Disclaimer: Mary and Marshall belong to David Maples. If they hadn't been misused by others I wouldn't be writing this.
Sonn of Mann – Chapter 50 - Photo Bomb
MARSHALL POV
Despite sharing a bed with the love of my life, I can't sleep. Any other time, any other place we'd be doing a hell of a lot more than sleeping. I'm stiff from lying still so I don't disturb Mary. She and the baby need all REM sleep she can get. Something catches my eye so I slowly turn my head to see the burner phone flashing. It's way too early so this must be important. I stealthily and reluctantly extricate myself from our bed. Checking the display I see a text message from Clint to check my email.
I pocket the burner phone, don a sweatshirt and grab my laptop. I look in on the kids – they look like little angels sound asleep. I don't want to wake anyone so I tip toe down the hall to the kitchen. Was my brother able to check the office computers already? Anxious for answers I open my laptop and retrieve the attachment on his email. It's a photo, actually a series of photos. According to the email they came from Mary's hard drive. Who are these people?
The burner phone vibrates. "Hey little brother."
"Hey yourself." I'm in no mood for pleasantries. "Do you recognize anyone in these photos?"
"Uh huh. Check the first one." I scroll to it and see about seven or eight men in suits but can make out only two faces. "These must be from a hidden camera the angle is so odd. The guy in the middle of the picture facing left is Dane Ferguson. The only other face you can clearly see is Fetwell with a new mustache."
"Can you fix it so I can run facial recognition here?" I think I know the answer but maybe Clint knows something I don't.
"No. It's too risky. We need to keep our calls to a minimum for the same reason."
Okay, I can accept that. After all Dad and Conran have done to keep us safe I appreciate the need to stay off the DoJ network. "Who else have you identified?"
"Go to photos 3 and 4." These must have been taken the same day because everyone is wearing the same casual clothes. "See the guy wearing a panther t-shirt? That's Roach. The guy next to him in the baseball cap is McDaniel. I'm working on the rest."
"Any idea why these were on Mary's computer?"
"Dunno little bro. Maybe Mary's right - blackmail. As far as I can tell they haven't been doctored." He sighs sadly. "It looks like Mary is blackmailing Ferguson."
"Can you tell how or when these appeared on her computer?"
He chuckles. "That's the thing. According to the system dates these appeared when she was in the Denver hospital. Someone screwed up. In any case, they're gone now."
Great just what we need, another mystery. "How could they get access to Mary's computer and not know she was in the hospital?"
"I dunno. Backtracking those photos requires mucking about in the network and that would trigger a security alert. Let me work on getting names to go with the faces and check the other computers in your office."
"What about Mary's laptop?"
"Haven't seen it yet. I'll get it today." Stan will probably take it to him. Despite using supposedly untraceable phones, we are careful not to use our names, or the names of anyone we care about.
"Have you checked my desktop and the other office computers?"
"Yours looks clean. I'll give it and the other desktops an in depth scrubbing today. Gotta go. Stay safe – all of you."
"Thanks bro."
I turn off the burner and put it in the 'used' bag. We have a dozen new ones with the location service disabled. Who bought all of these? I sure hope they aren't coming out of my paycheck. Will I even have a paycheck since the Marshal Service still thinks I'm dead?
I'm studying the rest of the photos when Conran shuffles into the kitchen. Eyes half closed he heads for the coffee maker. "Aren't you supposed to be recuperating? What are you doing awake?"
"Clint called. He found a bunch of photos on Mary's office computer."
Once the coffee maker is running he sits down. I push the laptop his way. He scrolls through the photos twice. I can't take the silence. Does he know anyone or not? "Can you identify any of these people?"
"Uh huh." He nods.
This is no time to be coy. "Well, who are they?" Shit! I hope I didn't wake anyone. I didn't mean to raise my voice.
He looks around the room. "Is there a printer here?" Not the response I wanted.
Conran and I are staring at each other when Dad walks in. "Yes." We both watch him, fully dressed putting mugs for coffee on the counter. "I'll get it." Dad goes to a door across from the sink I thought led to a pantry. Instead he opens to door revealing a descending staircase. A basement. He quickly comes shuffling up the stairs carrying a printer. Doesn't everyone keep their printer in the basement? Whose place is this? Why does Dad know his way around?
He sets it on the table and I check the ink and the paper tray. The paper isn't photo quality but it's bright enough to make clear prints. Once everything is connected and powered on I send the photos to the printer.
While they're printing I head for the coffee pot. Dad and Conran are already sipping their morning wake up. Conran grabs the prints as soon as the printer spits them out. He shows one to Dad and they both study it. "You got a pen?" he asks.
