Free A Time of Secrets by Deborah Burrows

happened after Eric left me last night.
    ‘Have you hurt your hand?’ I looked up, surprised. He gestured towards me. ‘You’re cradling it as if it’s hurting you.’
    A laugh bubbled up, almost hysterically, but I managed to reply, ‘Staff Sergeant Lund did that.’
    ‘Eric hurt you?’
    ‘He didn’t mean to.’ I realised Lieutenant Ross had referred to him as Eric. ‘I say, do you know him, sir?’
    His face was expressionless. ‘Yes, I know him. Go on. How did he hurt you without meaning to?’
    As I explained, I was annoyed to see a slight smile play around the corner of his mouth. ‘Eric never had any luck with women,’ he murmured. ‘Is that why you’re here? To get him into trouble for hurting you?’
    ‘Of course not. It was an accident. He didn’t mean to hurt me. Obviously, whatever he saw at the doorway was very important.’
    ‘Well, yes,’ he said. ‘Obviously, it was more important than you.’ There was a soft exhalation of air that was almost a laugh, and he twisted around in his chair to look out the window into the garden.
    My voice was curt. ‘I don’t blame him for the injury to my hand. I came here because I was worried about what I’d overheard.’
    Still looking out the window, the lieutenant shook his head and made a gesture with his hand, as if dismissing both me and what I’d just told him.
    ‘Sergeant Aldridge, it’s very good of you to take the trouble to race over here to tell me all this, but I suspect it was empty threats.’ As he hadn’t turned around, I addressed his back.
    ‘Who attacked you last night?’ I asked, then quickly added, ‘Sir.’
    He swung the chair around and touched his face. ‘How this happened is none of your damn business.’
    I drew back a little, but held his gaze. ‘Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. Were the men I overheard APLO operatives?’
    ‘How the hell should I know?’
    ‘I know a little bit more about it. I know that a man called Mike died on a mission that Staff Sergeant Lund was on.’
    ‘Did Eric tell you that?’ I thought he was surprised, but it was hard to read anything in his face, especially through the bruising.
    ‘No. I heard it last night from a woman at Leggett’s. She was a friend – a close friend – of the man, Mike, who died on the mission. She begged me not to report Staff Sergeant Lund for hurting me. He’d been to visit her, to tell her Mike was dead. He’d told her that Mike died a heroic death and he gave her Mike’s last letter.’
    Ross’s face had become flushed; when he spoke it was like a whiplash and this time I flinched.
    ‘She should have kept quiet about it. It’s all top secret. And Eric Lund should bloody well –’
    It was the first time I’d seen him display any emotion. I stood more to attention, shoulders back, arms stiffly at my side. I said nothing and waited for the fury in his eyes to subside. He drew in a breath and as he let it out slowly his face became expressionless again.
    ‘Eric Lund is an expert in unarmed combat,’ he said. ‘Did you know that?’ His voice was hard, almost bitter. ‘A brutal fighter.’
    I gave him a look I hoped was ironic. ‘He didn’t mention it when we were dancing.’
    Now I thought there was a little glimmer of laughter behind his eyes, but his voice when he spoke was cold.
    ‘Yes, Eric Lund’s a field operative. He’s one of the best we have. That means he’s tough and resourceful. And he can be ruthless. That information is secret. It’s all top bloody secret. I wish people would remember that.’
    ‘Yes, sir.’ I stared at the pips on his shoulder. ‘Is that all, sir?’
    Ross rose from his chair to stand behind the desk. His expression was cool, but the effect was undermined by the bruising and the black eye.
    ‘For the record, I think coming here with this information was the right thing to do. I’ll raise the matter with Captain Deacon. We may want to speak to you more about it.’
    ‘I’ve told you all I know.’ There was the