The Burning Road to Divorce After the Fire novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Square

Kurt's POV

I had meant to knock.

Then Brent's truck came up the grade.

I stood in the barn doorway with the fire board's envelope in my hand.

I watched Lainey sign her name three times on his paper without a tremor.

I had never seen anything so clean.

When the truck was gone, she looked up and saw me.

"How long have you been there?"

"Since the pen."

"You could have said something."

"You didn't need me to."

She laughed, short and tired, and put her mug down on the step.

"What's in the envelope?"

"I haven't opened it."

"Why not?"

"Because I think I know what it is, and I don't know if I should take it."

She held out her hand.

I gave it to her, and she tore the flap with her thumb.

It was one page from the chair, in a heavy black pen.

Effective immediately, my leave was lifted.

I was restored to my rank, with back pay.

A formal letter of reprimand for the eleven minutes would stay in my file for the rest of my career.

Under that, in the chair's own hand, was one line.

The crew asked for you by name. So did I.

Lainey read it twice, and then she looked at me.

"You're not going to take it."

"I held a line on a road where a woman was dying."

"And then you told the truth about it in front of the whole state."

"Lainey."

"You stood in front of that board with no badge and no standing."

"You went to the base for the tape, and you carried that drive for two days so I wouldn't have to." She stepped closer. "Do you know how many men would have done all that?"

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