A/N: This is a bit of a filler chapter—I apologize—I know nothing about police, FBI, CIA protocol and frankly don't really care to learn! When I eventually write my own novels (Ha!) I'll do better research, but until then, enjoy.
Letters to Harm
Chapter 34: Quiet
My Dearest Harm,
It's so cold here. Oh, the wind doesn't whip through you like it could in DC, but when the snow piles halfway up the walls, the fireplace can only warm things so much. We've had two blizzards here thus far, and I'm surprised we've only lost power once. On especially cold nights, he will sleep out in the living room so he can be close to the fire, leaving me to shiver in the bedroom. If nothing else, his presence in the bed does provide some body heat; without him, I can never seem to get warm enough and I'll wake up with my teeth chattering. I layer as much as I can, but I know my relative thinness isn't helping—oh, please know I'm trying to be as healthy as possible while I carry your child—but after she takes what she needs to grow, there isn't much left for me.
Harm, one thing about the winter here in my prison…it's so quiet. The city after a snowfall was always still full of sounds even into the night, but here…it's utterly silent. The complete quiet is, as odd as it sounds, deafening. It's beautiful, though…there are nights when the reflection off the snow illuminates the entire sky with an ethereal glow, and I'll pretend you and I are at your grandmother's farm, stealing a Christmas kiss on her front porch.
Yes, Harm…it's Christmas…Christmas Eve to be exact, and I picture you at the Wall, visiting with your dad. I wonder…did you ever tell him about me? And will you tell him this time that I broke your heart? Will he look down at you and send you comfort? Could you ask him to send some to me too? Please?
I have to go; he'll be home soon—he finally made it out of here today after the most recent snowfall, and I'm sure he'll want a meal that's extra warm and hearty, as they say. I'd better get on with it.
But then again, maybe I'll just sit here a moment longer. When he isn't here, I actually enjoy the quiet…and it's so quiet here…
Merry Christmas, Harm.
I miss you.
I love you.
Mac
May 26th, 2004
1505 Local
Rabb Residence
Falls Church, VA
It was so quiet. That was Harm's first thought as he crossed the threshold into his kitchen. It was clear a battle had been waged here; broken glass littered the floor, dishes were scattered, and even a couple of pictures on the walls had been knocked askew. Their cordless phone was in pieces on the floor; it looked like it had been dropped and then stepped on.
He noted that there didn't seem to be any significant amount of blood splatter in here…not on the floor nor the walls…it would seem that the only significant bloodstain was in the upstairs hall. He hadn't seen it yet, but after what had happened to her up there…he tried to block that image from his mind. She'd been so pale…Harm closed his eyes, but it only made his last sight of her more vivid.
It was so quiet…
AJ found Harm standing in the middle of the kitchen, holding a torn piece of paper. On closer inspection, he saw that it was a picture Tricia had drawn of her family one day while AJ baby-sat. The figures were little more than blobs, but AJ had thought it quite fabulous. He remembered the pride Harm and Mac had shown when the little girl had given it to them, and it made him choke up.
Mac was gone.
The girls, his beautiful granddaughters…gone.
"Harm? Son?" AJ began tentatively. He laid a hand on the younger man's arm, and Harm jumped, startled out of a million memories of his life before today.
"Yeah?" Harm answered despondently.
"We're going to find them." He did his best to sound confident, but AJ knew Harm saw through him.
"Sir…he—he already…h-hurt…h-hurt…" Harm took in a deep, shuddering breath. "He h-hurt…" Harm looked back down at the picture in his hand. "Oh god, AJ, what if he—what if he—" Harm choked up then, and AJ watched his most senior attorney crumble from within, Tricia's picture fluttering to the ground as his fingers lost their grip on it. AJ's arm went around Harm's shoulders, but Harm shrugged him off. The soon-to-be-retired admiral saw the commander square his shoulders and swallow hard, and AJ knew that Harm was distancing himself from his grief and wild emotions. He had a mission…he needed to find his girls. Only then would he allow himself to let it all go, and AJ vowed to be right there with him. But until then…
"Admiral?" AJ recognized that Harm needed the security of falling back on rank and military protocol.
