It wasn’t just photos of a domestic dispute.
It was a spreadsheet. Thousands of line items detailing shipping manifests originating from the Ferguson Logistics deepwater terminal in Wilmington.
“Look at the destination codes, ma’am,” Vance said, pointing a scarred finger at the lower quadrant. “Ferguson Logistics is an approved second-tier contractor for military supply staging. They were moving standardized sea-containers out of the port under military priority shipping manifests. But half the containers listed on these manifests never cleared Department of Transportation weighing stations.”
“Ghost freight,” I murmured.
“Worse,” Vance said. “High-end dual-use electronics, night-vision components, and advanced navigation systems. Diverted from military supply channels, relabeled as agricultural replacement parts, and shipped to unauthorized intermediaries in Eastern Europe and the Persian Gulf.”
I stared at the glowing tablet screen, the pieces clicking together with terrifying clarity.
“Nicholas wasn’t just beating my daughter because he’s a pathetic, cowardly bully,” I said, my voice dropping an octave. “He beat her because she discovered an international treason operation operating out of their backyard.”
“And that’s why Patricia Ferguson is calling every politician between Raleigh and Washington,” Vance added. “They know if this gets into federal hands, they aren’t just facing state assault charges. They’re facing twenty years in ADX Florence.”
A sharp knock sounded at the door.
Captain Evelyn Reed stepped inside. Reed was thirty-four, sharp-featured, with short blonde hair pulled into a regulation bun. She wore the insignia of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps on her lapel, her uniform immaculate despite the ungodly hour.
“Colonel Gardner,” Reed said, snapping a brief salute. “We have a situation.”
“Speak, Captain.”
“Five minutes ago, an emergency administrative inquiry was filed through the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel at the Pentagon. Senator Walter Sterling’s office has formally accused you of utilizing active-duty personnel and military vehicles to conduct an unauthorized civilian abduction in Mecklenburg County.”
I smiled, though there was no humor in it. “Sterling was the ranking member on the Armed Services Committee before he took the state senate seat. Patricia moved fast.”
“That’s not all, ma’am,” Reed continued, opening a manila folder. “The Ferguson family’s attorney has filed an emergency ex parte protective order in Mecklenburg County District Court, claiming Abigail Ferguson is a mentally compromised individual who was unlawfully removed from her lawful marital residence. They’ve dispatched county deputies to serve the order at the front gate of Fort Liberty.”
“Let them bring it,” I said quietly.
“Ma’am, with respect,” Captain Reed said, stepping closer, “Senator Sterling is threatening to cut base infrastructure funding for the upcoming fiscal cycle if Major General Davies doesn’t immediately relieve you of command and order Abigail turned over to state authorities.”
I set my coffee cup down on the table, walked over to the bed where Abigail was sleeping, and gently pulled the blanket up over her bruised shoulders.
“Captain Reed,” I said without looking back.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Draft a formal request for an emergency transfer of jurisdiction under Title 18 of the United States Code, Section 371—Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. Include the S-6 cyber recovery logs, the forensic injury sequence from Womack, and the Department of Defense logistics manifests.”
I turned around, meeting the JAG officer’s eyes.
“Then call the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office. Tell them Colonel Rachel Gardner requests a personal meeting at 0800 hours. And if Senator Sterling calls Major General Davies again…”
I paused, leaning forward.
“…tell General Davies that I am about to burn the Ferguson family’s kingdom to the ground, and he’d better decide right now which side of the fire line he wants to stand on.”
***
