the lock.

The cage door sat open against its frame.

I had one hand on the cylinder and I could feel the colonel's eyes on my neck.

"Do you know what I admired about your father?" he said.

"No, sir."

"He never second-guessed. He gave an order and it was done. He'd have made a general if he'd had one more year of luck."

"He had a lot of luck."

"He did. And then it ran out." He sighed. "I tried to help. I sat behind him every day."

"With a thermos."

"With a thermos," Redfern agreed, and I heard him smile.

I got the old cylinder out and set it on the cloth beside me.

I started fitting the new one.

"A good soldier knows when to let a thing lie," he said.

He paused.

"I'd hate to see you do something your father would be ashamed of."

"My father told me he was proud of me."

The air in the cage changed.

I kept my eyes on the screw.

"When?" Redfern said quietly.

"At the trial."

"Of course."

His phone rang.

He took it out, looked at the screen, and frowned.

"Excuse me," he said. "Stay where you are."

He stepped out through the mesh door and walked a few paces down the corridor with the phone to his ear.

His back was to me.

I sat motionless for three long breaths.

Then I turned my head.

The nearest cabinet had its bottom drawer pulled out an inch.

A dull square of brass sat inside, on a folded cloth.

I leaned and pulled the drawer a little further.

It was a hand stamp with a wooden grip and a small date wheel in its side.

The face was cut backward, the way they are.

I did not need to read it.

DM-4017.

The date wheel was set to 08 NOV.

My heart hit my ribs hard enough that I thought he would hear it.

I slid my phone out of my vest, held it low, and took three photographs.

Click. Click. Click.

I pushed the drawer shut with one finger.

When Redfern turned around I was bent over the new cylinder with the screwdriver in my teeth.

"Sorry about that," he said. "Where were we?"

"Almost done."

"Good."

He watched me tighten the last screw.

I turned the key, and it moved smooth as water.

"Two keys," I said. "Both on your ring."

"Thank you, Captain."

"It's Ms. Burris."

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