PART SIX

MONDAY, JULY 16, 2007

MAC'S POV

Saturday afternoon, while Sami was taking her nap, I realized how worried I'd been that Harm wouldn't be home for Sami's birthday party. She loves him so much that she would have been devastated if he'd missed her party, although it wasn't really what you'd call a party.

Since Sami isn't in daycare or preschool, she hasn't had a chance to make friends her age, so we decided to have just a family celebration. We let her decide what she wanted for a cake, and she chose - you guessed it - a ladybug. There's a speciality cake store that Trish knows about, and she ordered the cake for Sami. Harm and I let her decide on the menu for dinner on Saturday night, as much as we could, and we invited Trish and Frank for an early dinner and for cake and ice cream before opening presents.

We hope that we struck the desired middle ground that we were striving for when it came to gifts. This is Sami's first birthday with us, so it was hard not to buy her everything that we saw in the toy store. Harm and I got her a tricycle, which turned out to be a gift for two, so to speak, since Harm and Ty spent 'guy time' in the garage, putting it together while Sami napped. Mattie, with Abigail and Ty's assistance, bought a variety of new story books for bedtime reading and a couple of "Dora the Explorer" DVDs. Trish and Frank gave her an assortment of inlay puzzles and a new party dress for her to wear for her birthday, as well as an assortment of other clothing.

Although it sounds a little stressful, having Harm home was the key to me relaxing and enjoying the sight of our little girl having the time of her life as she soaked up the attention that she was receiving from everyone at her birthday celebration.

On Sunday, I did hide away in the den for a couple of hours, trying to reason through a few different scenarios, but the picture of the blown trunk lid and the other damage led me back to my belief that the explosives were either under the back of PO Lancaster's car or hidden in the trunk - that he was the intended victim, but the timing of the blast had shed doubt on that.

After reviewing the case yesterday, I was ready to get to work, but first I had to go to my office to see if there was anything that came in over the weekend that would require my attention before speaking with my XO to have him conduct the Monday morning staff meeting. Once I'd reassigned that task, I was on my way to North Island to speak with PO Lancaster and the members of Det. 10.

PO Lancaster swore that he had no enemies ... certainly none who would want to kill him. However, it was a shipmate of his who sent my thoughts in a new direction, keeping my trip to North Island from being a complete bust.

The young man's comment was spoken in jest. "Lancaster, maybe your future father-in-law doesn't like you."

I asked PO Lancaster about his future in-laws. He assured me that they like him, but I have a way to check on that. Once I got into my car, I called Cindy Collins to make arrangements to speak with her this morning.

Cindy said that her father wasn't feeling well today and that she was going to work in his store for him, so, if I didn't mind driving to his store, she'd speak to me there.

FBI SURVEILLANCE VAN

ACROSS THE STREET FROM

AMERICA'S SURPLUS STORE

El CAJON, CA

1000

"Duke..." the man carefully watching the monitor in the back of the van says to get his partner's attention. "We've got a new face ... a lady Marine."

"How can you tell that she's a Marine?" the other man asks while trying to keep his concentration on his hand-held game unit.

"She's in uniform ... and if you want to know how I know that she's a woman, if she's here to buy contraband, she wouldn't be smuggling anything in, so I'm guessing that she's pregnant."

"What?"

"See for yourself," Duke says, pointing to the monitor.

The other man looks up from his game and, seeing the image that his partner had described, he drops his game unit and grabs for his phone.

INSIDE THE STORE

"Hello, Colonel MacKenzie."

"Hello, Miss Collins. When you said to meet you at your father's store, I didn't picture it as being a military surplus store."

"Please call me Cindy. The store is my dad's way of staying in touch with his inner soldier. You know what they say, 'old soldiers never die ... '"

"Your father served in the military?"

"Yeah, he was a demolitions expert in Vietnam towards the end of the war. I'm just opening up, so it'll be slow for a little while, but it'll pick up quickly. I don't mean to rush you, but what did you want to speak to me about? All you said was that it had to do with Ron."

"It's a little awkward, but I wanted to know how well you know him."

"I think I know him pretty well. Why?" she questions, confused by my apparent interest in her relationship.

"Because I find that men are a little less observant in some situations ... what women see as a possible threat might not even register on their radar. I thought that maybe you were aware of a disagreement that he might have had with someone that you might have seen as threatening that he just brushed aside."

"I can't think of anything ... wait a minute are you thinking that the explosion was meant to hurt my Ron? Ron is a good man. I can't believe that anyone would want to hurt him."

A middle-aged man with short dark hair that's graying at the temples comes from the back room. "Cindy ... " He abruptly stops his approach when he sees me. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that you were with a customer."

"This is Colonel MacKenzie. She had a few questions for me, so I told her to stop by this morning before I got busy," Cindy Collins informs the man who's giving me a look that says that he isn't happy about me being here.

"Ask you questions about what?" he asks defensively.

"The explosion on the Fourth of July," Miss Collins answers.

"I'm representing the accused," I say to support her since he isn't acting like he believes her.

"Then I'll leave you two to talk."

