Chapter 19 - The Final Reclaiming
We sat together on a wooden bench outside Machine Shop 4 for over an hour, watching the dark water of the harbor.
Thomas told me everything about the stolen parts, the forged documents, and how my father had betrayed him without mercy.
He told me how my father had threatened to cut off my mother and leave her destitute if Thomas didn't take the fall.
Thomas had sacrificed his entire life so two little girls wouldn't be thrown onto the streets by a cowardly father.
"What happens now, Claire?" Thomas asked, looking at my white uniform, which now had grease smudges on the sleeves.
"Your father... he's going to lose everything when this gets out, isn't he?"
"He brought this on himself, Thomas," I answered coldly, watching the silver moonlight reflect off the quiet harbor water.
"NCIS re-opened the official investigation file two hours ago based on Vice Admiral Vance's formal sworn statement."
"Federal prosecutors are already reviewing the old accounting records and fraudulent real estate transfers."
"Arthur Bennett will finally face the justice he ran away from thirty-six years ago."
Thomas let out a long, heavy sigh, a weight lifting from his lungs that he had been carrying for over half his life.
My phone rang in my pocket.
It was Melanie.
I answered it and placed it on speaker so Thomas could hear.
"Claire...?" Melanie cried into the receiver, her voice completely broken and frantic.
"The police are at Dad's house... Ethan's family canceled the wedding reception... Ethan left with his parents..."
"Mom is screaming at Dad, and Dad is just sitting on the floor staring at the wall... what did you do?!"
I looked at Thomas, then looked back out at the gray warships resting peacefully in the dark Norfolk harbor.
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"I didn't do anything, Melanie," I said with absolute, unyielding clarity.
"The Navy just finally cleared the deck."