"Yes, Commander?"
"Did she—did they say if—did she tell them what happened before she—" Harm took another deep breath.
AJ shook his head. "No, son, she didn't."
Harm nodded. "At least she was able to call the police, even if it was too late…" Harm suddenly stood tall and walked toward the kitchen door. "I need to see where…I need to see it."
"Son—"
"No, Admiral, I have to." Harm cut him off and strode out the door. AJ followed behind, wishing he could have done more to protect this family.
"Is that where they found her?" Harm asked Gunny needlessly. The giant bloodstain on the hardwood floor of the hall was rather telling. Gunny nodded anyway.
"Yeah. Sir, they've looked all over the house…there's no sign of—"
"I know, Gunny!" Harm snapped. The gunnery sergeant just nodded calmly. "I wonder…why was she up here? Why would she lead him—"
"Maybe she went up here to protect them?" Gunny speculated, and Harm just shrugged. AJ had gone ahead of them to converse with the FBI agents that had just arrived; it was the same FBI agents Harm and Mac had met at the beginning of all of this. Harm could feel Tessa McNally's eyes on him as her partner, Carl Marshall, spoke to the admiral, and as Harm knelt down by the evidence of violence that marred the lovingly polished floor, she stepped over and knelt down beside him.
"Harm, this wasn't your fault." Tessa knew well Harm's penchant for self-blame, having been in touch with him and Mac throughout the ongoing investigation into Mic Brumby.
"I should have been able to protect them, Tessa. I got lax…and now…they're gone. Tricia, Emily…M-Mac…" Harm swallowed hard and stood up. "And my ex-wife probably won't even make it to the hospital alive." Harm looked down again at Rene's blood. She'd been shot in the chest, and the situation was dire.
Harm had wondered for a moment if Rene could have been responsible for leading Brumby to his family, but he knew that was ridiculous. Rene was many things, but she wasn't evil, and she'd been as shocked as anyone when Harm finally told her the full story of where Mac had been. Harm was grateful that she'd at least tried to protect his family.
His family…It hit Harm again that his wife and children were gone…missing…wait a minute…
Harm could have sworn he'd heard a child's cry. It hadn't come from any of the bedrooms; in fact, it seemed to be coming from above him. Above him…Oh my god…
Harm bolted down the hall to guest room next to Tricia's bedroom. Tessa followed him, soon being joined by AJ and Carl. Harm threw open the closet door and he heard the sound again, louder this time. He reached up and pulled a length of rope that hung above him, and a narrow ladder slid down. Harm climbed it, bursting into his attic frantically. The ceiling was low where he was at, and he carefully crawled to a small door near the ladder. Harm pulled hard on it, and suddenly, with a wail and cry of 'Daddy!', Harm had his girls in his arms again. AJ found him moments later, sobbing half in relief, half in grief, clinging to Emily while Tricia clung to him. When Tricia saw him and held out her tiny arm to him, AJ pulled her into his arms, and for once, the former navy SEAL didn't give a damn if anyone saw him crying.
2022 Local
Rabb Residence
Falls Church, VA
"That was the hospital," Harm said as he hung up the phone. He was still listed as Rene's emergency contact and as such was able to get updates on her condition. "Rene made it through surgery." He sat down at the dining room table with a sigh of relief, but then stood up again to pace about the room. Present were AJ, Webb, Gunny, Jennifer Coates, and Bud. Harriet was up in the master bedroom with the children, doing her best to keep things normal for them as she prepared them all for bed.
For safety purposes, not knowing what Brumby had planned, Webb had his men round up the Roberts' and bring them here where they could all be watched over.
