It was early in the morning.  While one of the last nice days of fall beckoned him to at least gaze outside his window for a while, Admiral AJ Chegwidden sat at his desk and was determined that he would work throughout the day without allowing any outside force to seduce him.  Lately too much outside his office had claimed his thoughts and attention.  He promised himself that dedication to; if not duty and justice, then to the paperwork that came with it would be his only priority.  SecNav expected the report for Congress to be done no later than tomorrow morning and AJ wasn’t half done with it. 

AJ paused and allowed that at least the morning meeting had gone smoothly for a change.  Of course there were only four of them present, Mac, Bud, Singer and he.  He was glad that he had sent Rabb on the Anderson case in San Diego.  Let him deal with his mother and the mess that he had made of his life away from the office for a change.  That thought had started AJ thinking about the last six months, he sighed deeply.

It had been a horrible six months. 

He still cringed at the last encounter he had had with Sydney Walden.  She had seemed like a wonderful woman when they had started dating.  They had been almost two months into the relationship before he had met her son.  And while she had talked about him much more than he had ever talked about Francesca, he had figured that that was what proud mothers did.  Then he had met Danny Walden and had known from the beginning that there was something about the boy that he had not liked.  AJ had always prided himself on being a fair man, and he tried to see Sydney and his romance through her son’s eyes and had cut the kid some slack.   In the end it had been more than that and by the time AJ had rescued his car from the police impound and confronted Sydney about her son’s drug dealing friends, all hope of continuing any type of friendship was completely out of the question. 

Then Harriet and Bud had lost the baby.  That had hurt him more than he had ever thought it could.  Secretly, he had looked upon Harriet as a surrogate daughter, replacing by proximately his own daughter.  It wasn’t that he loved Francesca any less, but Harriet was there and had come to depend upon him in little ways, and AJ cherished everything that he could do for her. 

And then there was the episode that would always standout in his memory as “As the JAG Turns” or perhaps even “All My Lawyers”.  God what an awful embarrassing mess that had been. .  Shortly after the final break with Dr. Walden, he had once again, been in his office working on the annual budget when he had heard the commotion outside his solid wood door.  When Tiner did not answer his buzz, he had started to get up.  That’s when he heard a crash and ran to the door and flung it open. 

Even before he realized what he was seeing he had bellowed at the top of his voice, “Attention.”  When he realized what the hell it was he was seeing, he had nearly gone ballistic.  He had stomped into the melee and had pulled Mic Brumby off of Rabb, who was in turn being pulled at by a flabbergasted Bud Roberts.  Mic had appeared to think he would even take a swing at AJ and had just barely managed to pull his punch.  AJ had almost had to deck Rabb himself when the Commander had lunged at his opponent.  AJ had flung Mic into the waiting restraint of GSgt. Galindez and had gotten right into Rabb’s face.  “In my office now.” He had hissed. 

As he turned to proceed both men into his office, he had registered Sarah MacKenzie’s ashen face.  What he had nearly missed was that Clayton Webb was standing behind her with her coat in his hand and whispering to her.  As AJ had reached his office, he had glanced around in time to see the two of them stepping into the elevator.  Months later he had learned that Webb had driven Mac around for nearly four hours letting her rant and rave and cry and had dropped her off at her apartment only after she had promised to call him if she even thought about taking a drink.  At the time, he had been merely relieved that he had only the two Alpha Males of Washington, D.C. to contend with. 

What he had found out, almost made him laugh.  Navy regs clearly outlined a correct code of conduct between officers and enlisted personnel.   They had thought long and hard about the ramifications of superiors dating subordinates and even officers dating fellow officers.  They had not taken into consideration what to do when one officer’s boyfriend made a pass and successfully bedded another officer’s girlfriend, particularly when neither boyfriend nor girlfriend were military.  He hadn’t even been surprised that Brumby had gone after Renee.  It was the competitive nature of the Australian and he had probably finally figured out that Mac was never going to take that last step and commit to him.  What had surprised him was that Renee had fallen for the line that Mic had fed her.  He was sure that Rabb had played a part in the break up but he really didn’t want to know the details.  What he found almost unfathomable was that Rabb held Mac partially responsible and that after Brumby had left for his firm’s London office, had continued to hold Mac at arms length.  The atmosphere around the office had been chilly to say the least. 

The only bright spot out of the whole mess was the way that Mac had handled herself. Even though he knew she had to be hurting inside at Mic’s betrayal and Harm’s cold shoulder, AJ felt that she had presented a completely professional face at the office.  Her cases were well prepared and her court presence only grew stronger and more confident every day.   He did know that she had lunch with Webb a couple of times and that when Webb needed to come to JAG Headquarters, for whatever reason, he seemed to make a point to stop and say hi to her.   Maybe that was why the Commander still seemed in such a foul mood all the time.  Then he should make his feelings known or move on.  I wonder if even he knows how he really feels about her.

AJ shook himself from his reveries and forced his mind to once again tackle the paperwork at hand.  He had just finished the first half of the project when the phone rang.  He had told Tiner he did not want to be disturbed and as he angrily reached for the phone, he noticed from the LCD readout that the caller was in the guardhouse.  Now more curious than angry he snatched the phone up and said “Chegwidden.”

“Sir, its Kelly at the main gate.”

“Yes Corporal, what is it?”

“Uhm sir, uhm, there are uhm?”

AJ was flabbergasted.  Frank Kelly had served in the Gulf.  Hell the Vice-president had come through that gate on Kelly’s watch.  Who the hell had him this flustered?  “Speak up Corporal, who is at the gate?”

AJ could hear Kelly’s deep intake before he continued, “Sir!  There are three policemen here from Baltimore.  They have an arrest warrant for Gunnery Sergeant Galindez.” 

AJ sat stunned.  His first reaction was “Again.”  He held himself in check and spoke into the phone.  “Send them up, but I want a guard to come with them.”  He hung up the phone and jabbed the intercom.   “Tiner!  I want Galindez in my office and right now.”  He finished with a tone that had never been ignored and sat back waiting.  As he waited he fumed, just what the hell was that bastard in the DAs office in Baltimore up to now.  He knew that Stark still felt animosity to both the Navy in general and AJ Chegwidden in particular over the high profile “gay bashing” case that AJ had successfully defended Victor Galindez in.  Almost immediately, he heard the rap on the door and shouted “Enter”. 

Galindez sensed the seriousness of the situation immediately and stood at attention.  AJ got up from his desk and went to stand in front of him, practically in his face and hissed, “Three Baltimore cops are on their way up here with an arrest warrant for you.  Why?” 

Victor Galindez tried to maintain his stance.  After all he was a marine, but the Admiral’s words floored him.  “Sir?” 

“You heard me Galindez, you had better tell me quick because if I have to hear it from them I can promise you…”

Galindez stood even straighter and looked the Admiral in the eye. “Sir, I have no idea why any Baltimore cop would be here to arrest me.  I haven’t been in Baltimore in three weeks.  Sir.”

Just then there was another rap at the door.  Chegwidden went to his desk chair.  The rap at the door was repeated before he had had time to arrange himself at the desk, he said with more calm than he felt, “Enter.”

Tiner opened the door and stepped aside as a large African American in a well-cut gray suit entered.   Following close behind was Detective Ted Grayson.  AJ recognized the angry detective from the last run-in.  While Grayson had not headed the investigation into the assault charges, he had been instrumental in the witness interrogation.  Bringing up the rear was a small attractive woman.  AJ spared her a quick glance and thought Dear lord, she can’t be more than 24.  What is she doing here?  5’4” with blazing auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail, her eyes, a deep impossible green returned his gaze; something the other two detectives avoided.

AJ turned his look from the woman and looked to the obvious lead man.  He watched as the detective approached and was slightly surprised that even though his stance was aggressive, the man extended his hand in greeting.  “Admiral Chegwidden?  Lieutenant Steven Anderson, Baltimore PD.”  AJ took his hand and found the grip sure and firm.  Anderson continued, indicating Grayson, “I believe you know Detective Grayson?”  Ted Grayson didn’t even acknowledge AJ’s presence.  Instead he kept his eyes firmly fixed on Galindez; his jaw clenched in anger.  Anderson grimaced at the other detective and finally introduced the woman, who had hung back by the door, “And this is Detective Bridget O’Brien.”  O’Brien solemnly nodded to AJ as he tried to reign in his surprise ‘Detective?’ he thought. I must be getting old, they are getting younger and younger he sighed inwardly. 

AJ returned his look to the Lieutenant and asked, “What’s this all about Lieutenant?  I understand there is an arrest warrant for Gunnery Sergeant Galindez.” 

