Bonus Letter
CPO CARTERSON
CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS
Dear Mr. Tony Madelyn,
I am writing to share information that I believe would greatly benefit you.
I do not have children of my own, but if I did, I would want to be well informed if their health and/or safety were in jeopardy.
I have reason to believe that your daughter, Elle, is in danger of settling into a future with the wrong man—a man far below the kind she deserves.
Ships can’t travel in the direction they’re destined for if they’re anchored in the wrong location, and Elle is currently tied to a man who is disrespecting her beyond belief.
Recruit Jesse Jenkins joined my division in February and was recently caught on surveillance performing sexual acts with a female recruit in a storage locker.
Not only is coed mingling against policy, but it is unacceptable behavior for a man of his fortune.
Fortune so good that he somehow had the privilege of being with your daughter.
Recruit Jenkins has been removed from the boot camp training program and will remain in a holding division until his disciplinary review is complete and further action is determined. It could be weeks or months; I have no set date yet.
I was responsible for cleaning out Jesse’s bunk and personal belongings, and in doing so, I came across the letters he had exchanged with Elle—letters that your daughter had poured her heart and soul into as she counted down the days until Recruit Jenkins’s graduation ceremony.
Her letters display a level of dedication that I’m sure you are incredibly proud of. As I explained, Jesse will not attend his graduation ceremony on March 31st, but I know your daughter has already planned to fly to Illinois and stay for the weekend.
If Elle’s letters indicate the type of person she is and the kind of family she comes from, the brand of broken trust she will experience when she arrives will be earth-shattering.
She deserves so much more.
With this being said, I do not want to start on a lie with you, so I will tell you the truth before making my request—I have been writing letters back to your daughter, in Jesse’s name, since he was caught.
Sir, I must apologize ahead of time, but I could not allow the flow of letters to her to stop and break the spirit of such a pure soul.
Reading through their letters was an invasion of privacy, but it was also incredibly eye-opening to learn that people like your daughter existed.
People with drive and ambition, loyalty and grace, humor and intelligence.
I feel drawn to her in ways I can’t explain.
With your permission, I’d like to explain this situation to Elle in person and show her video evidence of Jesse’s wrongdoings so she can move on with her life and never look back.
I assure you that I have her best interests at heart and will do everything I can to soften the blow of her heartbreak, offering her support in any way possible.
Surprisingly, I met Elle at Coastal Pensacola College several years back. I believe she will feel comfortable with me, having met me before.
Maybe I’m not the man for her. But there’s a chance fate has brought us together in this unusual way to teach us something.
I will never push your daughter into a relationship; I know she will need time to heal.
My only goal is to prove to Elle that good men still exist in the world so she can keep her heart open to the right man when the time is right for her.
I would never do any of this without your permission.
Please call me at the number listed below so that I can answer any questions you may have. I would love the opportunity to get to know you as well. I want to ensure that you feel comfortable with my role in this situation.
One day, I hope we can show Elle this letter together and reflect on our beginning. Until then, I’d like your permission to help Elle the same way she has helped me—by ensuring that no matter which direction the winds take her, she anchors herself exactly where she deserves to be.
I am greatly looking forward to speaking with you and perhaps meeting you someday.
All my best,
Austin