Of course, they didn't have actual proof that it was Brumby, but none of them had any doubt that he had been the perpetrator of this. The FBI agents had gone around to the neighbors' houses and asked what they had seen; the Rabb house, however, was set back from the street with a long driveway and surrounding trees, so it wasn't surprising when none of the neighbors had noticed anything amiss.
Harm was making another turn around the room when a pale and tired Harriet appeared in the doorway, Tricia in her arms. The little girl hadn't made a sound since she had called out to her Daddy in the attic, and they were all worried about her. "She wouldn't go down, Harm. I'm sorry," Harriet said as she handed his daughter to him. Tricia's huge eyes, so like her mother's, just stared into his, barely blinking, and Harm could only hold her close and pray she hadn't been permanently scarred by all that had happened.
Harm figured that Rene had gone upstairs to call 9-1-1 and secure the girls. She must have remembered the little storage area in the attic, placed the girls in there, and retrieved a weapon. Harm had a 9mm handgun locked up in a small safe in his nightstand. It was missing now, and they speculated that Rene had retrieved it only to have it used against her. There were a couple of 9mm bullet casings discovered in the hall, and they were sure they had come from his gun.
"White pickup…Georgia plates…stolen…" Harm vaguely heard Agent Marshall's words as the other man spoke on his cellphone while he paced about the room, rubbing Tricia's back. His daughter refused to relax, and she held herself stiff while her eyes darted around the room. Harm's heart broke for her and he knew AJ's did too; the older man was watching them with a stricken look. Eventually, as Harm shifted Tricia to his other arm, AJ appeared beside him and held out his arms. Tricia went to him willingly, and as much as Harm wanted to continue holding her, he knew that AJ, aka "Gampa Am-al" needed to feel that she was safe as well. Harm's parents were on their way, and soon Tricia would have two more doting grandparents to hold and comfort her. Harm could only hope it was enough.
"We got a lead…" Agent Marshall started, and everyone turned their attention on him. Harm motioned for him to go ahead. "Your next-door neighbor to the north of you apparently came home over the noon hour. He happened to see an unfamiliar vehicle coming down the drive with two people in it. He hadn't been able to see who was in the older model pickup, but it seemed odd enough for him to pay attention to the license plate."
Harm nodded. He must have been talking to Angus Neal, who was an electrical engineer and was quite meticulous about a great many things. It figured that he would remember the license plate and the fact that the pickup didn't seem to belong there.
"It was stolen from a grocery store parking lot in West Virginia—they're putting a BOLO on it." Harm nodded again. His whole body was screaming for him to do something, anything, to find Mac, but he couldn't just leave his children, especially when he didn't have a clue as to where Brumby could have taken her. He remembered again telling her he always knew where she was, and he cursed himself for losing that ability. Not for the first time that night, he closed his eyes and opened his mind, trying desperately to locate her. He got nothing. Well, maybe not nothing…he was suddenly surer than ever that she was alive.
An hour later, someone called Agent Marshall about a sighting of the stolen white pickup. The witness was sure there was only one person in the vehicle. He hadn't recognized a photo of Mac, but when he saw a photo of Brumby, he'd indicated that was probably him. It wasn't much to go on, but something was better than nothing at all.
Tricia had finally fallen asleep in her daddy's arms a few minutes before, but she seemed restless, and Harm's rage at Brumby grew. He was becoming more wound up as the time passed, and he suspected that wasn't helping Tricia either. Each time a phone rang, Harm would jump, and finally, Harriet eased Tricia out of his arms and carried her upstairs to the master bedroom. After checking on the other children, she returned to the dining room where everyone was still gathered. Various FBI agents had come and gone; only the agents Tessa McNally and Carl Marshall were constant fixtures, and currently Harm was deep in conversation with Agent Marshall. She could tell he was growing more and more agitated, was nearly in tears, and Harriet flashed back to the night they'd all confronted Harm about his obsession with Mac, the night he'd wound up sobbing in the admiral's arms. Just like that night, Harriet vowed to be strong for Harm, though her heart would be destroyed as well if they didn't find their Mac.