For the first time since entering the room, Grayson spoke.  He voice was clipped but dripped venom.  “Yeah we do.  It seems that the big bad-assed Marine is no longer content to beat up on fags, now he is..”

By the time the word fag had left his mouth, Anderson cut him off, almost savagely, “Enough Grayson, I’ll do the talking.” 

Grayson shot daggers at the lieutenant, but shut up.  AJ took a moment to collect his temper too.  “Why don’t we sit down and discuss this.”  Grayson looked like he was going to say something but Anderson shot him another look.

“Actually Admiral, we have a warrant for Sergeant Galindez arrest and there really is no point in discussing it here.”  While his voice was polite, AJ knew that Anderson would tolerate no interference, even from the JAG him self. 

Reaching out his hand toward Anderson AJ said, “May I see the warrant, please?”  His voice polite, but his tone was just as unyielding. 

Anderson, handed over the papers and looking AJ again the eye, asked “In what capacity?”

“I beg your pardon.”  AJ paused as he put his glasses back on his nose and looked over them at the Detective.

“In what capacity Admiral?  As his commanding officer or are you going to stay on record as his lawyer.” 

Chegwidden ignored Anderson and glanced over the warrant and suddenly looked up sharply at Galindez.  He kept his voice steady but Galindez could tell his commanding officer was shaken.  “Sherilee Cloud.  Do you know her?”

Galindez went as pale has anyone AJ had ever seen.  A fine sweat broke out on his forehead and he strove to maintain his composure. “Sir, Yes Sir.” 

AJ removed his glasses once again and rubbed his eyes.  He sighed deeply and then snapped “How well?”

Galindez gulped and finely met AJ’s eyes.  “Sir, I’ve known Ms. Cloud for more than 10 years.  She and I were engaged in Taos.  We aren’t anymore.” 

AJ looked long and hard at his Gunnery Sergeant and then turned and eyed Lieutenant Anderson.  He figured he knew exactly how far he could go at this stage and merely said, “Well son, it seems that Ms. Cloud was murdered a week ago Sunday and this is a warrant for your arrest for that murder.” 

Galindez was stunned, “But sir that’s impossible sir.  I haven’t seen Sherilee in three weeks.”

“Cut the crap, you bastard.”  Grayson snapped and reached for the Galindez, hand cuffs in one hand.  Victor’s marine training kicked in.  He spun around with his fists clenched at his side staring hard at the aggressive cop when AJ snapped,

“At Ease, Galindez.  The warrant looks in order and since the charge is murder we don’t have a lot of room here to maneuver.  Let him put the cuffs on.”  AJ then neatly folded his glasses, put them in his inside coat pocket and stood up.  He reached for his cover and continued, sparing a quick glance at Anderson, “As your attorney of record I advise you to go with them and to keep your mouth shut.”  He sighed and this time kept his eyes on Anderson, “I assume that I will not be allowed to accompany you in the police car.” 

Anderson nodded and replied, “Sorry Admiral but we are taking him to the station house, you can meet us there.” 

AJ gestured them out of his office and watched as everyone in the bullpen suddenly stopped what little they had been doing since the three detectives had come upstairs, and openly stared at the sight of Galindez being led away in handcuffs.  AJ noticed that Harriet had her hand to her mouth in shock, but it was Sarah Mackenzie that came forward and blocked his path for a moment.

“Sir?” she looked into his eyes and saw the worry there.  “What can I do to help?”

He sighed and said simply, “Hold down the fort Colonel and find Rabb for me.  I am going to need all the help I can get in a very short while.”

With that he followed his client to the elevator.  As they got on, Galindez turned and faced him.  As their eyes met, Victor said firmly, “Sir, I swear to you I never” the closing doors cut off the rest of his statement and AJ could only stand there and wait for the next elevator.

AJ drove in his Explorer toward Baltimore, fuming.  There was no way that he could have been around Galindez for the past week and not have seen that something was wrong with his Gunny Sergeant.  Galindez just wasn’t the type.  Whatever evidence the Baltimore PD had had better be damn convincing.  AJ ran over the scenarios in his head and for the life of him he couldn’t believe that Gunny could so lose control that he would murder someone.  Oh he knew he could kill, that’s what soldiers are trained to do, but a woman? 

AJ pulled into the visitor’s parking lot of the South Baltimore station house and went to the front desk.  The desk sergeant was polite and ushered him to the elevator that would take him up to the Homicide Squad.  When AJ got off the elevator, he was met by Detective O’Brien.  “If you will come with me Admiral I will take you to your client.”  She was all business and all serious.  AJ still couldn’t believe that this tiny delicate looking woman was a police detective.  Mac at least looked the part in her trim Marine uniform, this woman looked like she should be attending college classes, not chasing murders. 

O’Brien kept her eyes to the front, but AJ thought he caught her checking him out several times.  He would have liked to question her but knew better than to start off by stepping on Anderson’s toes, so he bided his time.  They stop outside of the interrogation suite and entered the first door.  Once inside, the outer door cut off noise from the outer office and the dim lighting allowed them to see into the first interrogation room.  Galindez was facing the window.  AJ could see Grayson’s back, as the detective was facing Gunny.  Anderson stood to the back of the room but he could see both men’s profiles. 

O’Brien reached around AJ and flipped a switch and immediately AJ could hear what Grayson was saying.  AJ watched Galindez as the other man barked out.  “…So after you beat her senseless you strangled her and then you raped her.”  AJ swore under his breath but O’Brien caught it and glanced at him in what appeared to AJ as amusement.  AJ reached for the door and entered the room. 

“Don’t say a word Gunny.”

The look that Grayson shot him made AJ believe that Grayson wished it were AJ in the chair instead of Galindez. 

“Oh Admiral, don’t worry we really don’t need the sergeant to say anything really.”  The voice was oily and AJ hadn’t heard it in over a year but he still recognized it.  He looked over to the corner of the room that could not be seen from the outside and saw Richard Stark standing there.  The smile on the DA face was almost feral. 

“Then why haven’t you booked him then?”  AJ shot back more angrily than he would have wished.

“Oh we will book him Admiral, we’ve read him his rights, too.  It’s just that we thought we would give the Sergeant an opportunity to make it easy on everybody.  Sherilee Cloud was a whore and a drug addict and in the stable of one of nastier pimps on the street.  She survived because she had a mean temper and I could see where a man who had once been engaged to her would lose it when she started taunting him.”  Everybody in the room looked at Galindez, but the Gunnery Sergeant looked straight ahead focused on some spot right beyond Grayson’s shoulder.  “Isn’t that right Sergeant.  Here you found your lost love after all these years and to find out that she was a hooker.”  Stark pushed himself away from the wall and walked over to AJ, “Can I see you outside Admiral?”  The tone matched the smirk on his face, but AJ fought to remain calm and merely nodded. 

When they were outside and the door to the inner room shut, AJ rounded on the DA and hissed, “There is no way Galindez could have done what you say he did.” 

Stark barely managed to keep his laugh of triumph in check.  “Oh he did it Chegwidden.  I got all the evidence and eye witnesses that I need.  He isn’t going to walk this time.” 

AJ was suddenly nervous but kept it to himself.  Still in a steely voice he looked Stark right in the eye and snapped.  “I want to speak to my client, alone, without prying ears or eyes.  And I want to see the reports.”

Stark smiled, “Knock your socks off, but first we book him.”  Stark turned back to the room and opened the door.  “Sergeant it’s your last chance, second degree manslaughter, 15 years.” 

Galindez locked his eyes with AJ and said, “No Sir, I didn’t do anything to Sherilee last Sunday.  I wasn’t anywhere near Baltimore.  I was home alone.”  AJ silently groaned, no alibi.  “I wasn’t feeling well and I didn’t go out at all.”  ‘Shit’ was all AJ could think.

“Very well then, considering recent history…”

“Which isn’t admissible in court” AJ interrupted.  Stark looked at him almost pityingly and continued as if AJ hadn’t said a word.

“…with the defendant, then I am forced to charge you with Murder.”

AJ stared at Stark as Grayson grabbed Galindez to lead him out to be processed.  “I want to see the reports, before he is arraigned.”  At Stark’s triumphant look, AJ felt sudden fear.  This was no braggadocio on Stark’s part.  His look all but said.  Whatever you want, just ask.  Cause there ain’t nothin you can do except get him to plead guilty. 

Stark looked at Anderson and said, “Kindly give the suspect’s lawyer all the cooperation he requests Lieutenant." 

