JAG
Headquarters
09:45 EST
Harm checked his watch for the hundredth time that morning wondering where in the world she could be. “Harriet, can I see you for a moment?”
Harriet turned and nodded to Harm. “What can I do for you, Sir?”
“Have you seen the Colonel yet this morning?”
Noting the worry on her friend and senior officer’s face, Harriet answered honestly. “I’m sorry, Sir. I haven’t seen Colonel Mackenzie this morning. Was she due in court?”
“I don’t think so. I’ll ask Tiner if she’s called...” Harm’s voice trailed away as a very frazzled Marine Colonel walked determinedly through the bullpen to her office. Distracted, Harm spoke to Harriet, his eyes never leaving Mac. “Never mind. Thank you, Lieutenant.”
“You’re welcome, Sir.”
Making his way over to her office, Harm knocked on the door before entering. “Hey, Mac. How are things this morning?”
Harm noticed the brief flicker of pain in her eyes but it was replaced almost immediately.
“Everything’s fine, Harm. Just had a rough morning.”
“Want to talk about it?” He sounded so sweet and sincere Mac almost took him up on it.
“No, not really. Look, I need to make a couple of phone calls. Maybe I’ll feel like talking later.”
Satisfied that he had at least managed to get a maybe out of her, Harm agreed. “Later, then. I’ll be in my office if you need me.” Turning, Harm walked out and rounded the short distance to his own office.
“That’s just it, I do need you, Harm,” Mac whispered. Sighing, Mac closed the door then sat behind her desk.. She needed to call Webb, but God she didn’t want to. This whole mess was only going to get worse and she knew he was waiting to hear from her. Picking up the phone she dialed the number she now knew by heart.
“Webb.”
“Clay...it’s me.”
“Mac? What’s going on? What’s happened?”
Drawing a shaky breath, Mac plunged ahead. “They called again, Clay. Last night. And then...then this morning I...he...”
“Mac, tell me what it is. What did he do?” The edge in his voice did nothing to steel her resolve.
“He left another note. Only this time there were pictures and...my door was standing wide open. The son of a bitch was in my house.”
“Shit! Okay, Mac. I need you to meet me. I want to take a look at the note and the photos. Are you going to tell Rabb?”
“I don’t know, Clay. I don’t want him involved. If anything happened to him because of me...”
“Look, Mac. You need help. You’re going to need a place to stay. You also need moral support. You have friends, lots of them. Let them help you. Maybe the more people that get involved, the easier it will be to flush this guy out. If nothing else maybe it will keep you safe.”
“I just don’t know.”
“Think about it all right? In the mean time, let’s plan on meeting for lunch at McMurphy’s around 12:30. And, Mac, I mean it. Think about at least telling Harm.” Of course he knew when Mac told him, Harm would insist on being involved. And right now, they could use all the help they could get.
“I’ll think about it, Clay. See you later.”
“Later.”
Hanging up the phone, Mac mentally tried to push everything out of her mind except what needed to be done at JAG. She didn’t want to think about the threats. She didn’t want to think about the mechanical voice that invoked terror every time she heard it. She didn’t want to think about someone walking through her home uninvited. She wanted to concentrate on work, her friends, Harm. Maybe Clay was right. Maybe she should let him in.
Finally able to shove everything aside, Mac focused on starting her work for the day.
Around noon, and after much mental debate, Mac knew she couldn’t avoid it any longer. Clay was right, she couldn’t do this alone. She needed his help. She would ask him to go with her to meet Clay. Gathering up her courage, Mac knocked on Harm’s door.
“Enter,” he spoke, his eyes never raising.
“Hey there, Sailor,” she replied, trying to keep her tone light.
Looking up from the file on his desk, Harm drank in the sight of her. She really was stunning, even in Marine greens. Finding his voice, Harm greeted her. “Mac, hey. You doing better?”
“A little.” Fidgeting nervously, Mac finally got up the nerve to ask. “Um, Harm, would you like to have lunch with me today?”
