Private Howell - Phan

Chapter 6

"Howell, I swear to God if you miss one more of my calls!”

“Sir, I apologize. I was investigating -”

“No! You've been investigating all week! Yes, some cases take longer, but boy, this is an open-close case! Did or didn't he do it?!”

“Commander, sir! I'm telling you it couldn't have been Phil. He must've been framed somehow.”

“Who the hell is Phil?”

“Lester, sir.”

“Why do you call him by his first name, boy? Are you too close with him?”

Dan's mind was still giddy from his talk with Phil. Phil likes me! And I am more than a tool to him!

“Howell?!”

“Sir! No sir!”

“I don't know what you've taken such a fancy to that one, but I'm giving you one more week to prove him innocent, else I'm bringing in backup to get him myself. I'm trusting you, private!”

“Have I ever let you down before?”

“Do not talk back to me!”

Of course he hadn't, but the commander didn't like to be asked questions – rhetorical or not. “My apologies, sir.”

“Prove him guilty, or prove someone else. I don't have time to waste on you. Hear me?!”

“Sir! Yes sir! I will find who it is as soon as possible, sir!”

“Don't you dare let me find out you were wrong.” The commander quickly hung up on him.

The first thing Dan did that night was go out to find out more on the other residents. One of them must have framed Phil. He interviewed only a few people that might have an idea of who it was without blowing his cover. He used the old “do you have something I might like,” trick to lure them. None of them gave in.

Dan sighed. It was almost midnight, and he'd gotten nowhere. “What am I going to do? Phil's innocent, I know it!” If he couldn't prove him innocent, the commander would come and arrest him himself. He might even lose his position as head general. Somehow, that hadn't crossed Dan's mind in days. Keeping Phil safe had become the top priority.

 "I like you, Dan. A lot, you know."