Free Solemn Duty (1997) by Leonard B Scott Page A

you, Eli?"
    Jerome rolled his eyes. "Yeah, get Barb back; she'd probably love to work on his cramps. Go on, hon, get the car.
    Ashley, you get his right arm and I'll get his left. Good. On one, lift. One . . . "
    Millie poured Ashley a cup of coffee and glanced toward the room where Eli was sprawled on the couch. "I gave him some muscle relaxers, I hope it helps."
    "He was in a lot of pain. I'm surprised he didn't show it more," Ashley said.
    "He's a Tanner. Oh, just listen to me! That's bull. My Jerome is the biggest baby I know when he's sick or hurt. Eli is different. He knows pain a lot more than the rest of us. The Vietnam War did that to him. He came back different Not in a bad way, you understand, just different. He went through hell during his therapy, broke my heart seeing him like that, but he made it"
    "Does he have children?' Ashley asked.
    Millie gave her guest a questioning stare. "How did you know he'd been married?'
    "His file. The SAC gave me a copy to read so I would know about him."
    "It's just more pain that he had to endure," Millie said, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Yes, he has a son, but he hasn't seen him in almost ten years. It's a long story you probably don't want to hear."
    "No, please, Millie. How come he hasn't seen him?"
    Sitting down at the kitchen table, Millie shook her head.
    "You have to understand, Eli is a very dedicated agent almost to a fault. His wife, Kathy, wanted him to quit the Bureau and get a job where he could spend more time with the family. Eli loved the boo . . . he couldn't give it up. Kathy pretty much gave up on him . . . started messing around with a doctor. Eli found out and confronted the doctor, who made the error of telling Eli he wasn't good enough for Kathy. Eli kind of lost . . . The doctor required twenty stitches and about two months of drinking his meals through straws while his rewired jaw healed. Of course there were charges filed against Eli, but because of the circumstances, he got off lightly . . . but he wasn't so lucky during the divorce proceedings. With the help of the doctor, Kathy got herself a high roller lawyer who used the assault as a means of keeping Eli from even having visitation rights. It was sickening. The lawyer called Eli dangerous, violent, and other horrible things that just weren't true.
    The judge, a friend of the lawyer, ruled in Kathy's favor. Eli was not allowed to see his son or to communicate with him in any way except by letter."
    Millie sighed and leaned back in her chair. "It almost killed Eli. It took a long time for him to accept the decision . . . and I still don't think he really has. He's just learned to cover it up for our benefit."
    "I would have thought a man like Eli would have remarried."
    "Ashley, the divorce and separation from his son changed him in a way even the war couldn't. It killed something inside him-relationships with women come very hard for him. He's had a couple of close calls over the years but it never seems to work out. Jerome and I are still hoping. We want to see him happy."
    Ashley saw her opening and took it. "Your husband was lucky he still had connections and could get Eli assigned here in Columbus. It must be nice knowing he'll be right here in town."
    Chuckling as if knowing an inside joke, Millie slowly shook her head side to side. "Jerome pull strings? That's almost funny. When he retired from the boo he was bitter, frustrated, sick and tired of the political wrangling. He didn't want anything to do with them ever again. To this day he has never spoken to any of his former superiors. Don't get me wrong, the boo was good to us; it's just that the higher you rise, the more political the job becomes. For years it was fun. But when Jerome made SAC of the Atlanta office, it got ugly. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be telling you all this; you probably love the boo, and it's not fair for me to paint such a bleak picture of what lies ahead for you. I'm sure you enjoy your work very much."
    "I-I must