Mac noticed him tense immediately. In a short space of time a battle had been fought, playing out in his eyes. When he spoke her heart sank. “I can’t today, Mac. I already have an appointment.”
Noting the defeated look on her face, Harm hurried on. “But I’m free this evening. Why don’t you come over to my place? I’ll cook you dinner and you can tell me all about what’s really bothering you.” When she didn’t answer immediately, he persisted, almost pleaded. “Please, Mac.”
“All right. Dinner sounds great.”
“How’s 1800 sound?” His voice was low and rhythmic and Mac felt as if it was almost caressing her.
“That’s sounds fine.”
“I’ll see you then, Marine.”
Numbly, Mac nodded and left his office without another word.
McMurphy’s
Tavern
12:35 EST
“You’re late, Webb.”
Having the decency to look sheepish, he replied. “Sorry, got tied up at the office.”
“Tied up, huh? I didn’t know spies were into that kind of stuff,” she teased lightly.
“Very funny, Mac.” Getting down to business, Webb started right into twenty questions. “Did you bring them?”
“Yeah, here.” Mac handed him a plastic bag containing this morning’s letter and the pictures, along with her journal.
“You’ve been keeping track in the journal like I told you to, right?”
“Every phone call, every date, every time.”
“Great. I want to get these to our people back at the agency. Maybe we’ll get something from the photos or off the letter.”
Again Mac responded nonverbally, nodding her head.
“We’ll catch this guy, Mac. I promise,” Clay stated emphatically, catching her hand in his. “Have you told Harm yet?”
“I tried to. We’re supposed to meet tonight and talk over dinner. I asked him to lunch but he said he had an appoint...”
Whatever else Mac would have said died in her throat.
A look that Clayton Webb had never seen on another human being passed over Mac’s face. Following her gaze, Webb turned and saw what had caught Mac’s attention. ‘Oh, damn,’ Clay silently cursed. There, standing in the doorway, was Harmon Rabb with some blonde Clay had never seen before, his hand resting at the small of her back. Tentatively, Clay asked, “Mac, who is that with Harm?”
“That son of a bitch. That was his ‘appointment.’ He did it to me again.” Her heart finally shattered into a million pieces. “Her name is Caroline. Sturgis set them up.” Okay, so Mac knew that wasn’t entirely the truth, but it didn’t matter. She had needed him, and again he was too God damn busy with some fucking blonde to be there when she needed him. Well to hell with him. “Look, Clay. I don’t want anyone else to know about this. We’ll handle this alone.”
“Mac, I think you’re letting your emotions over rule your head on this one. Maybe when you’ve had a chance to calm down and talk to him...”
“I’m through talking, Clay. Harmon Rabb can go straight to hell. Let me know when you have something.” With that Mac snatched her purse and over coat and headed toward the door. Walking toward it, Mac had almost made it when Caroline’s voice called out. “Wait I know you. Colonel Mackenzie, right?”
Harm, who had been placing their order at the bar, whipped around so fast he almost fell over. ‘Oh, God. Mac.’ There was an eery calm about her that scared the hell out of him, and when she answered, he knew he was toast.
“Yes, and you are...Caroline, right?” The words were directed at Caroline but Mac’s stoney gaze never left him.
“Yes. Fancy meeting you here. You meeting someone?” Caroline asked.
“Yeah, a close friend of mine. I had some personal issues to discuss and he met me here for lunch.” With one last contemptuous look at Harm, Mac spat. “Enjoy yours, Commander.” Turning on her heel, Mac stormed out of the bar.
“Shit! Wait, Mac!” Following her out, Harm managed to get to the parking lot but not before Mac peeled away. “Damn it! God damn it!” Running his hand through his hair in frustration he turned and headed back into the dimly lit bar only to find Caroline was no where in sight.
“Everything okay, Rabb?”
The sinking feeling was back. “Webb? What are you doing here?”