Anderson in turned called out, “O’Brien.”  When the red-head came into view he said, “Show Admiral Chegwidden the reports.  Make copies of those that he asks you to make.”  And as she turned to go he continued, “but stay with him O’Brien. I don’t want him left alone with the file.” 

By this time AJ was so mad, one more insult to his integrity made little difference to him.  He glared at her and snapped, “Lead the way.”  As he followed her out of the interrogation room, he turned back to Stark and said, “When can I confer with my client?” 

Stark once again looked at Anderson and raised his eyebrow in question.  “How long will it take Lieutenant?” 

When Anderson shrugged and said, “About 45 minutes.”  AJ knew they felt they had a strong case, Stark wasn’t even trying to jerk him around. 
 

Chapter Two

As AJ walked behind Detective O’Brien he spared a thought to the slight woman in front of him and felt his anger ebb away.  Her ponytail swung with an innocence that did not belong in this place.  Her back was held straight and she walked with the grace of an athlete.  He sighed and thought Damn I wish this was different circumstances.  He immediately brought himself to task as they approached a small room off to the side of the main bullpen area.  The room was bare except for a battered table, two wooden chairs that might have been new in the early sixties and a basic single line phone. 

Bridget turned and motioned AJ to enter the room and to take a seat.  “I’ll bring in the files” and she started to walk away.  AJ watched her walk between the desks and heard her throw back over her shoulder “How do you want your coffee?” 

“Black, and thank you.” He responded with a very small smile.  He went into the small office, sat down and picked up the phone receiver.  He called the office and when he got Tiner, he quickly asked for MacKenzie.  He did not want to give any information to the notoriously gabby Petty Officer.  Finally, he heard, “Yes, Sir?” 

“Colonel I need to have the reports that are on my desk packed up and taken to my house.  You know where I keep the spare key?”

“Yes sir.”  Sarah paused and finally asked, “What’s going on Admiral?”  She could hear the sigh on the other end.

“I can’t go into it right now Sarah.  I haven’t talked to Galindez in private yet; I haven’t even read the files.  I can only say that he has been charged with Murder.”  He paused as he heard the gasp on the other end and then he continued. “Have you gotten hold of Rabb yet?”

“No sir, I left a message at the base, he is out checking on a lead now.”  Sarah replied.

“When you get him, have him reassign the case to one of the junior officers out there.  They will have to handle it.  Tell him to pack up and get ready to leave, but to talk to me before he actually makes any plans.  I have a feeling that I will need him to check on something before he comes back to headquarters.”

Sarah asked, “Is it something I can handle sir?” 

“No Colonel.”  AJ didn’t feel like elaborating, “Just have him call me before he leaves San Diego.  And Colonel, I don’t want any gossiping about this.”

“No Sir.”  Sarah nearly snorted and thought Yeah, right. Nobody is talking about the fact that the Gunnery Sergeant was lead out of the Admiral’s office in handcuffs.  “Sir, one thing, the SecNav called.”

Of course he did.  AJ closed his eyes, and put his head in his hand.  “What did he want?”

“He wanted to know where you were on the reports that are due tomorrow.  Tiner gave him to me as soon as he called.”  Sarah paused for a moment and then said softly, “Sir, he, Tiner didn’t say anything to the SecNav.  Just said you had an emergency and had to leave.  Then he gave him to me.”

“Thank God for small favors, but I will have to tell him soon I guess.  I’ll call you as soon as I have any of the details.  Just make sure that the paperwork is at my house.  He’ll have my stars if I don’t have those reports finalized.   I’ll leave here and work on it tonight when I get back from Baltimore.”  AJ lifted his eyes in time to see Bridget O’Brien enter the room, holding a ceramic mug in one hand and a rather thick file in the other.  “Listen Colonel I have to go.”  And rang off.

Bridget O’Brien placed the file on the table and reached out the coffee cup to him, grasping the cup by it body to allow him to take the handle.  As he took it she said simply, “I hate paper cups; I figured you did too.” AJ met her look and nodded his approval. 

“Well Detective O’Brien, have a seat while I read this.  Make sure I don’t steal anything.”  He said without a trace of sarcasm. 

“I’m not worried Admiral, I’m armed.” She replied equally serious and held his gaze for perhaps a second too long. 

AJ quickly looked down and opened the file and began to read.  Thirty minutes later, pale and shaken, he closed the file and once again looked up into Bridget O’Brien’s impossibly deep green eyes.  For just a moment he thought he saw compassion there.  He asked hoarsely, “I would like a copy of the whole file please.” 

As if by magic, she shoved a manila envelope across to him.  “I figured you would.”  Before she could say anything further, a shadow fell across them.  O’Brien turned and AJ looked up and found Victor Galindez standing in the doorway, his hands cuffed in front of him and Grayson standing behind him, his hand firmly grasping the Gunny’s forearm.  O’Brien stood up quickly and went to stand aside so that Victor could sit down. 

“Can you take the handcuffs off?” AJ was not surprised when Grayson just snorted and turned to leave.  Before AJ could say anything else, Grayson turned back and said,

“We are taking him in for arraignment in 30 minutes, so make it fast.”  His grin was vicious.

AJ nearly rose from his chair as he growled, “Damn it, that’s not enough time.”  Grayson didn’t bother to even snort has he followed O’Brien out of the room and closed the door behind them.

AJ settled back and looked at Victor Galindez and could not remember ever seeing anyone so miserable in his whole life.  He sighed and said, “Gunny, I’ve got to know right now.  Did you do this?”  Indicating the report? 

Victor barely whispered, “Sir, I - - What they said in there.”  Galindez closed his eyes and shook his head.  “Sir I never could have hurt Sherilee.  Not even when….” Galindez lower his head into his handcuffed hands. 

AJ stared at the man for a long time, he knew that he didn’t have the time to hear the whole story, but he knew that the whole story would have to be told.   For right now though he needed some information.  “You are accused of raping and murdering Sherilee Cloud on Sunday the 29th.  The murder took place between 2 PM and 7 PM.  Where were you?”

Victor looked at his commanding officer and said, “Sir that Sunday, I was home in bed all day.  I uhm, I had been out that Saturday night and didn’t get back in until very early Sunday morning.  In fact, sir.”  Here Galindez looked at a spot somewhere behind AJ’s right ear and turned an extraordinary shade of red, “I don’t remember coming home at all.  The first I remember was waking up, fully clothed, laying across my bed and I looked at the clock and it was a little after noon.  The only way I knew it was noon and not midnight was the sun was shining in the window.  I didn’t get out of bed until after 1500 and then it was just to go to the bathroom and then I went back to bed and I didn’t wake up again until 0500 Monday morning.”

“Any phone calls?” 

“No sir”

“Galindez” AJ was exasperated beyond words.  “They found semen on her.  The blood type matches the sample that they had on file from last year.  They have hair samples that match yours.  They can’t wait to run the DNA test.  Do you understand me?   They hold all the cards in this hand, son.” 

“I know sir,” suddenly Victor sat up straight in his chair and with more conviction that AJ had heard all day said, “Sir, I don’t care what they say.  I don’t care what evidence they have.  I didn’t kill Sherilee.  I appreciate you being here for me, but if you can’t believe me then I guess I will have to get me another lawyer.” 

AJ looked at him with a somewhat jaundiced eye and dryly responded, “And just who would that lawyer be Gunnery Sergeant?” 

Victor gulped and continued, “Not one of the JAG lawyers sir, I didn’t mean to imply that … Sir… what I meant to say…” at a loss for words for a moment he fumbled a bit before he continued.  “What I meant to say really sir is that with the evidence so much against me, what will it look like if you defend me.” 

“ It will look like the Navy stands behind it men and it will look like I believe you.”  AJ said firmly, and he realized that he believed what he said even with everything that was in the report.  The Gunnery Sergeant Galindez that he knew could never do what the reports said he had done.  They would need to look into all the evidence.  Something wasn’t right.  As he had read the reports, his sixth sense kept niggling at him and he needed to really study and understand the forensic and pathology reports.  He wondered where Lt. Cmdr. Coulter was and if he could get her to look at the data?   He glanced up and saw Grayson approaching the room and then he looked down at his watch and sighed and said,  “It’s time to go.”

Chapter 3

While AJ was following Galindez and the police to the courthouse, Sarah MacKenzie was finally able to get in touch with Commander Harmon Rabb who had returned her phone call a little after 1300  “What’s up Colonel.”  He had stopped calling her anything but by her rank since the incident and the one conversation she had tried to initiate after the great Mic/Renee fiasco.   Sarah wasn’t in the mood to allow him to bully her.

