“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes.”
Crawford scoffed.
“Can we stop pretending she’s the victim here?”
The MP sergeant glanced at him.
Jessica looked over.
Crawford pointed at her.
“She came to a military ceremony in uniform with no visible rank, refuses identification, and makes accusations.”
Jessica said, “Correct.”
The answer confused him.
“What?”
“I’m not disputing those facts.”
Crawford looked around like he expected support.
“You hear that?”
Jessica continued.
“I’m disputing your conclusions.”
He stared at her.
The MP sergeant asked, “Ma’am, do you have military identification?”
“Yes.”
“Will you provide it to me?”
Jessica paused.
Then she nodded.
“Yes.”
Crawford laughed in triumph.
“There we go.”
Jessica ignored him.
She reached into a secure inner pocket.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
The crowd seemed to lean forward.
She removed a military identification card.
The MP sergeant accepted it.
He looked down.
His face changed.