“Helping a friend.”
“You were here with Mac? She asked you?”
“Yeah, she did,” Clay replied, his arms crossing over his chest.
Anger and jealousy jockeyed for position inside of him. “She told you and not me.”
“How can you be so stupid, Harm? She asked you to come with her to meet me; you said you had an appointment. I guess she’s the appointment, huh?” Webb accused, tilting his head toward the blonde exiting the ladies room. “Hope she’s worth it.”
“What are you talking about? What did Mac say about..?”
“Like you fucking care about what Mac had to say.” Shaking his head in disgust, Webb finished. “Enjoying your ‘lunch’ with the blonde. See you around, Harm.”
Caroline came back from the ladies room, oblivious to all the commotion. “There you are. I thought you had run out on me." Sidling herself up to Harm, she slipped her arm into his and whispered seductively, “So, what is it you wanted to talk about, Sailor?”
Harm fought to hold down the nausea threatening to overwhelm him. He loved it when Mac called him ‘Sailor’ but coming from Caroline it made him want to throw up. Extracting himself from her arms, Harm backed up a few paces before getting right to the point. “I wanted to talk to you about us. I know you got the impression that I was...interested the other night. And, that’s partly my fault. But the fact of the matter is I’m...I’m in a relationship with someone right now, or at least, I wanted to be. That is if she’ll ever speak to me again.”
Understanding dawned in her eyes. “Sarah Mackenzie, huh?”
“How did you know her name? You guys didn’t say more than two words to each other last week?”
“Are you kidding me? Between today and that night a week ago, if looks could kill, I’d be a goner. Besides, I asked Bobbi about her. She told me I was wasting my time with you.”
Chuckling with no humor, Harm started into an explanation. “I was meeting you today to tell you I couldn’t see you again. Then tonight I was hoping to...well convince Mac to give us a chance. But it seems that I just shot that all to hell.”
“Why didn’t you just tell her why you couldn’t have lunch with her today? If you would have told her the truth, that would have solved all of this.”
“I didn’t lie to her.” At Caroline’s knowing look, Harm conceded. “I don’t know why I didn’t just tell her. I just didn’t think she’d understand.”
“Harm, here’s a friendly piece of free advice. Ninety percent of any good relationship is communication. The other ten is all the rest that goes with it. If you can’t talk to each other then you might as well forget it.”
“Really communicating has never been one of our strong suits.”
“Well then, maybe you need to try harder. You’re going to have to work at it if she’s what you really want.” When he didn’t answer she tried to lighten the mood a little. “So, how about we go ahead and eat?”
“Thanks. I’m sorry about all of this. But if you don’t mind, I really need to get back and try to talk to Mac.”
“That’s okay. I understand,” she said, patting his arm. “Have a nice life Harmon Rabb.”
After Caroline exited the bar, Harm seriously considered having a drink. What the hell had he been thinking? He should have known. She had come to him for help again, and again he had failed her. ‘Damn it! Why do I always end up hurting her?’ When would he ever learn to put her first? And then there was Webb. What Webb had told him rolled around over and over in his head.
‘She asked you to come with her to meet me...’
Webb was involved in whatever it was that had Mac so upset. Maybe it was another one of his stupid operations. He swore that if Webb had put her in danger this time he’d break more than his nose.
Paying for their uneaten lunch, Harm left and headed back to JAG. It was time to face Mac, to apologize, to grovel if he had to. He’d beg and plead for her forgiveness and hopefully she would. When he pulled into the lot, the first thing he noticed was that her car wasn’t there.
Making his way up to the office, Harm was on his way to his office to try her cell phone when Tiner caught him. “Sir, the Admiral wants to see you, ASAP.”
Grunting in frustration, Harm crisply replied. “I’ll be right there, Tiner.”
“Jesus, can this day get any worse?” Harm mumbled to himself on his way to the Admiral’s office.
He was about to find out just how much worse it could get.