The man makes a hasty retreat to the back of the building. When he's gone, Miss Collins says, "You were asking me if I've seen anyone around Ron who might want to hurt him. How about him?" She motions with her head, indicating that she means the guy in the back.

"Why would you say that?" I ask.

She places her elbows on the counter and leans forward, speaking in a soft voice like she wants to make sure that the man who just left us, whoever he is, doesn't hear what she has to say.

"Mr. Connors has been my dad's business partner for the last year or so, but I don't like him. More importantly, I don't trust him. I wish that my dad had just let the business go under instead of letting him buy into it. I'd written to Ron about how I felt, and I think that's why Ron didn't hesitate to get involved in the fight between my father and Mr. Connors."

"When was this fight?"

"The week after Ron came back ... around the first of June. I don't remember the exact date."

"What happened?"

"I used to help out here a lot, but not much since Mr. Connors has been here. I get the feeling that he doesn't want me around. Anyway, I was helping around here the Saturday after Ron returned from deployment. Ron came by to see if he could take me to lunch or go out and get something and bring it back. Well, he and I were talking - we were probably standing in about the same place that you and I are - when we heard Mr. Connors and my father arguing. We couldn't make out the words, but they had to be yelling at each other for us to hear it up here. In the time that it took Ron and me to give each other a questioning look, wondering if one of us should go back to investigate, there was a noise that sounded like they were in a real fight. Ron took off to the back, and I was right behind him. Mr. Connors had his fist pulled back to hit my father. I could tell that he'd already hit my dad at least once because he had a swollen eye, but Ron pulled Mr. Connors off my dad before he could hit him again."

"Did anyone call the police?"

"No, my father and Mr. Connors said that it was just a business disagreement that got out of hand. Mr. Connors told my dad that he was sorry for getting physical, and my father said that it was okay. I wanted to call the cops, but Ron talked me out of it. He said that my father was a grown man and, if he felt that it was over, I should respect his decision." She takes a deep breath. "I don't think that I've helped you in any way. I've just unloaded my family's problems on you. I'm sure that it's the last thing that you need, considering ... " she says as she points to my stomach. "When are you due?"

"End of October ... and you've actually been very helpful. Thank you, but I should be going so that you can get back to work."

MAC'S OFFICE

1220

I've written several scenarios on my legal pad that would all raise flags to the members that there isn't enough evidence to convict my client. I just have to choose one. More than one theory presented in court makes you look desperate, not innocent. I have what I need to get my client a not guilty verdict, but I'd hoped to solve this case.

AT COATES' DESK
1225

Two men in dark suits and ties loom over Jennifer Coates, who's sitting at her desk. The slightly taller one speaks, "We'd like to see Colonel MacKenzie."

"Who may I say is here to see her?"

They quickly flash their badges. "FBI."

PO Coates doesn't take her eyes off the two men as she uses the intercom system to buzz the colonel in her office.

"Ma'am, there are two FBI agents here to see you." ... "Yes, ma'am." Jennifer disconnects the line with her CO, a little surprised that the colonel hadn't seemed concerned that the FBI was here to see her. "She said to send you in."

MAC'S OFFICE

MAC'S POV

I stand and move to the door to greet my visitors as the door opens. "Gentlemen."

I wait until after I've closed the door behind them to say any more. "I didn't expect a response to my request so soon, let alone to have it delivered in person."

"What request?" the slightly taller man asks.

"The request that I placed on Friday for information about the car in my investigation that was taken by the FBI from the NCIS crime lab," I say as I return to my chair behind the desk.

"We don't know anything about that. We're here to ask you why you were at America's Surplus Store earlier today," the same man states.

"Why would my visit there be of any concern to the FBI?"

"Our superiors said that we were to extend you the courtesy of coming to your office to ask you why you were there. Please don't make us take you in for questioning. Now, just tell us why were you there, ma'am," the same man states again.

"I was there regarding a case from this office. Why did my visit there result in an interrogation by the FBI?"

"What's the nature of your case?" the same man asks, ignoring my question.

"I don't think that it's any of your concern," I respond.

"I believe that it might be, so please answer the question."

Again, it's the taller one who's doing the talking. I wonder if the slightly shorter man can talk or if this tactic is part of their good cop, bad cop routine.

"No, I don't think so. When your supervisor gives you permission to share information, then you come back to see me, and we'll talk. In the meantime, gentlemen, I have an office to run, so please see yourselves out."

The two of them stare at me like I'm supposed to crack under the strain, but after a couple of moments, the slightly taller one wishes me good day, and they leave as I requested.

MASTER BEDROOM

RABB HOME

BEDTIME

"You've been awfully quiet since you got home tonight. Anything you want to talk about?" Harm asks as I get into bed.

"I'm sorry if I've been a little preoccupied this evening. I just keep thinking about my case and how my visit to see a witness resulted in a visit from two FBI agents doing a Penn and Teller impression."

"The FBI came to see you today? I know that this is probably a dumb question, but did they say why?" Harm asks sarcastically.

"I guess why is on a 'need to know' basis. The only clue that I got was that it has something to do with where I went to speak to a witness."

