Chapter 1

.

Hawkeye had been summonned to colonel Potter's office. Hawkeye didn't know what this was about, but assumed he was in trouble. It wouldn't be the first time, or the last. When he saw inspector Pratt, from the Judge Advocate General's office, Hawkeye feared he was in trouble and tried to mask his humor with some jokes.

.

Hawkeye: I guess you caught me, I've been evading my draft notice.

Pratt: I'd like to ask you some questions captain.

Hawkeye: Let me save you some time, I'm guilty.

Pratt: Guilty of what?

Hawkeye: Whatever. I'm so neurotic, whatever you say you have a pretty good chance of striking guilt. I'd like to plead guilty and throw myself on the mercy of the nurse's shower.

Potter: Pierce, we need you to take this seriously. Just a little bit.

Hawkeye: Okay, colonel, for you. What did you want to ask me?

Pratt: Do you remember a private Harris?

Hawkeye: No.

Pratt: According to our records, you saved his life about three months ago. It was a chest wound, if that helps.

Hawkeye: I'm afraid not, I've had a few million patients since I got here.

Pratt: At any rate, private Harris was killed last week, stepped on a landmine.

Hawkeye: I'm sorry to hear that. Why are you telling me this?

Pratt: It seems that, before he died, Harris changed his army insurance policy, and named you as his sole beneficiary.

Hawkeye: I don't get it, I don't even remember him. Why would he leave me this money?

Pratt: That's what the army is curious about. We just want to amke sure you didn't exert any, undue influence, on Harris, before you can collect...

.

This part made Hawkeye angry. The fact that a patient had died was tragic, but not completely unexpected in a war. But the idea that he had somehow conned this man into leaving him some money, that he could profit from another man's death, Hawkeye couldn't take that. He got up in a huff andstarted to walk out.

.

Pratt: I still have some questions captain.

Pierce: Let me state this as plainly as I can. I did not ask anyone to leave me any money. As for this money you can keep it.