Saturday Day 8

Colonel Sarah Mackenzie dropped her bag on the floor and turned the deadbolt to lock her door. She was exhausted and it wasn't entirely from the round trip to the boat. It was the constant turmoil. Wondering if the next piece of evidence, witness statement, or com log would effectively kill Harm's career and if he would forever hold her responsible. She didn't believe for a moment that he was guilty of anything. He was careful, logical, responsible and held the safety of the pilots paramount, but the evidence was telling a different story.

Nothing about this situation made any sense. She was hoping there would be clarity of thought when she and Bud reviewed the evidence before she submitted her final report. Thankfully there was a couple of nights sleep in her own bed before that happened and a day to catch up on laundry and throw out a week's worth of fresh produce and milk. She stood at the fridge door and reviewed the contents. There was a withered apple which should have been tossed last week, half a carton of milk with a best before date three days ago and something that looked like turkey oozing around it's plastic container. She closed the door and decided the fridge could wait. She plugged in the kettle and while the water heated, emptied her bag and changed her clothes. Thirty minutes later, fresher from the shower, she plugged the kettle in again and hit the play button on her machine.

Harm's voice shook the cobwebs out of her head. "Mac, I've been trying to reach my mom. Can you call her and let her know what's up? This is going to be all over the news and she deserves to hear from someone she knows. Thanks Mac." There was a pause. Then barely audible, "What would I do without you?" Then a click as the line disconnected.

Mac sunk to her knees and lowered her head. She knew it was lack of sleep from the last few days. She was light headed and her stomach was doing manoeuvres like the last time she flew with Harm. That was Paraguay, when he'd done his knight in shining armour trick and come to her rescue. Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead.

And now she had dug up just enough evidence to skin him of his future, his livelihood as a lawyer, his good name and very likely his freedom. He wouldn't feel the same about her after she gutted his career in court. No way the convening authority would allow a plea in this case, not with the loss of lives involved.

She shook her head slowly, breathing in through her nose and nosily out through her mouth. It was the feeling of nausea that prickled in her brain. It was that feeling that made the remembered taste of bourbon waft over her tongue. She stood on shaky knees and poured the steaming water over the bag in the cup. With careful fingers she plucked the bag out the cup a moment later and tossed it into the sink. She wrapped her hands around the mug and breathed in the tea, but it couldn't erase the echo of liquor from her mind. She picked up the cordless phone and settled into the arm chair in the living room

Joey picked up the call on the second ring.

"Hi Joe."

"Mac you're home."

"Did you hear?"

"About Harm you mean?"

"Yeah, actually I went to see him Thursday after work."

"Really, I'm surprised the Admiral okayed that."

"Mac I didn't run it up the chain of command. I just went to see a friend who's in a spot of trouble."

"Right. Sometimes I forget you're not one of us."

"You sound tired."

"Beat. Too tired to do laundry or go grocery shopping and not tired enough for bed. Wanna come over and tell me exciting stories from your life that don't have anything to do with the Navy?"

"How about I pick you up in 45 and we go out to my sister's place and take Kyle to the park."

"Sure, another great way for me to meet a guy, go to the park with a kid and another woman."

Joey laughed, "See you're gonna be just fine. Besides you've got a guy, he's a felon, but he's all yours."

"Let's not talk about that today, OK."

"Deal, see in you in 45."

Mac touched the talk button to end the call, then struggled out of the chair and went back into the kitchen. In her address book under Rabb, H. she found Trish and Frank Burnett's number in California. She did the time difference in her head and dialled the numbers.

The call went just about the way she expected. Trish was warm and concerned, until she discovered that Mac had not only led the investigation, but had been detailed as the lead prosecutor in his case. Her tone turned frosty and terse. Mac set the phone down gently and took a long swig of cold bitter tea from the mug in her hand. Get used to it Mackenzie, she thought. She's not the only Rabb who's going to be mad at you.

Side by side on the swings at the tot lot four blocks from Joey's sister's house, Mac began the interrogation. "So how did your TAD assignment go?"

Joey shrugged. "No problem while I was there."

"But?" asked Mac.

"Commander Stewart, my C.O., bought me a beer Monday night after I got back. I was TAD for a couple weeks. Anyway he buys me a beer and proceeds to tell me not to hold my breath when the promotions board meets next month, because my name is not on the list. So I play dumb and ask him why not. I've got good fit reps and I've been a Lieutenant Commander the requisite number of months. What's up?' Joey shifted Kyle to her other knee and pushed off again. Mac planted her feet on the ground and twisted sideways to watch Joey as she explained.

"He says that the promotion board won't touch me because of my personal life. Now I'm thinking, he thinks, that they think, I'm gay. But of course the real problem is that I've got a two star on speed dial and a steady date for Friday night."

Mac shook her head sympathetically.

'So I pointed out to him that I hadn't done anything that was inappropriate. And he said his hands were tied, that this wasn't a discussion it was a briefing, and that if the scuttlebutt he was hearing was correct I could expect a phone call from my detailer offering me a new post."

"What did the Admiral say when you told him?" Mac responded

Joey shook her head and repositioned Kyle. "I haven't. All he could say is I told you so. We knew from the beginning this might happen."

"Jeez Joey, I'm sorry."

"Yeah That's what that crafty bastard Stewart said."

"Bastard." said Kyle mimicking his aunt in a clear sweet voice. Joey's eyes went wide and Mac turned her head so he wouldn't see her laugh.

Sturgis Turner finished his run a little after 1730. He liked the way his body took over his mind during his long runs on the weekend. After the first couple of miles he ceased to think and just ran feeling only the physical sensations. Unfortunately, life crowded right back in once his breathing and heart rate returned to normal. The sound of his cell phone ringing brought him back to reality a little faster than usual.

"Hello" he said.

"Hi Sturgis"

"Hey Mac, what's up"

"I wondered when you'd talked to Harm last."

"Just a minute ok."

He set the phone down and went into the steamy bathroom to turn off the shower. He grabbed the towel from the bar and ran it across his face and neck and rustled it through his hair. Breathing a little easier and no longer dripping with sweat he picked up the phone again.

"I saw Harm last night during visiting hours."

"Come on Sturgis."

"Mac you're prosecuting him."

"Yeah and I'd like to know how he's doing."

"Well to be honest, brig chow isn't up to his standards and his bunk is too short. He says its like sea duty without the view."

Mac laughed in spite of herself. Then more seriously she said, "I'd like to go visit him, but I guess I'll have to wait until we meet next week."

"I'm not enjoying myself either, but it's a job."

"Thanks Sturgis, see you Monday."