“Harm, The Admiral said to hand off the Anderson case to one of the West Coast junior lawyers and pack up and get ready to come back.” She said this in a rush, but played her trump card to cut off any arguments, “Galindez has been arrested, for murder.”

Nearly three months of hurt feelings and sulking flew out the window and Harmon Rabb immediately got down to business, “Mac, what the hell happened?”

Her voice cracked, and then she pulled herself together and said, “I don’t know, but the Admiral said to pack up and get ready to come back.”

“I’ll stop at the house, pack, say goodbye to Mom and catch the next plane for Washington.”

“No.  He said to pack up but to wait.  There maybe somewhere that he wants you to go first.”

“You have any idea of where?”  Curiosity was eating at him as much as a chance at a little action in the field again.  The past couple of cases, he had been merely going through the motions and he knew it.  Now that one of the people he considered to be a friend was in trouble, he wanted to do everything he could.  He also knew that he had to get back to Washington to talk to his former best friend, and to see if he could patch up the friendship he nearly destroyed by his bull-headed stubbornness.

Mac could hear the subtle change in Harm’s manner and she knew that since he now had something to fight for again, he would be willing to return to their former friendship.  She wasn’t sure she was prepared to let him off that lightly though.  But until this Galindez thing was settled, she was prepared to cut him a little slack.  “I don’t know Harm, just be prepared when he calls.” 

“All right, Mac.  Have him call me at Mom’s.  With the mountains and everything out here the cell phone doesn’t always work.  And Mac, call me if I can do anything before he calls.”

“Thanks Harm, I’ve got to go and get some reports put together for him.”  She rang off and walked towards Chegwidden’s office.  Before she reached the door, Bud Roberts approached her. 

“Ma’am, I’ve finished the Kirkwood paperwork.  What can I do to help?”  Mac gazed at Bud and thought, Dear Lord, he is going through so much right now with his own grief and Harriet’s and he still means it when he says “what can I do to help.”

“Well Lieutenant, let’s take a look at these reports that the Admiral owes the SecNav.”

AJ was dead tired when he turned into his lane that night at1900.  The arraignment was everything that arraignments were.  The judge called the case and read the charges; Galindez had pleaded not guilty; Stark himself had asked that no bail be allowed and AJ had insisted that his client was not a flight risk.  The judge had listened and then pronounced a million-dollar bail, which meant that $100,000 dollars would need to be posted before a bail bondsman would cover the rest.  AJ looked at Victor, sighed and turned to leave to see what he could put up as collateral.   Galindez, had grabbed his arm then and looked him right in the eye and asked, “Where are you going sir, I thought you wanted to talk to me before they took me to the lock up?”

AJ looked at him steadily and replied, “You think I’m going to allow you to stay in that jail?”

Galindez stood at attention, but maintained eye contact and said, “Yes Sir.  I do expect you to allow me to stay in jail.  If this was a military court, I would be in the brig and bail would not be an option.  You are not going to mortgage your property or put up the 10% in any way.  I mean that sir.  I will request a court appointed attorney before I allow you to do that.”

AJ stared at him a long time before conceding, “Well son if you like lockup food that much, then I guess there is nothing I can say.  Lt. Simms is going to chew me out though.” He finished, bringing a small smile to Galindez’s face.  “Lets find that interrogation room that they promised us.”  He turned to find both Grayson and O’Brien waiting for them. 

Grayson sneered at Galindez and said, “Let’s go, I want to get you to the lock up before I go for dinner.”  AJ stepped between the two men.  O’Brien pulled Galindez back to let AJ have it out with Grayson.

“Anderson said I could finish the interview here.  Don’t push your luck with me Grayson, I may not be very popular with Stark, but..”

“Did I hear my name.” Stark came up to stand next to the two men.  “Is there a problem Detective?” 

“No sir, I was just telling the Admiral that he could interview Sergeant Galindez downtown at the lockup.” Grayson said pleasantly.

Just as pleasantly Stark replied, “Now Detective, you heard what I told the Admiral back at headquarters, take them to one of the interview rooms down the hall.  I am sure that you and O’Brien can keep Galindez from escaping.”  At this he pulled Grayson aside and in a low voice said, “Don’t mess with me Grayson, let him have his interview now, there are reporters downstairs waiting and I don’t want him to say that we weren’t cooperative.”

Grayson bared his teeth at the DA but nodded.  He turned back to the waiting trio and said, “Lets go, I don’t have all day.” And led them through the open courtroom doors and down the hall to a small room, that once again was divided so that an attorney could have a private conversation with his client, guards could see that they did not pass anything back or forth.

Galindez took the chair that faced away from the window, he was tired of looking at Grayson and fighting the urge to beat the shit out of him.  AJ walked around him and sat down and took out his pen and notebook and placed them on the table in between them.  He began briskly,   “Talk to me Galindez, I want the whole story.  Tell me about you and Sherilee Cloud.”

Victor Galindez sighed deeply and started, “Sherilee was three years behind me in high school so I never really paid that much attention to her then.  She was a scrawny kid and mouthy.  When I went into the Marine Corps. I only got home once in a long while.  Almost 4 years after going in, I was home for my cousin Manuel’s wedding.  Sherilee was there with one of Manuel’s younger brothers, Caesar.”  A smile played across his face has he remembered the evening all those years ago.  “She had really filled out and grown up.  She laughed the entire night.”  He looked at AJ quickly and explained, “Not that annoying laugh that gets on your nerves, she was just always laughing at what other people said.  I asked her to dance and it was like we had just met.  She flirted with me and I flirted with her.  But nothing happened that night, Sir.”  AJ waited for him to continue.  “After that night, I saw her once more at picnic.  We talked for a little while and I asked her to write me.  She laughed and said sure.  And she did write.  And I wrote her back.  I came home that Christmas and we went out on a couple of dates.  Nothing heavy, it was just fun, but I knew that I liked her a whole lot.  When I went back to the ship, it was really hard.   Finally in July I got extended shore leave and was able to get back to Taos.  She met me at the bus station and well, uhm.” 

AJ sighed and said, “You got serious I take it.”

Blushing Galindez nodded and continued.  “We were together for the whole three weeks.  It was heaven.  I asked her to marry me and she said she wouldn’t be married to somebody that was always away.  I didn’t re-up when it was time and I came home.  I got a job as a sheriff’s deputy; with my military police background, it was easy enough and we set a date.”  AJ watched as the happiness at the memory began to fade to be replaced by anxiety and sadness.  “Sherilee never realized that being married to a cop was going to be hard.  Hell she couldn’t even stand being engaged to a cop.   While I was still in the Corps she would write and tell me about all the fun she and her girl friends had and how much she wished that I could be there to party with them.  But,  I was low man on the totem pole and I got the night shift.  She couldn’t stand it.  She would make my dinner and then once I was on patrol, she would call one of her girlfriends and they would go to their old haunts.”  Victor looked down at his hands and continued in a whisper.  “I came home early one night because I had been hit in the face breaking up a brawl and after getting stitches, the Sheriff sent me home.  When I opened the door to the apartment we were sharing I found her on the couch making out with the guy from the wedding, Caesar.”  As Victor looked at him, AJ saw that the man’s eyes were moist.  Victor strove for control and in a stronger tone finished; “I walked right by them, and went to the bedroom.  I grabbed my duffel bag and walked out the apartment.  Sherilee was laughing as I closed the door.  I went to the sheriff’s office and turned in my badge and gun.  I didn’t even stop to see my folks, I just went to the bus station and got the next west bound bus and when I got to San Diego, I re-enlisted.”

Victor sat back and rested his neck against the hard chair back.  He raised himself back up after a minute and said, “The next time I saw her was a little over a month ago.  I was on leave in Baltimore with a couple of my buddies.  We were in a bar and I heard her laugh.  I turned around and there she was with a couple of women in a booth.  She looked at me and she got all pale and then she got real mad.  She got up and came up to me and slapped me.  She slapped me real hard.  She started to slap me again, but I grabbed her wrist.  Then she broke down and started to cry.  God, Admiral, it broke my heart.  I took her outside so she could get some fresh air and the next thing I knew I was holding her and telling her everything was going to be okay.  I got her calmed down and she asked me to walk her home and I did.  When we got to her building, I left her at the door.  I told her where I worked and if she wanted to get together to talk I would come into town.  I really didn’t know what was going on, I just knew I was happy to see her again.  I had beaten myself up plenty over the past several years about not talking to her about what happened and everything.  I knew that she was too young to be putting up with me working crazy hours and that she was entitled to a little fun.”

