Juniper had hidden beneath Talia's guest bed and seemed content to judge the situation from there. I envied her ability to make a place temporarily inaccessible simply by refusing to emerge.
Walter asked whether I wanted the old chain hardware kept. I said yes, if it had not already been discarded.
He put the broken pieces in a labeled envelope and documented the repair separately. He did not turn them into official evidence himself; he made it possible to explain where they had been.
My mother sent an email before noon. It began with concern for my mental health and ended with a request to restore the transfer before the bank imposed more fees.
I forwarded it to a folder and did not answer.
At work, I told First Sergeant Calvin Rhodes what I had already reported to Vega. He asked whether my family had keys and whether anyone else should be told not to give out my schedule.
The questions were practical. I appreciated that, though part of me still expected every conversation to end with someone saying a good daughter would have found a different way.
Late that afternoon, an unknown number called. I let it go to voicemail.
Detective Price asked me to contact him about a report my parents had made. He did not describe the allegations in the message.
I called back from a quiet room with Vega aware of the conversation. Price said my family alleged I had threatened them during Wednesday's confrontation.
"You have my call," I said. "I called for help."
"We are obtaining the relevant records. I need to ask whether you displayed or possessed a firearm during that encounter."
The word seemed to arrive from a different story.
"No."
"Do you keep a handgun in the apartment?"
"No."
He asked whether I would come in to discuss it. I said I wanted legal advice before agreeing to a detailed interview.
He gave me his contact information. The conversation ended without an argument, and I sat staring at the number as though it might change if I stopped looking.
Vega helped me identify where to seek appropriate assistance without offering to become my civilian defense lawyer. A military legal office could explain its role and limits; the criminal allegation required independent counsel with the right practice.
I called an attorney named Rachel Finch and left a message. Her office arranged a consultation for Friday afternoon.
I did not reach that appointment as an ordinary visitor.
Friday morning, I went home with Talia waiting outside while I collected a prescription and checked the apartment. The police arrived before I finished making coffee.
Price showed me the warrant and explained the search. I read my name, my address, and the description of the evidence sought.
My parents had supplied statements. Paige supported them. They said I had drawn a handgun, threatened to kill them, and hidden it in the couch when I realized the police were coming.
My mother described me as unstable since returning from service overseas. My father cited the money dispute as proof I had become irrational.
The words were familiar pieces of my life rearranged into something I did not recognize.
Talia remained outside the search area and gave the officers her information. She did not try to outrank the situation or promise my uniform made the allegation impossible.
I stood at the kitchen counter while they searched. I watched a person approach the couch where Paige had stood before leaving.
The cushion lifted. Price stopped, called the documenting officer closer, and told me to keep my hands visible.
I had been frightened before that moment. Now I understood that someone could manufacture the kind of fear other people considered a reason not to believe me.
When he asked whether the gun was mine, I answered clearly. Then I asked for my attorney and made myself stop explaining before panic could turn every remembered detail into another sentence I would later struggle to place in order.
Before they took me from the apartment, I asked that Juniper's carrier remain with Talia. Grant confirmed the arrangement. I remembered being absurdly grateful that somebody answered that small question directly while every larger part of my life seemed to have become a dispute.
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