Precious Stones Read Online Free PDF Page B

Keilah just wants to be treated as an adult and with respect. You’re welcome here anytime as long as you call first. Are we clear on the rules of visiting?”
    Malachi held his wineglass out to his brother-in-law and his sister and said, “Crystal clear and, sis, I’m sorry if I overstepped my boundaries. It’s hard for me to accept you being all grown up, but I’m going to work on it. Okay?”
    Keilah climbed out of her chair and walked around the table and hugged her brother’s neck. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and said, “That’s all I want. Thank you.”
    The three of them touched their wineglasses together, and with that, the issue was resolved.
    Â 
    Major Michael Monroe stepped off the plane at Andrews Air Force Base in full dress uniform. He stopped to take in a breath of fresh air and said, “It’s good to be home.”
    The two military personnel accompanying him said, “I’m sure it is, sir.”
    Major Monroe had been missing in action in Iraq for over a year, with his fate unknown to his family and his unit, until he was found in a house by patrolling units in Baghdad . He also happened to be the main character in Keilah’s nightmares ever since they’d broken up a little over a year ago. Being in Iraq had given him a lot of time to think things over. Now he was back, and he had some unfinished business that he needed to take care of, but first things first. Michael and his entourage entered a government vehicle, which quickly drove them in the direction of the Pentagon.
    Inside the shiny halls of the Department of Defense, Major Monroe took a seat in an office and prepared himself for his debriefing and his recounting of what was a remarkable story of survival.

Chapter Three
    It was nearly eight o’clock in the evening when the doorbell rang once again at the Stone residence. Malachi and Ramsey were watching a football game in the theater room. Keilah was upstairs giving Neariah her bedtime bath, unaware that their friend Kyle Bradford had called, needing to speak with them, and had conversed briefly with Ramsey. Ramsey had picked up on the urgency in Kyle’s tone of voice, so he invited him over and decided to keep the phone call to himself until he found out what was really going on. Kyle worked at the Pentagon, and not only did he hold a prestigious position, but he was also one of D.C’s most eligible bachelors.
    Shaking Kyle’s hand after letting him in the house, Ramsey said, “I thought you were out of town.”
    Following Ramsey into his office, Kyle said, “I got back this morning.”
    Ramsey closed the door to his office to give them some privacy.
    Kyle sat down across from Ramsey’s desk and asked, “Where’s Keilah?”
    â€œUpstairs, giving Neariah a bath,” Ramsey answered. “What’s going on? Because this doesn’t feel like a social visit.”
    Kyle leaned forward and said, “I wanted to talk to you guys before this hits the media.”
    â€œWhat?” Ramsey asked with concern.
    â€œSome of what I’m about to tell you is classified, so you know you can’t repeat it outside the house.”
    â€œYou know I understand the rules,” Ramsey assured him.
    Kyle took a deep breath and then said, “Major Michael Monroe has resurfaced. A unit found him in a house with an Iraqi family. According to him, his Humvee was ambushed by insurgents and he was the only one who survived. He was held prisoner for the past year. He said they moved him around from house to house to try and stay ahead of the American troops.”
    â€œYou’re kidding, right?” Ramsey asked, even though he knew Kyle would not kid about something of this magnitude.
    â€œNo, I’m not kidding. I saw him with my own eyes. He looked remarkable well, considering what he’s gone through. He still has a lot more debriefing to go through, and he has to have a psych