They Mocked the Homeless Veteran Until He Fought Back

Chapter 004

Andrew dusted off his hands, turned to grab his beat-up duffel bag, and slung it over his shoulder before walking away without a backward glance. No one moved to stop him. The reason was simple enough: they didn't dare.

Minutes later, several police cars converged from different directions, screeching to a halt as more than a dozen officers spilled out in coordinated precision. They sealed off the scene with practiced efficiency.

Mara was among them.

When she learned who the culprit was, her anger flared all over again. She climbed back into her patrol car and began scouring the streets, hunting for any trace of him.

By then, Andrew had already slipped into a cab and was on his way to Rivercrest Estates.

The sun dipped low, painting the city in warm, amber light that made everything look almost beautiful. As the streetlights flickered to life, Andrew stepped out of the taxi and stood for a long moment, staring up at the residential complex before him.

Rivercrest Estates was one of Ashridge's most exclusive addresses, a haven for the wealthy and well-connected. Anyone who lived here had either money or influence, usually both.

Andrew let out a low breath. "Mickey really landed himself a good wife. What a waste, leaving behind a setup like this to go off on some mission."

He knew his comrade well enough to know Mickey could never have afforded a place like this on his own. It had all been his wife's doing, purchased before they'd even married.

Steeling himself, Andrew walked up to the security booth and offered a polite smile. "Hey, could you help me out? I'm looking for a Ms. Claire Bennett in Building A, unit 606."

The guard glanced at him with barely concealed suspicion. "Sorry, we don't contact residents for visitors. You'll have to call her yourself."

"I don't have her number. Could you just let me through? I promise I'm not here to cause trouble."

The guard waved him off dismissively. "Absolutely not. What if you're a thief? If anything goes missing, I'm the one who gets fired. Move along now."

With that, the guard slid the window shut with a decisive click.

Andrew stood there, helpless, peering past the gates at the luxurious grounds beyond. Finally, he turned and walked away.

He lingered outside until well past midnight. When the complex had gone quiet and still, he circled around to a deserted section of the perimeter wall. With practiced ease, he scaled the ten-foot barrier and dropped silently into the grounds on the other side.

He'd barely made it a few steps when soft, breathless moans drifted from a dense patch of shrubbery nearby. Curious despite himself, Andrew crept closer.

Parting the bushes just enough to see through, he glimpsed two figures tangled together on the grass, clothes scattered around them.

"Was that a security guard with a wealthy older woman?"

Andrew's eye twitched as the details came into focus.

The man still wore the distinctive cap of a Rivercrest Estates guard. He looked to be in his early forties, reasonably fit. Beneath him was a woman who had to be at least fifty, her midsection sporting several rolls of excess flesh. Still, her skin was well-maintained and surprisingly pale in the dim light.

An alarm suddenly began beeping behind him, and several agile figures came sprinting in his direction.

The noise startled not only Andrew but also the amorous pair in the grass. They sprang apart, fumbling frantically to pull their clothes back on.

"Over here! Hurry!" Andrew shouted unhelpfully, then plunged straight through the bushes. The couple let out matching yelps of shock. The man nearly collapsed from fright.

Andrew flashed past them and bolted in the opposite direction, weaving through the grounds until he reached the base of Building A.

"Are you kidding me? An electronic lock too?"

He stared at the sleek keypad door barring the entrance, exhaling hard through his nose. Without hesitation, he secured the beat-up duffel bag more tightly across his back and began scaling the exterior wall with his bare hands.

City apartment buildings had one advantage, at least: their facades were complex enough to offer plenty of handholds. Andrew climbed with steady confidence, hauling himself up floor by floor until he reached a hallway window. He slipped through, landing softly on the interior stairs, and made his way to unit 606.

The doorbell chimed when he pressed it. Several minutes passed before the door cracked open just a sliver.

A pleasant voice drifted out. "Who is it?"

"Hello. My name is Andrew. I served with Ethan Reed," he said, standing at attention with military formality.

"My brother-in-law's comrade? Do you have any proof?"

Andrew paused. So it wasn't Claire who'd answered, it was her younger sister.

He reached up and unclasped the jade pendant from around his neck, slipping it through the narrow gap in the door.

Mickey had worn that pendant constantly. Claire had been the one to give it to him. If anyone would recognize it, it would be her.

Sure enough, after a few tense minutes, the door flew open. A beautiful woman in a pale pink nightgown stood in the doorway, clutching the jade pendant tightly in her delicate hands.

"Ma'am," Andrew said, snapping into a crisp salute.

"Where is he? Why didn't he come back with you?"

Claire rushed barefoot into the hallway, her eyes already red-rimmed as she looked frantically in both directions, searching for any sign of Ethan.

Andrew let out a slow breath. He opened the beat-up duffel bag, carefully removed a small urn, and cradled it in both hands. His voice was steady, solemn. "Ethan was killed in the line of duty when a classified mission went wrong. I've brought him home."

Thud.

Claire's face went white. Her legs gave out beneath her and she crumpled to the floor, staring in disbelief at the urn with Ethan's photograph affixed to it.

A young woman rushed out from inside the apartment, kneeling beside Claire and wrapping an arm around her shoulders, murmuring quiet reassurances.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am. Please accept my deepest condolences," Andrew said, his voice tight with restrained emotion. He had to hold himself together. If he broke down now, Claire would shatter completely.

They'd been married less than six months. Ethan had spent less than a day at home before being called away on assignment. And now, after all that time apart, this was what had returned in his place. A small wooden box.

Andrew remembered what Ethan had told him before his own discharge: that he and Claire had been husband and wife in name only, never truly together, and that the guilt of it gnawed at him constantly.

"Come on, let's go back inside," the younger woman whispered gently, helping Claire to her feet and guiding her back into the apartment.

Andrew remained in the hallway, standing rigidly at attention. He didn't move, didn't waver.

More than half an hour passed before the young woman emerged again, her expression heavy with grief. She accepted the urn from his hands with careful reverence.

"Would you like to come in for a moment?" she asked quietly.

"Thank you for the offer, but I should be going. Please take care of yourselves. I'll come visit again soon."

Andrew saluted once more, reaching for his beat-up duffel bag and turning back toward the hallway window.

The young woman hurried after him, catching hold of his sleeve. "Please, just come in for a little while. Tell my sister what really happened. She deserves to know."

Andrew hesitated, then nodded. "All right. Thank you for having me."

The young woman gave him a small, grateful smile. "I'm Tessa Bennett. Just call me Tessa."

"Will do."

Andrew nodded firmly. He couldn't help but notice how delicate and doll-like Tessa looked, her features almost too pretty to be real. His face warmed slightly.

He followed Tessa into the apartment, and the opulence inside nearly overwhelmed him. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, refracting light in shimmering rainbows across every surface. The entire space was decorated in warm, inviting tones, every corner meticulously designed without a single flaw in sight.