"Goddammit, Carl!" Harriet heard Harm shout. "Are you even looking for her?!" She watched as the admiral stood up and walked over to him and laid his hand on Harm's shoulder. Harm shrugged it off, but the admiral doubled down and grabbed both shoulders. He spoke firmly and calmly in Harm's ear, and finally, Harm nodded. His shoulders slumped as he apologized to Agent Marshall, and AJ led Harm into the living room.
"How were the kids?" Bud stepped up behind Harriet and put his arms around her. She leaned into his embrace as she blinked back a few tears.
"They're fine. Thank goodness Tricia stayed asleep." Harriet turned around in her husband's arms and pulled him closer to her. "Bud, what if…what if he…what if she…" She couldn't go on. Bud held his wife even tighter.
"We can't think like that…not yet…"
"We need to pray, Bud. Pray we get her back safely." Bud nodded, and together they bowed their heads.
2238 Local
Rabb Residence
Falls Church, VA
Harm sat on his couch, head in his hands. The admiral sat in a chair nearby, keeping watch over the young man that he'd once referred to the son he'd never wanted. That had never been a true statement; indeed, Harm was the son AJ had always wanted, and God knew Mac was a second daughter to him. If they lost her…
No. AJ refused to think that way. They couldn't have gotten her back just to lose her to Brumby again. That just couldn't happen.
For the next few minutes, AJ remained lost in thought. Gradually, though, he became aware of the sound of quiet sobs close by. Harm…
AJ slipped over to sit next to the younger man and wrapped his arms around him. As he had two and a half years ago, AJ held Harm while he cried out his grief.
2317 Local
Rabb Residence
Falls Church, VA
"We've got something." Agent Marshall stepped into the living room and handed AJ a piece of paper with a phone number written on it. AJ showed it to Harm, who took it gingerly in his hand. "Do you recognize that number?" Carl continued.
Harm shook his head.
"It's a cell number…it was the last call received before the police were called."
Harm handed the paper back to Carl and shrugged. So?
"It's an Idaho area code. We were able to triangulate the signal—it's somewhere in this area." Agent Marshall showed both of the other men a partial map of the metro area. He'd circled an area that encompassed Georgetown and parts of Arlington. It was a huge area when one considered they were looking for one woman, and Harm failed to see how this would help. There was something, however, that caused Harm to take the map from Carl's hand. He studied it, drawing his finger down the Potomac River, before he closed his eyes.
Come on, Mac. Where are you?
And then it hit him. His eyes flew open and he looked straight at the FBI agent.
"I know where Mac is."
It was so quiet…
Mac's eyes fluttered open, only to screw tightly shut again when the light hit them. She gradually became aware that she was lying in a bed, and a sick sense of déjà vu hit her. Her hands and ankles were tied with firm knots and she wondered for a moment if she'd actually been dreaming about the last three years—her abduction by Mic, her escape, and the last several months with Harm. Was she actually still in her apartment, waiting for Mic to return from killing little AJ? Had Mic made good on his threat? No…Mic had found her again and overpowered her. She'd fought hard this time, but despite weeks and months of preparation with Harm to get her strength back to be able to defend herself again, Mic had been able to subdue her.
Mac opened her eyes again and slowly accommodated to the light of her bedside lamp. Everything in here was in its place, from the wrought iron bed to the peachy paint on her walls.
Wait. Her bedside lamp? Her walls?
What the hell was she doing here?
A sound from the bathroom caught her attention and she turned her head. She couldn't escape the blow Mic gave her, and as she lost consciousness again, she heard Mic's nauseating voice in her good ear.
Welcome home, luv.
Mac was plunged into darkness and silence once again.
It was so quiet...
End Chapter 34
