Free Plain Truth (Military Investigations) by Debby Giusti

soldier’s head drooped. He turned and walked away from both of them, his shoulders shaking.
    Levi glanced at Zach but said nothing.
    Zach gave the soldier a minute to pull himself together, then stepped to the man’s side and touched his back. “You’re upset, Hugh. I understand that you want to find the person who hurt your wife, but you need to work with law enforcement and not take things into your own hands. If you harm or even antagonize Mr. Miller, I’ll be forced to haul you in. That’s not what you want.”
    The big guy pursed his lips and then blew out a breath. “I can’t stand seeing Mary Kate hurt like that. She’s hooked up to tubes and looks like she’s going to die.” He stared at Zach. “I saw enough death when I was deployed. I didn’t expect to come home to see my wife bloody and beaten. Do you understand why I want to fix her pain and make everything right?”
    “Of course I understand, but you’ve got to let law enforcement handle the investigation.” Zach passed his business card to the soldier. “I gave you my card last night, but here’s another one. Keep this in your barracks or your truck, and call me whenever you think of anything that might have bearing on the investigation. Or call if you want to check on what we’ve uncovered. I won’t hold back the truth from you, but you have to be forthright with me, as well.”
    The soldier nodded. “I told you everything I knew last night.”
    “Then why did you come here? What were you hoping to accomplish?”
    “I...I wanted to warn Miller to stay away from my wife.”
    Zach glanced at Levi and then turned back to Corporal Powers. “What makes you think Levi was interested in Mary Kate?”
    “My father-in-law saw them together more than once.”
    “Before you redeployed home?”
    “That’s right. He was worried about Mary Kate. Worried about her safety.”
    From what Zach knew about Mary Kate’s father, the old man was prone to jumping to the wrong conclusion, yet there had to be some semblance of truth in what he’d told his son-in-law.
    “Is everything okay?”
    Ella’s voice.
    Zach turned to see her standing at the side of the house. She walked toward Levi. “How’s Sarah?”
    “She’s sick again, and it troubles her. Her father says it’s Gott’s will, but she worries that it means something’s wrong with the baby.”
    “I told you the nausea had nothing to do with the baby’s condition. It’s caused by the hormones Sarah’s body is producing because she is pregnant.”
    “Her mother had no sickness, and she delivered healthy children.”
    “But Sarah is her own person. Every pregnancy is different.”
    Levi’s gaze darkened. “Yet Sarah was sick the first time.”
    “Again, Levi, that’s her body’s response to the pregnancy and doesn’t have anything to do with the well-being of this baby.”
    “I want to believe you, Dr. Jacobsen, but I still worry.”
    “I understand.” Ella patted his arm. “You love your wife, but you can believe me, Levi.”
    “I believe in Gott’s will. He may take this child like he took the first. Perhaps because of my mistake years ago.”
    Ella glanced at Zach and then back at Levi. “Your mistake?”
    “I was young and headstrong. My father said a man needs to keep his eyes to himself. He told me Gott would find a righteous woman. Instead I looked elsewhere.”
    Hugh turned, his face flushed with anger, and pointed to Levi. “Are you blaming Mary Kate for what happened? It was your fault, Miller. You’re a hypocrite. You told her you loved her, that you’d never leave her and that you could have a life together, but those were all lies.”
    Sadness washed over Levi’s face. “I did not lie.”
    “You didn’t do anything to help her. You lousy—”
    Zach grabbed the soldier’s arm. “Let’s all take a deep breath.”
    Hugh stopped and shook his head. “I’m not going to hurt him. I don’t touch men who don’t fight back and who don’t protect the