AJ stared at Victor in amazement, his fiancée is making out on the couch in their apartment and somehow Galindez managed to take responsibility for it.  Incredible!  “Did she call you?  At the office?” 

“Yes, Sir; about a week later.  She asked if I wanted to come by and have dinner that Sunday afternoon.” 

“The 29th?” AJ interrupted.

“Oh no, Sir.”  This was about three weeks ago.  I went there on Sunday around 1400 and we had dinner.  It was Chinese takeout, but still we were together, and we got to talking and it was like it was in the beginning.  I had a great time and then I left around 0100 the next morning.”

“Did you sleep with her?”  AJ asked coldly. 

Victor blushed but nodded. 

“When did you see her next?”  AJ began to fiddle with the pen that he had been using to take notes with, suddenly anxious to hear of the next encounter.

“That’s just it sir, I didn’t see her again.” Surprise and hurt colored Victor’s response.

AJ was more than surprised, “Excuse, me Galindez?”

“Admiral I swear, I never saw her again.  She didn’t call me all week and when I tried to call her on the number that she gave me, I got a not in service message.” 

“And you never heard from her again?”  Disbelief was evident in AJ’s tone.

At this point, Victor’s voice dropped to the point that AJ had to lean forward and strain to hear Victor say, “No sir, I heard from her one last time.   The following Sunday, I was sitting in my front room watching a soccer game when she called me around 1300 hours.  When I answered the phone and heard her voice, I yelled at her and then I asked her where she had been.  She just laughed at me and she said  ‘now you know what you’ve been missing and will be missing for the rest of your life you bastard.’ And then she hung up the phone.”  Victor looked up and saw AJ watching him closely.  “Sir, I swear, that is the last time I heard from her.” 

AJ threw his pen on the pad and glared at Galindez,  “What about last Saturday night?  You said you were drunk, are you sure you didn’t go into Baltimore?” 

Victor looked at him, puzzlement written all over his face, “Sir I thought they said she was killed…”

AJ hissed, “I don’t care about that, I want to know where you were Saturday night.” 

Victor thought back to that night over a week ago and said, “Well I started out at  McMurphy’s and met a couple of buddies.” 

“I’ll need their names” AJ interrupted.

“Yes sir, do you want me to write them down?”  AJ passed him the pen and paper and looked up to see Detective O’Brien watching them intently; Galindez took the paper and pen and wrote quickly.   AJ spared no thought to this but continued,

“Where did you end up.” 

Galindez closed his eyes and said, “Sir, I don’t remember.” 

“When did you find out she was a hooker, Gunny.”  AJ threw out the question, needing to see what the man would say.

“Sir, I can’t believe that she was a hooker.”  Galindez met the Admiral’s eyes and didn’t flinch.  AJ was impressed.

AJ stood and O’Brien made it to the door before Grayson and opened it to hear AJ say to Galindez, “Well soldier, you better think on that tonight, cause I’m going to need to know.”  Victor nodded and put his hands behind his back while O’Brien cuffed him, Grayson then pushed her aside and took him by the arm and led him none to gently out the door toward the elevator.  O’Brien hung back a little and almost under her breath said, “you might want to go down the back stairs, I understand the press is waiting to ambush you.”  She then strove to catch up with Grayson before the elevator doors closed.

He had managed to avoid the press and make it to his car.  But by that time, it was five o’clock and traffic was terrible out of Baltimore and worse once he made it to the Beltway.  Now two hours later, he was finally pulling into his driving way.  He was shocked to see Sarah MacKenzie’s fiery red Corvette, parked in front of his house, along with the Roberts’ mini-van.  He pulled into the driveway, shut off the engine and got out of his Explorer.  He walked up to the door and opened it to the smell of fresh coffee and pizza.  He threw his cover on the coat tree and removed his overcoat and hung it next to Sarah’s overcoat; Bud’s was thrown over the chair just inside the door.  He followed the smell and the noise until he came to his office and found Bud sitting in the chair at his computer and Sarah reading to him from a piece of paper.  Both of them were faced away from him and he was able to watch them for a minute.  He of course realized what they were doing.  They were finishing his report for him; the one that was due on SecNav’s desk tomorrow by 1000 hours.  He coughed gently and they both looked around at him.  Bud, started to push the chair back, but AJ walked up to him and put his hand on the back of it and leaned over the young Lieutenant.  He peered at the screen and noticed that they were on point 10 of the 11-point report.  They had almost finished it for him and he could only be grateful, though he knew that he should be angry at their presumption. 

Sarah gently touched his arm and looked into his face and asked, “When did you eat last”. 

“I think I had a really bad sandwich at the court house, but I might have dreamed it” AJ tried to keep his tone light, but he was exhausted. 

Sarah gently pushed him back to the couch, “Sir, Sit, eat, it’s still hot.  What do you want to drink?” 

AJ crooked his eyebrow at her but allowed her to bully him just a little, “The coffee smells wonderful.”

Sarah smiled and said “Coming right up.”

AJ reached for the phone and yelled, “Where do I reach Commander Rabb”

Roberts and MacKenzie answered in unison, “At his mother’s.”

AJ started to stand up to get his phone book.  Before he could get completely up, Sarah walked back in with his coffee, put it on the table in front of the sofa, took the phone from him, quickly dialed a number, handed him the phone and returned to Bud’s side to continue with the report.  Before AJ could say anything, he heard, “Rabb” on the other end.

“Commander, did you hand off the Anderson case?”  AJ was brisk now that he had good coffee in sight and his ace investigator on the other line.  Because as good as Rabb was in the courtroom, AJ knew that he was the best person for what he wanted done.  Roberts might be able to track down anything on the Internet, but Rabb would be able to go and talk to people in Taos and get the information he needed.

Rabb replied, “Yes, Sir.  Now tell me what I can do to help with Galindez.” 

“Very well commander.”  And AJ preceded to out line what he needed Rabb to do, once he got to Taos, NM.

Chapter 4 

After Admiral Chegwidden had left the building, Detectives O’Brien and Grayson had escorted Gunnery Sergeant Galindez from the courthouse. They put him in their car and drove to the municipal lock-up three blocks away. Once they arrived, while O’Brien did the paperwork, Grayson took Galindez to a room where he was handed a pile of clothing. Having been a policeman both in the military and civilian world he knew what to expect and quickly stripped and put on the orange uniform with “Prisoner” stenciled on the back and cloth slip-ons on his feet. When he was finished he was led down the corridor to his cell, where he relieved to see that while only 4 x 8 feet and furnished with a narrow cot, a sink and a toilet, each cell was only intended for one prisoner. He wasn’t particularly afraid of not being able to protect himself, but he wanted to think in as much peace as was afforded without having to watch his back 24/7. 

When the guard had led him down the corridor Galindez glanced at the other men on his row of cells. They looked like what you would expect. Hard men, scared men, somewhat crazed men. None spared him a glance until Grayson, who had followed the guard, had said in a loud voice as they locked the door to the cell, “Well Sergeant, sleep tight, you murdering bastard.”   As he had turned and walked away, one inmate further down had shouted “Hey who did he kill? Is he a cop?” 

Grayson snorted, and threw back, “Nah shithead, he’s no cop. He is a bad-assed Marine that beats up on hookers and then rapes them after they’re dead.” 

Galindez had sighed at that, he had expected nothing less from Grayson, who had never taken his hard stare off of Galindez whenever they were together during that long day. Galindez could feel the hatred that radiated off the cop, but didn’t have the energy to think on why he was the brunt of the detective’s ire. A part of him thought that maybe Grayson was a closeted homosexual who had taken the “gay-bashing” story to heart. But he didn’t really get that kind of feel from the man, and felt that there was something deeper going on. In fact, when he thought about it more, he realized that when he had run into the detective the first time, he had gotten the impression that Grayson had hated him more for being a Marine than for having “beaten the crap out of a faggot”. 

Just as he hadn’t been surprised by Grayson’s comment, the muttered slurs and threats from the other inmates did not surprise him either. “Pervert” being the kindest. And “Just wait till we get your ass in the shower” the least threatening. Victor Galindez sat on his cot and put his head into his now free hands. After a moment or two he lay back on the bunk and closed his eyes. That was the biggest mistake he had made all day. Images began flooding his mind. Memories came unbidden and the only face he could see was hers. Sherilee had been so damn pretty that night at the dance. Victor had remembered that he had stood there for 5 minutes without moving, never taking his eyes off her.

