Chapter 3 - The Missing Supplies
The first real problem came two days later. Angela went to sign out gear for the field exercise. The supply sergeant looked nervous.
"Ma'am, we're short. Radios, batteries, night vision batteries. Enough that it won't pass inspection."
"Report it," Angela said.
"I did. To Sergeant Maddox. He said to 'adjust the numbers' and keep it quiet."
Angela pulled out her notebook. "Show me the discrepancy logs."
By evening, she had a list. Dates. Quantities. Signatures — all Maddox's. And the numbers were too large to be accidental. Hundreds of items. Thousands of dollars' worth.
That night, she found her grandfather on the porch of her temporary quarters. He'd been waiting.
"You found something," Walter said.
"Supply discrepancies. Massive. All signed by him."
Walter's jaw tightened. "I told the commander to watch him. Six months ago. Small things started disappearing then. I got overruled. 'Just old soldiers being careful.'"
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"What are we dealing with, Grandpa?"
"More than theft," Walter said quietly. "Cover-up. Favors. People who shouldn't have access getting it. And Maddox — he's not the only one involved. He's just the one holding the pen."
