Blake said nothing.
Daniel did.
“Yes, Senior Chief.”
Another sailor stood.
“I saw it too.”
Then a third.
The silence Blake had counted on disappeared one witness at a time.
The woman in the suit introduced herself to Victoria as Commander Laura Bennett, deputy director of the installation’s training systems office.
“Ms. Kane, I am sorry. This should never have happened.”
Victoria looked around the room.
“No,” she said. “It should not have. But I would still like lunch.”
Bennett blinked.
Victoria pointed to an empty table.
“I came here to meet people, not to become an incident report.”
Daniel almost smiled.
Bennett nodded.
“Then lunch first.”
She turned to the senior chief.
“Captain Warren reports to the duty office now.”
Blake looked toward Victoria as if searching for something in her expression. Anger. Satisfaction. Maybe fear.
She gave him none of those.
She was tired.
That seemed worse.
After he left, Daniel brought her a clean tray.
“Coffee?”
“Tea.”
“Right.”
He returned with tea.
The reason for Victoria’s visit came out slowly over lunch.
She had never worn a Navy uniform.