When he had worked up the courage to ask her to dance, he had been floored when she had agreed. They danced the rest of the night, whenever her date wasn’t cutting in. It had been the most perfect night of his life. Suddenly, the face in his mind changed and he saw her laughing at him; first at the apartment in Taos, then the furious vestige that he had imaged that last time when she had called to taunt him. He suddenly got up and started to pace, but stopped and made himself sit back down, then lay back. Instead of thinking about Sherilee, he forced himself to think about all the things that he needed to tell the Admiral tomorrow about what was going on at the office. 

When Grayson had followed Galindez down the corridor, Bridget O’Brien had watched them, shaking her head.   She had been assigned to work with Grayson only three weeks before the murder and had worked with him throughout. He had told her up front to keep her mouth shut and to watch and do only what he had told her.   She had followed his instructions to the letter. She had watched and learned at the crime scene and when Anderson had asked for her opinion each day when they came back to discuss the case she had been reticent but not embarrassingly so.  She felt that Grayson trusted her as much as he trusted anyone, and when he had put her in charge of maintaining the crime scene, she had vowed to him that she would do her best not to let him down. She hadn’t even cringed when she heard him say “Suck-up” as he walked away. 

Everything they had learned on the investigation had pointed to the Marine as the perp, and O’Brien felt that the JAG Admiral would have his case cut out for him.  Sadly, given what he had to work with, there was no way that he could win. O’Brien frowned when she thought of this because she had realized that she had been attracted to the tall, bald, good-looking sailor. She sighed and thought ‘Get a grip girl. You’ve got a job to do and the Hunk in the Uniform isn’t part of it.’ She thought this as she turned to the guard at the desk and said, “Can I use the phone, I’ve got to call my boss.”  The guard nodded and stood and walked to the end of the hall to give her a little privacy.
 

Chapter 5 

AJ finished the last of the pizza and had a second cup of coffee and started to feel almost human again. He got up from the sofa and walked over to where Bud was typing furiously and said quietly, “Have you got any of it printed out so I can read it.” Bud stopped for a minute and handed a stack over to the Admiral who went back to the sofa and tried to read the report that he would have to put his name to. After a little while longer he noticed that he didn’t hear the keyboard anymore but only the whine of the printer. As he finished the last of the paper in his hands, he looked up to see Sarah standing before him with the rest of the report. He quickly scanned it and sat back and sighed. “Thank you both. I can’t believe you were able to do this.” Bud blushed and looked at MacKenzie who just smiled at the Admiral. They were both pleased that they could help the man that had been such an inspiration to them both. They waited patiently for AJ to put the report together in its binder and then sat back and gave them his full attention. He knew that they wanted to help, but he also knew that he had a problem with staffing as it was.  Furthermore he knew that Harriet needed her husband at home. He looked at the young lieutenant and said, “Lieutenant, go home now. Thank you again. Colonel MacKenzie will fill you in tomorrow. Give little AJ a hug for me, but get home now to your family.” 

Both Mac & AJ could see the conflicting emotions on Bud Robert’s face, but in the end, he made the correct choice and left the room to retrieve his cover and coat.  He came back in to the den and asked, “What are your plans for tomorrow morning, Sir?” 

AJ thought for a moment and then said, “I plan on studying the crime scene reports thoroughly tonight. My meeting is not till 1000 so I will be able double check the report and make any changes that I see fit. I will tell the SecNav of the situation tomorrow and then I will go into Baltimore and talk with Galindez again and maybe see if I can see the crime scene before I return. I will stop by the office late. Colonel, I will let you know a firmer timetable. You are in charge while I am gone. Are you okay on all your cases?” 

Sarah had been very quiet all this time but when he asked the last question, she responded “Sir, I checked the upcoming cases and sent a request to the Pacific JAG for some help.” She paused, trying to gauge this assumption of authority and was relieved, when AJ nodded. “Once the new lawyer gets here, we will be in okay shape so that we can all kick in and help with Gunny’s case.” 

“Very well, move it mister.” AJ got up and nudged Roberts out to the front door. He turned and reached for Sarah’s coat and helped her into it. “I want you to get home and make some phone calls for me Colonel.” After she got her coat settled, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his notebook. “Let me copy these names for you. She followed him into the office again and watched as he wrote down the names that Galindez had given him earlier. “These men supposedly met Galindez at McMurphy’s last Saturday night. I need you to call them and arrange interviews. These guys may hold the key to what happened.

Sarah looked at Chegwidden in the same way that Galindez had right before he had brought up the point that the murder had happened on Sunday afternoon. But AJ didn’t elaborate. The fact that Galindez had so lost control as to have blacked out completely for almost 24 hours struck him as wrong and he wanted to get a feel for the whole weekend.

Sarah could only nod and went to the door. She opened it and turned back to ask one more question. “Sir, how was he holding up?” 

AJ looked at her and replied, “He’s a Marine Colonel, he did what he needed to do.” And with that, he followed her out onto the porch and watched as she stepped down to her car, opened it and got in.  As she pulled away, AJ took a deep breath of the cold November air before turning around and going back inside. He knew there was still a lot to do before he got to bed, but that he would need his rest before facing the SecNav; never a pleasant task at best and after he explained about the murder charge, he knew he would need his wits about him. 

Sarah pulled away and started down the narrow lane, so engrossed in her thoughts that she did not see the dark sedan parked off to the side with a clear view of the Admiral’s house.  She pulled onto the state road that would lead her back to the highway and tried to concentrate on everything that she would need to get down the next day. She knew it was going to be difficult, but knew everyone would pull together not only for Galindez but also for the Admiral. She allowed her thoughts to stray to her charismatic boss and found a slow smile coming to her face. She had just realized that the lump was gone. The incident all those years ago when they had almost kissed no longer obsessed her. They had seldom spoken on the missed opportunity and then only in oblique ways; but there had been a tension between them. She had always felt nervous around him, after her Article 32 hearing; after the case involving the drunk jump master and the mysterious file showing up in her car; and even after she tried to commit herself to Mic.   She had still felt that there was something unresolved between the two of them. However, after that day when Mic and Harm had actually gotten into a fist fight in the office and the only person there for her was Clayton Webb of all people, she had begun to take her life into her own hands at last. Webb had suggested that she might want someone to talk to. He had been so shy about it, and she thought for a moment that he was suggesting that he be that person. Instead, when he had dropped her off at her apartment after listening to her for over four hours ranting and raving, he had written a name on a piece of paper. After she had looked at it and realized that he had written down a doctor’s name she stared at him until he said softly, “If you don’t like her, she will refer you to someone else, but I think she is great. Oh, and Sarah, she doesn’t work for The CIA.” 

Sarah had spent the entire night staring at a magazine ad for Absolute vodka and wondering how her life had gotten so fouled up. The next morning she had call Dr. Carol Witson and made an appointment for that afternoon. She hadn’t realized that Dr. Witson was one of the most popular and well-respected “shrinks” in D.C. but later had figured out that the only way that she gotten in to see her was because Webb had pulled in a favor.  Although the sessions with Witson were expensive and her insurance company was balking at the cost, Sarah felt that the even the painful times spent with Dr. Witson were enlightening. Dr. Witson had forced her to see just how much of her emotion security she had invested in other people and how only she could be responsible for her own happiness. Sarah had come to understand that as obvious as it all was, until she was ready to accept it, it was still a major problem in her life. She had made some hard choices; one of the hardest had been regarding Harmon Rabb, Jr. She had always had a crush on him. Unlike the Admiral, they had actually kissed and it had been wonderful. She had pinned a lot on that kiss, but after his most recent rejection of her in Australia, she felt that he had had his chance and she just wasn’t going to wait around for him to grow up or to finally realize that he loved her or not. She grinned as she pulled into her parking spot at her building. Mic had been the easy part.  She had actually written him in care of his firm’s London office. She had used the excuse of returning his mother’s ring to him, but had politely reamed him a new one. As she got out and locked her car, she admitted that she missed having a steady boyfriend; but she had begun to value the friendships of the people around her, Bud and Harriet and Little AJ. She thought of Tiner and GSgt. Galindez as friends also and she knew that she would do everything that she could for them. 

“Working late, Sarah?” The voice startled her and she started to go into a defensive stance until she realized that the person speaking was Clayton Webb who was sitting on the steps leading up to her building. 

“Webb, what the heck are you doing back in town?  I thought you were going to be gone for a couple of weeks this time.” She was surprised to see him, and even more amazed at how glad it made her that he was here.

“False alarm.” His grin told her that that was all she was going to get out of him. He continued in the same cocky voice that had so used to annoy her, “Good thing it was. I can’t leave you people alone for two weeks without one of you getting in trouble.” 

