Title: A Call to Bear Arms 2/5
Author: Papergirl (Ambino1111@prodigy.net)
Spoilers: Goodbyes, Boomerang, People v. Gunny (assume that Renee broke up with Harm)
Summary: The murder of a politician brings Harm and Mac closer to an Air Force family.
Rating: PG 13 - mentions of violence & mild swearing
Classification: Eventually H/M
Disclaimer: Lucas O'Reilly and the Wots family are mine, as are all the other characters you don't recognize, but all the familiar characters in the following story belong to Bellisarius Productions, Paramount, and CBS. The idea of a country named Morenia is borrowed from Early Edition. If you're going to sue me, could Harm and Mac be my lawyers?
Author's Notes: I just want to send a big "Thank you" out for all the positive feedback. It really meant a lot, and it motivated me to keep going. Thanks! I also changed from ZULU time to Eastern military time so nobody has to worry about converting time zones.
Plus, a BIG apology to everyone who's been waiting. I'm so sorry this story is taking forever to get out. I'm not quite sure why - it started out so straightforward. The thing was, I didn't want TJ to be a killer, self- defense or not, so I had to construct an elaborate plot around that and, on top of that, it takes me a while to write. Thanks for the feedback and thanks for all the patience!
Dedicated, with love, to Patrick, aka "Airman Patch." My thoughts and prayers were, and are, with you. You continue to make all of us very proud.
2108 NORTH OF UNION STATION WASHINGTON, D.C.
"Hey, sailor," Mac whispered as Harm joined her on the couch. "How'd you get her to go to sleep so easily?"
"It's a secret," He teased, snatching the remote from her hands. Mac opened her mouth to protest, but Harm put a finger over her lips.
"Shh. She's trying to sleep."
He let his finger linger there for a moment before guiltily taking it away. Feeling a blush rising to his cheeks, he turned off the television and started pacing his living room.
Mac sighed inwardly when Harm removed his finger. She'd felt tingly at his touch and she wished it was more than his finger on her lips.
'Focus, Marine,' Mac silently reprimanded herself. 'That precious little girl is going to lose the only family she has if you can't keep your mind on the case.'
"You never did tell me what Wots told you," Harm said suddenly, stopping momentarily in his pacing.
Mac took a deep breath, reaching in the brown bag to pull out the last of its contents - a file folder. "A lot of it hit close to home for me. Their mother died a little over two years ago. After Basic Training, TJ was stationed at Andrews, doing security detail. He spent all his free time at home, taking care of Amy. Mitch Wots had just won his re-election campaign for another term in Congress. According to TJ, he loved his job, but ever since their mother died Mitch had been hitting the bottle pretty hard. He lost interest in almost everything." Mac closed the file in front of her. She didn't need to read the notes she'd made - TJ's words had been burned into her brain. "Around Thanksgiving, Mitch Wots started growing increasingly abusive. It started out as purely verbal - he'd curse at TJ, or call Amy names - but he'd always apologize later. After a few weeks of that, his abuse graduated into physical violence. On Christmas Eve he punched TJ for trying to help him unwrap a present; TJ had to have his jaw wired. Not wanting to ruin his father's reputation, he told the doctors and his C.O. that he'd been in a car accident."
Mac paused to take a swig of her juice, and Harm sank into a chair, shaking his head at the story.
"What happened after that?"
"A lot. In the few months between Christmas and St. Patrick's Day, TJ was admitted seven times to four different area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor cuts to a broken arm."
"And Amy?" Harm's eyes were dark with sadness as he glanced towards his bedroom.
Mac sighed, trying to forget about her personal connections.
"She was admitted nearly as much. She needed a few stitches for a cut, and a rib was bruised. Nothing major enough to raise suspicions."
"You know, under normal circumstances this case would've been relatively easy to prove."
Mac nodded. "They're going to make the jury focus on what a great politician Mitch Wots was, and then TJ going AWOL and "borrowing" his friend's car to kill him. Not to mention that if we want to prove it was self-defense, they'll trash TJ's character by bringing up how he lied to his C.O."
They settled into silence, both of them thinking about how they were going to convince the judge and jury that Airman Wots wasn't a cold-blooded killer.
After a few minutes Harm suppressed a yawn and stood. He handed Mac the big bottle of juice.
"Here, I know you want to finish this." He grinned. "I'll just be a minute."
Mac watched him head off to the bathroom while she twisted the cap off to pour the remainder of the liquid into her cup. She turned the cap too hard and it went flying to the floor. Feeling silly, she bent to pick it up and noticed the large book underneath.
She was about to yell and ask Harm what it was right before she remembered that Amy was sleeping. Instead, Mac pulled the book into her lap and opened it. She was almost halfway through the photo album by the time Harm emerged from the bathroom wearing a Navy t-shirt and boxer shorts.
"Hey, whatcha looking at?" Harm asked, sitting down next to his partner.
"You," Mac pointed at a picture, trying to ignore the fact that Harm was wearing boxers and sitting so close to her that she could feel his leg hair. "Is this your senior prom?"