"Do you think that your witness could be under investigation by the FBI?"

"No, but maybe her father is. He owns the store that I went to today and he's a retired military demolitions expert."

"Do you think that he had anything to do with your explosion?"

"He might. It's certainly one theory that I have, but I don't have any proof of anything. I guess the good news is that I may not have solved the case, but I'm sure that my instincts are still good and that my client didn't do it. In addition, with the strong defense that I worked out today, I'm sure that I'll get him acquitted of the charges.

"Then, are you ready to get some sleep?"

"Yes, I am," I say before I press my lips to his and kiss him good night.

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2007

DR. WALLACE'S OFFICE

0915

I feel fine, so I find the two week intervals at which I now have to come to the doctor's office to pee in a cup and have a nurse check my blood pressure annoying.

I have an office to run and a trial that begins in five days. I don't have time for this today.

At least today, I was able to talk Harm out of being here, though it took some effort.

He knows that, between Vukovic and my case, I'm under more stress than usual, so he's been hovering over me since he returned from the carrier.

I know that he's only trying to take care of me, but I'm not used to the constant care that he's offering and I haven't been very good at accepting it.

"Mrs. Rabb," the nurse calls.

'Finally, I can get this done and get back to work,' is my thought as I head for the door where the waiting nurse is standing.

OUTSIDE JLS

1015

I'm in such a daze that I don't notice the Penn and Teller impersonators waiting outside the building until I have one on each side of me.

"Colonel MacKenzie, we need for you to come with us."

"I'm really not feeling up to an interrogation right now, so why don't we play this secret, need to know game some other time ... say in about two and a half months. I ought to feel up to it then."

"Colonel MacKenzie, we don't want to interrogate you. Our director wants to see you, and he needs to be sure that the location is secure, so he wants you to come to his office."

"Then you won't mind if I drive myself."

"If that's what you want, we have no objection. We're just to see that you get there."

"Then I'll call my office and let them know that I'm going to be a little later than I thought ... " I say as I pull out my cellphone and start dialing. " ... and then I'll go have a meeting with your director."

"We must insist that you don't tell your office where you'll be."

"Petty Officer Coates, my doctor is running behind, so, for anything urgent, you can call my cell. Anything else can wait until I get back to the office."

REGIONAL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE

FBI SUB STATION
SAN DIEGO, CA

"Colonel MacKenzie, I'm Chris Benton. I'm glad that we could finally meet," the ash blonde man says as I enter his office.

"Mr. Benton, I was told that you had information to share."

"Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable."

By the time I get seated and semi-comfortable, he's taken a seat behind his desk.

"I talked to General Cresswell this morning. He doesn't think that I can get you to cease your investigation by just asking nicely. So what do you want in order to stay away from America's Surplus Store, the Collins Family, PO Lancaster and Bruce Connors?"

"Cindy Collins is a witness and a victim, the same with PO Lancaster, so I don't know why asking a few simple questions has the FBI wanting me to stay away from them. If I knew what the hell you knew that would benefit me, then I'd know what to ask for, wouldn't I? Actually, I do know what to ask for - I just don't know exactly what it is. I want whatever evidence you have that will clear my client. You and I both know that PO Lancaster's car exploding had something to do with whatever you're investigating, and you don't want me to stumble onto it, whatever it is, while I'm investigating my case. If you want me to stop asking questions, just give me the information that I need."

"Done. It may take a few days for me to have someone put the information together, but I'll have it delivered to your office when it's ready."

"You don't have a lot of time. The trial is set to start on Tuesday."

"I'll see to it that you have the information from our office no later than Monday then."

"Thank you. Now, if there isn't anything else, I haven't been to my office yet this morning and I need to get going."

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Colonel."

"I hope that you'll forgive me if I don't return the compliment."

MASTER BEDROOM

RABB HOME

BEDTIME

With the children at his parents, the first thing out of Harm's mouth was to ask how my check-up went today when we met at the house to go to Lamaze class.

I know that he didn't appreciate my lawyer spin on the news. I replied, "I don't think that it's unexpected news, considering the stress that I've been under lately, that my blood pressure is up some."

As a result of the news that my blood pressure was up again, though not critically so, Harm was tense all through class and, after class, he brought me straight home and had me rest on the couch while he fixed us something to eat.

When Mattie brought the children home, Harm supervised bath and teeth brushing time for everyone.

He had Sami come and give me a hug and a kiss goodnight, but he read her a story and tucked her in alone.

When it was time for Abigail to go to bed, Harm offered no objections to me listening to her read and doing my part of the tucking in with her and Ty afterwards.

Now that we're comfortably settled into bed and alone, I feel that I need to say something that will help him relax so that his blood pressure stays normal and he gets a good night's sleep.

"Harm, my blood pressure isn't that high ... just a little elevated. It'll come down like before when this case and Vukovic are a memory. So try not to worry. It'll be over soon."

His hand is rubbing over my belly. "I'll try, but it seems as if things can be going well and then change in an instant."

"I think that's the nature of life, Harm." I let out a chuckle. "You have to learn to expect the unexpected."