Sarah stared long and hard at this man that she hadn’t trusted for so many years and allowed the mistrust to creep back in for a second. “What, are you keeping tabs on us? On me?” Instantly she regretted her outburst but before she could apologize, he had merely smiled great big at her and stood up, reaching behind him as he did and picking up the paper that he had been using to protect the seat of his pants.

“Oh, yeah. I hire reports to watch out for all my friends.” And held up the late edition of the newspaper so she could see the headline. “Marine Charged in Brutal Rape/Murder.” She had to squint, but she could see above the article the heading “Navy JAG to defend – Again!” She groaned long and loud. She hadn’t see a paper or the news since she and Bud had left Falls Church at 1600 hours to take the reports to the Admirals house. Once there they had started working on the report and neither of them had thought to turn on the radio or TV. She had been so engrossed in her own thoughts that she hadn’t even bothered to turn on the car radio on her way home. 

Sarah pushed past Webb and ran up the steps. Webb followed her to her door and once she had gotten it opened had reached for her elbow and turned her to him.   “What can I do?” 

Sarah looked at him for a minute and said softly, “I’ll let you know. I promise.” With that he had nodded and turned and left her. She was sorry that he went without an argument, but realized that unless she asked him to stay, he never did.  She shook her head, sighed and went into her apartment. She needed to let the Admiral know about the headlines and then get busy on tracking those friends of Galindez. 

Chapter 6 

Almost as soon as he had closed the door AJ’s phone rang. He looked at it distastefully till the third ring. He recognized the phone number on his caller ID box and sighed. Well so much for putting it off until tomorrow. Opting for a defensive posture, he merely answered “Chegwidden.” 

The tone on the other end of the line was cold and furious, “Just when the HELL were you going to tell me.” 

“Good evening, Mr. Secretary. I just got back from Baltimore. I was planning on finishing the review of  the case files and then when we met tomorrow at 1000 hours, I was going to give you a full run-down.” AJ said succinctly. The snort on the other end was loud enough to cause AJ to pull the receiver away from his ear. 

 “What am I to do until then?  The press has been calling here all night.” AJ didn’t think that that statement was completely true but wasn’t going to call his boss on it. 

“I’m sorry Mr. Secretary, I figured they would try and track me down.” 

 “Well, damn it. They weren’t able to now, were they.  A friend of mine in Baltimore said you managed to elude the reporters in front of the courthouse, thank God.” SecNav was still furious but was taking little pleasure in the conversation. “Shit, AJ, why couldn’t you have just called me? What did you think I was going to say?  Remember I know what it’s like.” 

AJ was immediately embarrassed. They never talked about the case involving the SecNav’s own son. “Sir, I just didn’t have any information to give you, but you are right, I should have called you as soon as I left the Courthouse. I just needed to think on it for a while.” 

Mollified for the moment, Nelson sighed and continued, “I suppose you don’t have the report done?” 

“On the contrary, sir. It is ready for your review.” AJ could hear the surprise in his boss’s voice when Sec Nav said, 

“Well, then, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at 1000.” AJ had thought he had hung up and started to replace the receiver when he heard a grunt and then “Do you think he did it?” 

“No sir, I don’t. I don’t know why, but I don’t think he did. Good night Mr. Secretary.” And replaced the handset on its cradle. He poured himself another cup of coffee and went to sit and study the crime reports. 

Chapter 7 

Light tan face, perfect without a blemish, beautiful high cheekbones, smiling brown eyes, a mouth so kissable he couldn’t believe that he hadn’t yet. Her hair hung straight back off her shoulders. Shoulders so creamy and smooth, encased in an off the shoulder peasant blouse. He held her in his arms as they spun around the floor. He didn’t even notice the other people, behind her, around them. Her eyes never left his and he knew he was falling in love. He must have said something because she threw her head back and laughed delightfully leaving her long, graceful throat exposed to his lips. And as he bent down to kiss it, her face came back to his and he saw that now her lipstick was smudged and her eyes were smoldering, almost black with passion from their love making her hair spread out upon the white pillow a stark contract in colors. He could feel the movement of their bodies and knew he wouldn’t last long and looked again to watch her come for him. Only now her face was contorted in pain, the skin of her face was horribly bruised and bloody and she was laughing hysterically at him, as 

Victor Galindez woke and sat up with a start in his jail cell. He must have cried out because he immediately heard down the block, “Jeez. Shut the fuck up.” He got out of the cot and went to the small sink and splashed a little cold water over his sweat soaked face. He let the water dry on its own and went to sit on the cot again.  He couldn’t understand how this could have happened and he tried hard to remember that last Saturday and Sunday when she had been murdered, but nothing would come to him. 

He had been brought in after dinner, but the guard had gotten him a sandwich from the machine and a carton of milk. He hadn’t thought that he would have had the stomach to eat it, but had found that he was now ravenous. He had no idea what time it was but knew that it was still night, because the high windows down the hall were still pitched in black. He lay back down and tried to sleep, afraid that he would dream again. 

He awoke again before dawn to the muttered curses of his fellow inmates. They all stirred as the doors clanged open and they knew that it wasn’t time yet for anything but another prisoner being brought in. The cell next to Galindez was empty and so he was not surprised when the footsteps stopped outside the cell next to his. This cell block was old; only bars separated each cell so all of the prisoners could see each other and be seen by the guard down the block. It was archaic and no longer done in most city jails, but this was Baltimore and much of it was old and archaic. The man that stepped into the cell was every white racist’s nightmare. Galindez tried to take the man’s measure without looking at him, but the inmate across the hall had no such compulsion. He stood with his hands on the bars and whined, “Shit, you’re a big son-of-a-bitch aren’t you. Black too.” The man cackled at his own joke and Galindez closed his eyes in pain. Oh lord, save me. This is going to get so ugly. His cell block mate continued, “You look like that guy in that movie with Tom Hanks, you know the one that ends up getting friiiiiieeeed at the end.”  Galindez sat up and stood away from the bunk making no pretense at not watching now. Just like everyone else, including the guards. 

The big man turned and in a voice so low and deep that both Isaac Hayes and Barry White sprang to Victor’s mind, said, “Yeah so I’ve been told.   Remember what he does to Hanks at the beginning of the movie? Well you keep that shit up and I’m gonna grab yours but instead of healing your kidney stones, I’m gonna rip your nuts clear off.” 

Both guards chuckled at each other and told the new man to sit down. One of them turned to the mouthy inmate and said, “Got anything else to say before we take you guys to the showers?” 

The man suddenly grew very silent and very pale and sat on his bunk. Victor sighed. He had a feeling that he was going to have to watch his back carefully this morning. The inmate on the other side of the newcomer tried to make friends and introduced himself as “Tommy. I got in a bar fight Friday. Can’t make bail.” He left the comment hang in the air and then turned and went to his own bunk when the man didn’t respond. In fact the man had lain carefully on the too small bunk and appeared to go immediately to sleep. 

Victor took the closed eyes as an opportunity to study the man. He was big and very black, just like the man across the hall had pointed out. But years in the military police and his own suspicious nature had raised several red flags. He was suddenly curious about the man that had just shown up the morning after his own incarceration. He tried to study the man closely. The face was smooth and unmarked, not the face of a brawler. Victor let his eyes fall to the man’s hands and saw that they were very clean and also unbruised. The fingernails, while not manicured, were well taken care of. His look traveled back up and suddenly found the man’s eyes open and locked on to his. Victor kept his face perfectly still as the man grinned at him in a huge toothy smile, a smile that never reached his eyes. Victor nodded in acknowledgment and forced himself to lay back on the cot. He didn’t close his eyes again that day. 

Within 30 minutes the guards were back and opening the cell doors. The inmates got in line and after hearing the guards tired instructions, were led to the shower room. There, they were given another stack consisting of a clean uniform, boxer shorts, and clean white socks. The six men were told to strip and take their showers, dry off and get dressed, all within 10 minutes. Galindez rapidly did as he was told and was the first into the shower room. He quickly turned on the water and turned to face the door. The original four men that had tormented him stood back as the huge newcomer entered the shower room. He stood for a minute and walked up to Galindez and looked deep into the man’s eyes and said in a soft growl, “You want a piece of me?” Galindez knew that unless he knew this man’s weak spot, he would not get a chance to use any of his Marine training to even defend himself, let alone hurt his opponent. Never taking his eyes off his opponent, he silently shook his head no. And nearly fainted when the man grinned his wide smile again and said, “Good,” and walked to another shower head and began to soap himself. Galindez quickly turned and followed suit when he felt the four other men behind him. 

