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As soon as they were alone, Jacques asked Danny, “Are you okay?”

She nodded. “I am. After all these years of not knowing who he was, I’ll be glad when we have the truth, and I can put a face to the coward.” She reached for his hand.

He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “It’s going to happen.”

“I’m past ready.” Her gaze shot to the door as it opened.

“I arranged for this room to conduct our interview,” Remy said and entered first.

“That’s good. We don’t need an audience, and I’d like to get this over with so I can get back to the office.” Major Todd Beaumont stepped through, his gaze going to Jacques and then Danny. “I thought this interview was to be between just me and you.”

“I didn’t think you’d mind if my colleague, Mr. Jardin, and Ms. French sat in,” Remy said, “considering Ms. French is our client, and Mr. Jardin is her assigned protector.”

Beaumont’s brow furrowed. “Hale said you had questions about a hotel room. He didn’t mention anything else.”

“Please, Major Beaumont, have a seat.” Remy waved to the chair across from Danny. “We only have a few questions. It shouldn’t take long. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about.”

Beaumont hesitated for a long moment, then pulled out a chair and sat, holding his head high. “I have nothing to hide.”

Jacques’s eyes narrowed slightly. The man was lying. He suspected the answers he’d give would be more lies.

Remy started by reviewing what Hale had told them about paying for the hotel rooms Beaumont had reserved outside Fort Benning and the date of the transaction.

“It was a routine favor for contractors to pick up a check now and then,” Beaumont said.

“What was the purpose for reserving rooms at that particular hotel?”

“As Colonel Jeffries’s aide, I often arrange lodging for his associates.”

“Do you have the names of the associates who occupied the rooms you reserved?”

“I do not. I’m not at liberty to discuss the colonel’s private associates, and he is under no obligation to share that information with me.”

“Were you aware Ms. French had reserved a room at that hotel for that specific night?” Remy asked.

Beaumont frowned. “No.”

“Even though Ms. French had to clear it through the commander to be able to spend a night off post while assigned to a training billet?”

“I don’t review all the requests. I was not aware of her request.”

Danny leaned forward, her face an unreadable mask. “Major Beaumont, we have it on record that you stopped by the barracks the morning after that reservation you made and inquired whether I’d returned to the barracks.” She met and held his gaze. “Why?”

“As a courtesy to ensure all soldiers are where they’re supposed to be.” The man shifted in his chair but held her gaze.

“Asking if I had returned would presume you knew I had been out.”

“Your class had just graduated. I assumed all of you would have gone out to celebrate. As the only female in the class to make it through, I wanted to check that you returned.”

Danny’s lips pressed together, and her eyes narrowed.

Jacques wasn’t buying the man’s answer either. “Major Beaumont, are you familiar with this particular text message sent to Joe Sarley two days ago with instructions for him to follow Ms. French and break into her apartment to recover certain papers?” Jacques held out his cell phone with the screenshot of the texts sent to Sarley.

Beaumont stared at the messages and shook his head. “I’m not familiar with anyone named Joe Sarley.”

“You didn’t send these messages and pay the man in cash to follow through?” Jacques persisted. “Then you didn’t send a gunman to shoot Mr. Sarley to shut him up about stealing documents from Ms. French’s apartment.”

Beaumont’s eyes widened. “Someone shot him?”