Harm nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Give me that," he snatched the book away with a chuckle. "I haven't looked at this in years."
"That was some outfit," Mac commented, muffling her laughter at the next picture.
"That was for a costume party!" Harm said, playfully slapping her arm. "You think I'd actually walk around in public like that?"
"I've seen you in worse," Mac teased.
"Yeah, it's because my mom doesn't pick out my clothes for me anymore," Harm deadpanned, eyes twinkling. "Although Renee, with her Hollywood fashion sense, has been helping me lately."
Mac's eyes widened as she groaned and slapped her palm to her forehead. She still hadn't informed Harm of Renee's decision.
Harm was giving her an odd look because of her reaction. She laughed nervously.
"Yeah, Harm, about that... I was supposed to tell you that when you were in Iceland, Renee came to JAG Headquarters."
"And...?"
"Well, she didn't believe that you were really there - in Iceland. She thought you were hiding from her. So she told me to tell you..." Mac trailed off, thinking of how to say what she had to say.
"She doesn't want to see me anymore," Harm guessed. Mac nodded, trying to look sad for him but failing. "You don't look upset about that at all."
She shrugged. "I never really cared for the Video Princess."
"To be honest, neither did I," Harm admitted, chuckling.
"Then why'd you date her?" Mac asked. She had always been curious what he saw in the shallow, outspoken blonde.
'Why did I date her?' Harm asked himself silently. She wasn't that pretty, she was very clingy, she whined a lot - she wasn't his type at all. Come to think of it, he couldn't come up with a reason at all... except for the one he was afraid to admit. What would Mac say if he told her the only reason he went out with Renee was because Mac was now spoken for, and he needed someone to take his mind off of that fact? What would her reaction be if he told her how far in denial he had sunk over the past few years, how when he finally admitted his feelings to himself he became utterly terrified of losing her? In some ways he already had, though, and it depressed him. He blew his chance, his one and only chance, and now he had to suffer the consequences. At least he didn't have to pretend to be happy anymore - that fake smile he had to wear whenever he was with Renee hurt his face.
"Harm?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you still with me here?"
Harm snapped out of his thoughts in time to see Mac eying him strangely.
"Whatcha thinking about, partner?" she asked quietly. She knew this case was painfully close for both of them.
"You," he answered truthfully, shocking himself as well as his friend.
Mac chuckled nervously. He reached over took her hands in his.
"Mac... Sarah... I've been thinking... and I... I mean, I have to tell you that the, the only reason I went out with Renee was because I -"
A loud cry from the bedroom interrupted him. They both jumped at the sound, and Mac got to her feet before Harm.
"I'll take care of her," she said softly before turning and hurrying into his room.
Harm sighed from his spot on the couch. Was he doomed to have bad timing his entire life? After a moment he shifted positions and grabbed the case file, carefully studying the information. 'Might as well be useful,' he told himself.
Inside Harm's bedroom, Mac had climbed next to Amy in bed, berating herself for being so eager to flee from Harm. She wasn't exactly sure where his conversation was headed, and she wasn't in the mood to get hurt again.
The little girl had awakened and was laying on her back, staring at the ceiling, tears streaming down her cheeks while clutching a teddy bear with a death grip.
"It's okay, Amy," Mac soothed, collecting the shaking girl in a hug. "It's okay. You're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you."
After a few minutes the shaking stopped, and Amy sniffled.
"Thank you, Mac," she whispered. Mac smiled, smoothing down Amy's hair.
"You don't have to thank me, hon. I'm just glad I can help."
Amy nodded, and snuggled back under the covers. She adjusted her grip on the bear, and Mac was able to take a good look at it.
"Who's that?" she asked, propping her head up with her arm bent at the elbow.
"He's Captain Bear," Amy said, then a look of horror crossed her eyes. "Oh no! I wasn't asposeda let you see him."
"Why not?"
"Harm said I couldn't show you. He said he'd never hear the end of it."
Mac smiled, but Amy was still worried.
"I didn't - I didn't mean for you to see it," she said, voice quivering. "I didn't mean to mess up. I don't want Harm to get mad at me. He'll yell and hurt me, please don't let him hurt me." Amy started pleading with Mac, sounding frantic and terrified.
"Shh. Shh. You're safe. I'll keep you safe. Harm would never hurt you - he wants to help you. He wants to keep you safe, too," Mac assured, putting an arm around Amy. It made her sick that a child so young knew such fear.
"Will you stay with me?" Amy hiccupped, tears running down her cheeks again. "TJ always stays with me when I have a bad dream."
Mac nodded in the darkness. "I'll stay with you, Amy. Don't worry, I'll be right here."
The girl sighed slightly and closed her eyes, feeling safe in the arms of Colonel Mac and Captain Bear. Pretty soon, both of them were sound asleep.
0217 NORTH OF UNION STATION WASHINGTON, D.C.
Harm was just resting his eyes. They had gotten sore from all the hours of poring over the files, trying desperately to find some hidden key that would help their case. So it felt like he had just closed his eyes when the phone rang. Instantly, he was wide awake again and managed to grab the phone before the third ring. He glanced at his bedroom - they were still asleep- before he said, "Rabb here."
