Chapter 6: The Soldier Who Was Framed
The entire hallway stopped moving when Marcus read the authorization record.
The name.
The signature.
The access code.
Everything pointed toward one person.
Sergeant Nia Carter.
But Marcus knew something the evidence did not.
Nia Carter would never make a mistake that careless.
“Lock down the system,” Marcus ordered.
The officer nodded.
“Already started.””
Nia stared at the tablet.
“I didn’t do this.””
Marcus looked at her.
“I know.””
The officer hesitated.
“Captain, respectfully, the system shows her credentials.””
Marcus turned.
“And systems can be manipulated.””
The officer said nothing.
Because he knew Marcus was right.
Nia looked toward the evidence room.
“Someone wants me to look guilty.””
Marcus nodded.
“They wanted you blamed for the crash.””
“And now they want me blamed for stealing evidence.””
Maya Brooks appeared at the end of the hallway.
She had heard enough.
“Someone is building a story.””
Everyone looked at her.
She stepped closer.
“They want the public to believe Sergeant Carter is unstable. Reckless. Responsible.””
Nia looked at her.
“Why?””
Maya lowered her voice.
“Because people stop asking questions when they already think they know the answer.””
Marcus looked at Evelyn.
The wealthy woman stood silently.
Watching.
Listening.
Nia noticed.
“You knew this would happen.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
“You knew someone was trying to destroy me.””
Evelyn looked away.
“Yes.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Explain.””
Evelyn closed her eyes.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then she said:
“My son found something.””
“What?”” Marcus asked.
“I don’t know.””
Nia stared.
“You just said he found something.””
Evelyn swallowed.
“He didn’t tell me everything.””
“What did he tell you?””
Evelyn looked at Nia.
“He said someone inside the military was using him.””
Marcus’s expression changed.
“Using him for what?””
“I don’t know.””
“Mrs. Cross.””
Her voice broke.
“He said if anything happened to him, I should find Sergeant Carter.””
Nia froze.
“What?””
Evelyn looked at her.
“I was supposed to find you.””
The hallway went silent.
Nia stepped back.
“Then why attack me?””
Evelyn’s eyes filled with regret.
“Because someone was watching.””
Marcus looked around.
“Who?””
Evelyn whispered:
“The same person who wanted you blamed.””
A phone suddenly rang.
Everyone looked down.
It was Evelyn’s.
She stared at the screen.
Fear returned instantly.
Marcus noticed.
“Answer it.””
Evelyn didn’t move.
“Mrs. Cross.””
Slowly, she picked up.
She pressed speaker.
A distorted voice filled the hallway.
“Stop digging.””
Nobody breathed.
Marcus moved closer.
“Who is this?””
The voice ignored him.
“You were warned.””
Evelyn gripped the phone.
“You said he would be safe.””
A pause.
Then the voice replied:
“He was.””
Nia felt a chill.
“Was?””
The voice continued.
“Now you’ve made it worse.””
Marcus signaled for officers to trace the call.
Nia stared at Evelyn.
“Who are you talking to?””
No answer.
Then the voice said one final thing.
“Ask Sergeant Carter why she was chosen.””
The call ended.
Everyone stood frozen.
Maya looked at Nia.
“What does that mean?””
Nia didn’t answer.
Because deep down, she had been asking the same question.
Why her?
Why was she attacked?
Why was her name used?
Why did the person behind the crash know exactly how to destroy her?
Marcus looked at the tablet again.
The false access request.
The stolen evidence attempt.
The hidden footage.
Then he noticed something.
A tiny detail.
A timestamp.
The request had been created before the crash.
He looked at Nia.
“Sergeant.””
She turned.
“This wasn’t planned after the accident.””
Marcus held up the tablet.
“It was planned before.””
Nia felt the weight of those words.
Someone had prepared to frame her before anyone knew there would be a crash.
Which meant one thing.
The crash was never the beginning.
It was the final step of a plan that started long before.
Marcus looked toward the evidence room.
“We need to find out what your connection is.””
Nia stared at the black SUV outside the window.
The vehicle that started everything.
The vehicle that held the answer.
Then her phone buzzed.
Everyone looked.
A new message appeared.
No number.
No name.
Just three words.
*YOU REMEMBER NOTHING.*
Nia’s face went pale.
Because she knew those words.
She had heard them before.
May you like
But she couldn’t remember where.
Or who had said them.