Dad finds one and hands it to him. "This" he circles a face "is Dane Ferguson." He writes the name next to it. Hope there's enough ink to print another set. I have a feeling we will all need to scrutinize them. Conran continues circling faces and writing names.
Mom's awake. She ambles into the kitchen wishing us a good morning and gets her own coffee. Everyone is here except the kids and Mary. I need to check on her and get the kids. Mom is getting out eggs and bacon. Breakfast will be ready by the time the kids are up.
I open our bedroom door slowly. Bands of sunlight reveals Mary lying on her back, arms up bracketing her halo of blonde hair. Venus rising from the sea couldn't be more beautiful. When I get close she turns her head to the side and opens her eyes. "Marsh?"
"Yeah Mare." I sit on the bed studying the woman I've desired for too many years. I cup her cheek and run my fingers through her hair. "Go back to sleep. I'll get the kids. Mom's working on breakfast." She closes her eyes and breathes out sleepily. Then I drop the bomb. Not nice, but it had to be done. "Clint found photos in a hidden file on your office computer." Her eyes fly open and she raises her head.
"Say again," she commands.
"There were photos of Dane Ferguson on your computer."
She wipes the sleep from her eyes and props herself up on one elbow causing the sheet to slip down drawing my eyes to her breasts. She harrumphs and pulls the sheet up.
"What was he doing - in the pictures?"
"Nothing kinky. It's who else is in the pictures that's significant. Clint ID'd Ferguson, Roach and McDaniel. He's running facial recognition on the rest but won't have the results for a while. Conran knows some of them. He and Dad are checking out the photos in the kitchen.
She flops back down, but a half smile graces her face. "So I was right. What mother-humpin-waste-of-skin wanted to make me the scapegoat?"
"I don't know but it sure looks that way. My desktop was clean." I give her a smug smile and sing song, "My security is better than yours." She sticks her tongue out just as Norah makes her displeasure known.
I stand up and Mary moves to get out of bed mumbling "She's wet."
"I'll change her. Just take care of you. Breakfast will be ready soon and unless my nose deceives me, there will be pancakes," I intone stentoriously. "If you take too long they might be gone." It's dangerous to tease Mary about food but she's not fully awake.
"We'll see about that. Get Marty and Norah." She pushes me out the door. I turn and see her blonde hair disappear into the bathroom.
Marty is standing at Norah's crib talking to her. His attention isn't enough to halt her cries. I stoop to their level, looking them in the eyes. "Good morning Master Marty. Good morning Miss Norah. It's a very good morning," I tell them as I hoist Norah out of the play yard and take her to the dresser we're using as a changing table. Any morning that starts with these two is a great morning.
Marty's eyes aren't quite open but I enlist his help. "Marty, please get me a clean diaper." He spots the box and removes one lifting it up. "Thank you." I don't dare take my hand off Norah. Miss Wiggle Worm could easily roll off. I find a clean onesie and leggings and wrestle her into them and set her down on the carpet. She wobbles but stays upright.
"Your turn sport. Do you need to go to the bathroom?" He nods and toddles off. I get out underwear, a shirt, jeans and socks for him. When he returns I show him the outfit and help him out of his pajama top. It fit when I bought it but now the top is so snug he needs help. Good thing his airplane pants are loose. I hope our stay here is brief. He's going to need more clothes.
Despite the ominous circumstances that brought us here Mom is making the most of her time with the grandkids. Much to my surprise, so is Dad. If only we weren't the target of an unknown hit man this would be a real family vacation.
After breakfast and showers we gather round the kitchen table examining the faces in the photos. Mary finishes the breakfast dishes and sits down next to me. Mom took the kids to the living room which was still littered with blocks and cars.
"I know this guy." I point to a short man with stylishly spiked hair. "He came to Albuquerque with Pierson but I don't remember his name."
"Stan should be able to help us there." Mary advises. "He must have signed the visitor log. I made sure Pierson did." Mary would check on the director. In her world anyone who tries to enforce the rules damn well better follow them.
After I pointed out the spikey haired man, Mary stood, head down, back against the wall. I'd say she was thinking, but since it's Mary, scheming is more appropriate. After several moments her head snaps up. "We'll set a trap."
I study her. What is she planning? Mary's 'plans' are actually actions taken on the spur of the moment endangering herself and others.
"We will?" Dad and Conran look interested.
"Damn straight," Mary jerks her chin down. "And I know just how to do it."
She does?
A/N: Thanks to all who are following this story. Reviews would be nice - hint.
