Trinkets – Part 1

"Excuse me," the young petty officer said to the first person he found when he came off the elevator. "Is there a … Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie on this floor?" he asked, reading the name from the package in his hands.

The enlisted man that he asked, who happened to be completely new to the building, was saved from embarrassment by Lieutenant Simms, who happened to be walking by and stopped to intervene. "Is that a package for the Colonel?"

"Yes, ma'am. I was asked by Lieutenant Nichols to make sure that she gets this."

"I'll take it to her," Harriet offered. "I need to get her signature on these papers anyhow."

"Umm, … no offense, ma'am," said the petty officer, "but I'm under orders to see that Colonel MacKenzie personally receives this package."

"None taken," she responded. "Let me show you to her office."

A moment later, Harriet was knocking at the Colonel's open door.

"Enter."

"Ma'am, you have a delivery," Harriet indicated the young man ready to pass on the box. "And I have some papers for you to sign."

The Colonel stood up and accepted the package. "Thank you petty officer. Dismissed."

"Yes, ma'am." He pivoted and left her office.

Mac put the brightly colored box at the far end of her desk and held out a hand to take the papers from Harriet.

"Aren't you going to open the package, ma'am? It looks personal."

Mac raised an eyebrow at Harriet as she took the papers and sat down to sign them. "Curiosity getting the better of you, Lieutenant?"

"No, ma'am," Harriet quickly denied. At Mac's look, Harriet amended, "Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. It's none of my business."

Skimming over the documents in front of her, preparing to sign them, Mac decided to fill Harriet in anyhow. "This is the third box like this I've gotten. Lieutenant Nichols, who helps to oversee security in the building, has been sending them. … Trinkets, and I don't really know why."

"Really?" Harriet asked, her interest even more perked now.

"Yeah, I haven't had time to figure out what to do about it," answered Mac, signing the first two pages in the pile. "Things have been so busy here with the Bradley investigation and the Horne case coming up. … And speaking of the Horne case, where is lead counsel for the defense this morning? Commander Rabb was supposed to meet me at 0900 to go over strategy."

"I haven't seen him yet today," answered Harriet. "Maybe he got caught in traffic?"

"It would have to be an awfully bad back up. It's 0957," replied Mac without consulting her watch. She signed the last page and returned the documents to Harriet.

"Thank you, ma'am." She took them, but didn't move.

"Is there anything else?" Mac inquired.

"… No." She started to turn, but then halted. "You're really not going to check what's in the box? … It does say, 'open immediately.'"

Mac sighed. "Well, if it will make you happy, Lieutenant." Mac stood up and reached for the box. "I wouldn't want to be responsible for you being distracted from your duties due to wondering."

"I can leave, ma'am. If it's something … private."

"It better not be. I've hardly spoken two words to the man, and suddenly he's sending me knickknacks," said Mac, undoing the tape on the box lid. "Considering we're different ranks, he's walking a fine line. I guess part of me is hoping that if I just ignore him, he'll realize I'm not interested and let it go. I really don't want to make a scene returning these items or to have things get to the point where I have to make a report."

"Maybe Lieutenant Nichols just wants to be your friend," Harriet suggested, although her tone was not convincing. "Or maybe he wants to be recognized, you know, get some attention. It could be innocent …"

As Mac removed the lid and finally got a look inside, her face went pale, and feeling lightheaded, she quickly descended into her seat. Without taking her eyes off the box, she uttered, "Well, he's got my attention now. … And this is not innocent."

Suddenly worried, based on her superior's reaction, Harriet nearly dropped the papers she was holding. "What is it?" She tried to peek into the box, but Mac quickly put the lid back over it, blocking her view.

"You don't need to see this, Harriet. You don't want to see this."

"Ma'am?"

"Is the Admiral in his office?"

"No, ma'am. He has a meeting with the SecNav this morning."

"Damn it." Mac was nearly hyperventilating, as she closed her eyes and tried to decide what to do.

"Ma'am, … Mac. Please, tell me, what's going on?"