A captain.
Corrected publicly by a staff sergeant.
Not out of disrespect.
Out of necessity.
That was the power reversal Crawford had created.
He had begun the confrontation believing rank gave him automatic authority.
Now the Marines around him were measuring whether he deserved their confidence.
Crawford looked toward Jessica.
“You think you’re better than me?”
Jessica shook her head.
“No.”
“Then what do you want?”
The question sounded smaller now.
Almost exhausted.
Jessica answered carefully.
“I wanted to attend a Memorial Day ceremony with my mother.”
Crawford said nothing.
“I wanted to hear the names.”
His eyes flicked toward the memorial wall.
“I wanted to remember people.”
Her voice nearly broke.
Nearly.
Patricia heard it.
That tiny fracture affected her more than anything else.
Jessica continued.
“I did not come here to outrank anyone.”
Crawford looked down.
Jessica held up the patrol cap.
“This was supposed to stay under my arm all morning.”
