That made him dangerous in a different way.
Not tactically.
Socially.
He needed to win.
Jessica had encountered men like that in places far more dangerous than a ceremony.
The location changed.
The psychology did not.
Crawford leaned closer.
“You’re making this worse for yourself.”
Jessica answered, “No.”
“You refuse identification.”
“Yes.”
“You accuse a Marine officer of drinking.”
“Yes.”
“You’re disrupting a Memorial Day ceremony.”
Jessica looked at the crowd.
Then back at him.
“You grabbed me.”
That simple sentence shifted something.
People heard it differently now.
Not a military issue.
Not rank.
Not stolen valor.
A man had grabbed a woman who repeatedly told him to stop.
Everything else suddenly looked like justification after the fact.
The staff sergeant spoke.
“Sir.”
Crawford snapped toward him.
“What?”
“You should let her go.”
The air tightened.
Crawford stared at him.
“You giving me advice?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did I ask for it?”
