Chapter 1
Colonel Overhears Her Fiancé Plotting to Use Her Security Clearance the Day Before Their Military Wedding.
Colonel Emily Mercer stood in front of the long mirror inside Dobbins Uniform & Tailoring while Frank Dobbins adjusted the left shoulder seam of her black Army dress uniform.
The cedar-toned shop smelled of polished wood, brass, pressed wool, and shoe wax.
Dress uniforms hung in perfect rows along the walls.
A measuring tape rested around Frank’s neck.
Emily’s medals and ribbons caught the daylight from the open storefront.
For the first time all week, she almost allowed herself to breathe.
Tomorrow, she was supposed to marry Captain Daniel Whitaker.
Then the shop bell rang.
Frank’s hand tightened suddenly around Emily’s upper arm.
His face changed.
Not surprise.
Fear.
Before Emily could ask what was wrong, he pulled her behind the heavy brown fitting-room curtain.
“Colonel, whatever you hear, don’t come out.”
The curtain closed.
Through the narrow gap, Emily saw Daniel step into the shop with Lieutenant Evan Price beside him.
Daniel looked polished in his dress uniform, gloves in one hand, confidence easy on his face.
He did not know Emily was three feet away.
Frank raised his phone and began recording.
Daniel glanced at the uniform racks.
“Once she marries me, her clearance opens every door.”
Emily’s breath stopped.
Evan shifted nervously near the counter.
“And the procurement files?”
Daniel smiled.
He reached for a small cuff-link box resting on the polished wood.
“Gone by Monday. Then I tell the board she’s unstable.”
Behind the curtain, Emily’s trembling hand became completely still.
The man she planned to marry was not nervous about vows.
He was planning access.
Frank lifted one arm to keep her hidden when she moved toward the curtain.
Emily lowered his arm with calm force.
From her pocket, she removed the matching cuff link Frank had given her to inspect.
She slid it silently through the gap onto the counter.
“No, Frank. Let him find the cuff links.”
Daniel noticed the metal flash.
His smile disappeared.
May you like
Slowly, he turned toward the moving curtain.
Read Chapter 2 👉 Because Emily did not step out to confront him; she let the cuff link tell Daniel that someone had heard every word.
