Chapter 16 - The First Indictments
The first charges involved Meridian executives.
False claims.
Contract fraud.
Obstruction.
Specific counts based on current evidence.
Nathan Sloane was indicted later on conspiracy, procurement-related fraud, and obstruction charges.
Not treason.
Not attempted murder.
Financial corruption.
Abuse of position.
Calvin Price cooperated on the surveillance issue and faced separate charges for identity and access violations connected to locating protected information.
Marcus was not immediately charged.
His lawyers negotiated cooperation.
He admitted old misconduct and more recent obstruction.
That did not guarantee leniency.
It guaranteed only that lies stopped multiplying.
I watched news coverage from June’s apartment.
Reporters kept showing my Army photo.
I hated it.
June handed me popcorn.
“Your old haircut was criminal.”
“Thank you.”
“Ranger looked good.”
“He always did.”
Then the reporter said:
Evelyn Hart, whose current identity remains subject to federal protection—
I turned the television off.
“I’m tired of being a sentence in other people’s stories.”
June looked at me.
“Then write your own.”
She meant metaphorically.
Still.
The next day I agreed to make one public statement through counsel.
Short.
No operational details.
No hero language.
“I reported concerns years ago because contracts involving military working dogs and public money deserved honest oversight. I later entered federal protection because threats were considered credible. I am cooperating with current investigations. I ask that the privacy of Cedar Falls residents and military personnel be respected.”
That was it.
No dramatic reveal.
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No accusations not yet proven.
Truth did not need decoration.