“Hey pervert, I hear you like it rough.” Victor sighed and turned and before anyone could say anything else, hauled off and punched the weasel from the cell across the hall in the nose, knocking him to the ground. He looked at the other three, and said, 

“Next?” 

“Hey, you assholes, what the hell happened in here.” The three men with their backs to the door whirled in time to see the guard standing there hitting his billy club on his open hand, looking at the man moaning on the ground. 

The newcomer spoke up and said, “Hell, boss, the man was reaching for the shower controls and must have slipped.” Galindez kept quiet, and the other men decided that ‘desecration, and all that,’ and nodded in mute agreement. 

“Yeah right.” The guard sighed. “Jimmy, Jimmy, your goddamn mouth wrote a check your ass had to cash again didn’t it. You dumb bastard, when are you going to learn?” He nudged the moaning man with his foot and said to the others. “Get back in line, you are going to miss breakfast if you don’t get dressed and now.” Two of the other men stooped down and helped Jimmy to his feet while the other men quickly left the shower area and got dressed. 

Later in the morning, the guard came up to Victor’s cell and said, “Get up; you’ve got a visitor.” Galindez hadn’t expected the Admiral before lunch so he asked as he was being led out, “Who is it? Do you know?” The guard looked at his prisoner in amazement, “Your sister you big jerk. How could you go and do something like that with a sister that cute.” He then peered darkly at the Latino Marine and said suspiciously, “She doesn’t look a thing like you.” 

Gunny, realizing exactly who it was groaned inwardly, but tried to keep his face completely neutral. As he was being led to the visitation area, he thought of all the things he had to tell her, hoping that he could use the office as an excuse not to discuss the case. He should have known better. 

Harriet Simms, dressed casually in grey slacks and a pink sweater,  sat on the visitor’s side of the table. The thick bulletproof glass separated visitors from the inmates. ‘God she looks so sad. I wish she hadn’t come here. She shouldn’t be doing this on top of everything else,’ he thought. Victor took his seat and picked up his phone. Harriet got a startled look on her face and did the same. The first words out of her mouth were, “Gee, this is just like on TV, isn’t it.” 

Trying hard to maintain some semblance of control, Victor merely replied, “Yes, Ma’am. Uhm, what are you doing here, ma’am?” 

Harriet had decided that she would not yell at him, she figured he had enough on his mind, but she couldn’t believe that he would not allow them to post bail. “Gunny, why won’t you let us..” She started, but he cut her off. 

 “No ma’am. I understand that you want to help, but I can’t allow it. Now did you bring a pad?” 

Harriet looked at him in shock, surely he must know that she could raise the money; from her parents, if push came to shove.  She couldn’t bear to see small animals hurt, she surely could not be expected to watch one of the people she called friend, stay in such a place. She looked at him and sighed, “Did you at least get some sleep? Is the food okay? Has anyone tried to..” 

 “No, ma’am, everything has been just fine.  But they don’t allow too much time and I need to let you know what is going on at the office. I supposed you will have to go in now that I’m in here.” Since she had lost the baby, Harriet had been on medical leave. 

“Well yes, Gunny. Bud and I talked it over and I’m feeling a lot better now. You know I still get a little weepy but, hey, one day at a time.” Victor smiled at her cliché but knew that it would apply to him also in the coming weeks. “So,” she continued, “what do I need to know.” 

They quickly went over all of the computer upgrades that were due in the coming months, also the vacation and holiday schedules. Victor told her that Colonel MacKenzie had all the case schedules assigned so it shouldn’t be too hectic. She had snorted at that. The guard came to stand behind Galindez to signal that their time was up. Harriet looked deep into Victor’s eyes and asked one last time, “Are you sure you won’t let us help with the bail?” Victor merely smiled at her, shook his head and hung up the phone. She watched as he was led away and tried very hard to maintain her composure. But it was so hard; particularly after all he had done for her. Victor had been the one that made sure that she was always kept up to date on what was going on at the office while she stayed home and recuperated and Bud had buried himself in his work trying to deal with his own grief.  She remembered a few times when he had come by after hours, when Bud was out of town on a case and had stayed with little AJ while she had gone and done a few errands.  Finally there had been the time when he had brought Bud home after her husband had broken down in a bar.  She had never found out what Victor Galindez had said to her husband that night, but after Bud had sobered up they had finally really talked and from that night on things had started to get a little better each day.  She owed the Gunny Sergeant, but she respected him too much to go behind his back. She sighed, turned away and started to wipe her moist eyes on the back of hand when she noticed a mean looking man standing just in front of her glaring at her in open hostility. She merely waited, a little frightened but not about to show it to this man, whoever he was. 

He snarled, “You came to visit him?” He almost spat out the next sentence; “You broads are all alike. He fucked and murdered a whore and you still come to visit him. Is he that good in bed?” 

Harriet had gone completely pale but asked in a whisper, “Who are you?” 

The man looked at her for a long time, flashed his badge and said, “I’m the guy that is going to send your boyfriend straight to hell little girl.” 

A white anger overtook Harriet as it sometimes did. She stepped right in the man’s personal space and in a voice that would have made AJ Chegwidden himself proud, hissed, “I am here,” she grabbed the id from the now startled detective, “Detective Grayson, to speak with my Gunnery Sergeant and my Office Manager.  Because of these ridiculous charges I am forced to return to duty earlier that my doctor wants me to and I had to come in and get information from him about what is going on at the office. Do. You. Have. A. Problem. With. That?” Harriet bit off each word.  Then without giving the shocked detective time to respond, she pushed him out of her way and stalked off down the corridor and got into the first elevator whose doors opened, not caring one bit whether it was going up or down. Fortunately it was going down, and fortunately, she was alone because the adrenaline rush left her as quickly as it had come and she leaned against the back of the elevator and started to cry.  When she heard the doors open two floors down, she immediately straightened and pulled a Kleenex from her purse and started to wipe her eyes in earnest. She put away the Kleenex and saw a woman, a little older than her she thought staring at her with concern. She sniffed once and explained, “I was just visiting a friend up in the lock up.” The woman nodded her head understanding and said with compassion, 

“There is a ladies room on the second floor, it’s locked, but if you want, I have a key.” Harriet glanced at her red-haired companion and nodded gratefully. 

Bridget O’Brien let the fragile looking blond into the ladies room on the second floor. They had the whole room to themselves and Harriet quickly ducked into the first open stall. O’Brien stood with her bottom resting on one of the sinks and waited. The woman seemed really upset, but O’Brien figured she would be upset too if a friend were in the city lockup. The commode flushed and the door opened and the woman came out and placed her open purse on the edge of the sink. It, of course, fell off and the contents went everywhere. Bridget stooped to help the woman pick everything up hoping that this wouldn’t set her off again. She was pleasantly surprised that the woman just sighed and began to gather her things. Bridget picked up an ID wallet and with the natural curiosity of cops everywhere glanced at it before returning it to its owner. What she saw startled her for a moment and she involuntarily looked at it again and then at Harriet who had started to reach for her military ID but stopped at the look on her companion’s face. 

“Is something wrong?” Harriet said politely, still reaching for her wallet. 

O’Brien finally gave her back her ID and then stiffly said, “No, uhm no. Everything is fine. Look there’s a lipstick.” And quickly went to grab it up. She then looked in every stall to make sure that ‘Lieutenant JG Harriet Simms Roberts’ did not leave anything behind. When she handed the lipstick to Harriet, the other woman looked at her curiously and finally said, 

“What? What is it? Do you know me?” 

O’Brien gathered herself up and looked at the other woman and said, “No Lieutenant, not really. You were here visiting Sgt. Galindez, weren’t you?” Somewhat surprised, Harriet only nodded. “I see,” the woman said and finally extended her hand tentatively. “I’m Detective Bridget O’Brien I’m part of the team that is investigating Sgt. Galindez.” 

Understanding finally dawned on Harriet and she cocked her head at the Detective, took the offered hand and said firmly, “Well Detective, you have the wrong man you know. I’ve know the Gunny for over two years now and he is a good man, who would never, ever do what the papers said.” Harriet dropped the hand, and picked up her purse to depart the bathroom. Before she left, she turned back and said with some asperity, “And ma’am, you can tell that partner of yours, Detective Grayson is it? Tell Detective Grayson that when the Admiral and Colonel MacKenzie and My Husband get through, even he will know that Victor Galindez did not kill that woman.” With her composure and dignity back intact, Harriet Roberts left a stunned Detective O’Brien behind her and made her way back to the elevator and down to the street. Since she never turned back, Harriet never saw the slight smile finally spread on the other woman’s lips. 
 

Continue to Part II