Mia Was Blamed for Taking Something From Aunt Rebecca’s Package — Then the Porch Camera Showed Who Really Reached Into the Box
Chapter 3 — Edward Never Served With Walter
Lauren remembered the medal from childhood.
Grandpa Edward kept it inside a wooden display cabinet.
He almost never talked about it.
When asked, he simply said:
“That one reminds me of somebody brave.”
Everyone assumed it was his.
But the medal looked older than Edward’s own service awards.
Rebecca opened a folder from the estate box.
Inside were Edward’s military records.
Dates.
Assignments.
Decorations.
The missing silver medal did not appear anywhere.
Lauren frowned.
“Then it wasn’t his.”
Rebecca looked through several photographs.
One showed a young Edward standing beside another soldier.
On the back:
EDWARD & FRANK — 1968.
Lauren recognized the surname beneath another handwritten note.
Frank Ellis.
She looked up.
“Walter’s brother?”
Rebecca nodded slowly.
Walter had once mentioned an older brother named Frank.
Frank died young.
That was all they knew.
Then Lauren found another photograph.
Frank was wearing the medal.
The same blue-and-white ribbon.
Same silver star-shaped design.
Rebecca sat down.
“So Mia was right.”
“About what?”
“Walter said it belonged to his family.”
Lauren turned the photograph over.
Another message had been written beneath the date.
I PROMISED FRANK I WOULD GIVE IT BACK WHEN THE TRUTH CAME OUT.
Lauren stared at the words.
“What truth?”
Rebecca shook her head.
Then Mia pointed toward the estate box.
“There’s another blue thing.”
Under several books was a blue envelope.
Across the front, Edward had written:
FOR WALTER ELLIS — IF HE EVER ASKS AGAIN.