"Hey, Harm. It's Lucas," Harm's heart sank when he heard the serious voice of his friend at the police station. It couldn't be good news.
"What's new, Lucas?" Harm asked wearily, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. He'd been up by himself for hours trying to create a defense for TJ - and it didn't look too promising.
"I know it's after two in the morning, but I'm working the night shift tonight, and I just chanced upon the results of the Wots autopsy."
"Luc, I can tell from your voice that this isn't good."
"Well, that depends on your definition of 'good,' pal. This will probably do wonders for your case, but... see, the angle of entry is a little odd."
"Odd? How so?"
"In your statement, you said that when you came upon the scene, Airman Wots was standing and holding the gun. And it'd be safe to assume that if he shot Mitch Wots in self-defense, it would have been at point blank range. If it was self-defense."
"Yes... are you saying it wasn't self-defense, that Wots killed his father in cold blood?" Harm couldn't help the incredulity in his voice. Sure, he'd seen TJ with the gun, but he never would've thought -
"No, that's not what I'm saying. I believe it was self-defense."
Harm was getting a little frustrated. "Then what is the big revelation? Why'd you call me in the middle of the night?"
Lucas O'Reilly was a good guy, but he could be annoyingly enigmatic at times.
"Mitch Wots was shot at close range by someone low to the ground. The entry angle tells us that."
"So Airman Wots was kneeling when he fired?" Harm guessed.
"Not exactly. The report also tells us that the bullet that killed the victim did not come from Airman Wots's standard 9mm Beretta."
Harm was thoroughly confused. "What?!?"
"The bullet wasn't from-"
"No, no. I heard THAT. I mean... how? Who? Did the police find another weapon? Why wasn't it in the report?"
"My mind started wondering all that, too. So I did some checking. Turns out that another gun was found at the scene and taken into evidence, but for some reason it never made the file. It was an old, unregistered Smith & Wesson. The bullets match."
"Okay... so TJ was holding a different gun after he shot his father..." Harm was thinking out loud. "Why would he switch? Say the father was threatening the two kids with the Smith & Wesson. If the Airman got it away from him... it still doesn't make sense."
"Exactly. So I had the Smith & Wesson scanned for fingerprints. There was some smearing, but we got enough of a partial to work with it. Airman Wots never touched the gun."
Harm's eyes grew wide. "TJ didn't shoot him? Then who did?" His eyes subconsciously wandered to his bedroom door.
"Amy Wots," he breathed, hearing Luc's voice echo his own.
"Her prints were found on the gun," The cop admitted quietly.
Everything had just fallen apart on Harm. "Lucas, can you have a formal report on your findings ready in, uh, a few hours? I'll stop by to pick them up. And I'll have to speak with Airman Wots, too."
"I'll do my best, Harm. See you soon."
"Yeah," Harm hung up the phone and tossed it next to him on the couch. He stared straight ahead, bewildered mind reviewing and analyzing the latest information.
"Everything okay, Harm?" Mac asked quietly from across the room. He jumped in surprise.
"I didn't see you there."
"Obviously," She smiled, then examined his face as she approached to sit next to him. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's a little too late for that," He laughed quietly, humorlessly, rubbing a hand across his face. He turned suddenly to face his partner and caught her by surprise. "Mac, what exactly did Wots tell you about the night of the murder?"
Mac blinked back surprise, alarmed by the fire in Harm's eyes. She knew that look - something had happened...
"Not much. He said he received a phone call from his little sister at 0354, which the phone records confirm. His roommate, Airman Cody Klein, was asleep, and he took his car keys, sped over, and burst in the apartment. Amy was crouched by the couch when he arrived. Mitch had a broken bottle. TJ yelled for him to stop. Mitch yelled at him and refused. TJ hurried over to Amy's side and when Mitch put his arm back to hit them with the bottle, Airman Wots fired."
"Dammit," Harm muttered, leaning a chin on his balled fist. "Why did he lie to you? To both of us?"
"Uh, Harm, can you back it up a little? Who was on the phone? What happened?"
Harm smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."
He briefed her on Lucas's findings and tiredly asked her opinion.
Mac smiled sadly. "Well, I think we've won our case."
Harm glared at her. "Really? 'Cause I'm thinking of the next case - obstructing justice? Conspiracy to commit murder? Accomplice to murder? And what about Amy? AND, to top it off, we still don't know what exactly happened that night."
"Harm, we go to court on Monday. We have all today and all tomorrow to investigate. We'll figure this out," Mac assured him. She could tell something else was bothering him, something he hadn't mentioned. "Harm, what is it?"
"What is what?" His eyes narrowed in confusion.
"There's something you're not telling me. Something's bugging you about this case..."
"How'd you know?" He seemed genuinely curious.
"I can read you like a book, Rabb," Mac revealed with a small smile.
He returned the smile halfheartedly. "I don't.. I just - something doesn't feel right. I think there's a cover-up going on."
Mac's eyebrows raised. "A cover-up? Of what?"
"I think Mitch Wots was murdered, and not in self-defense. I can't explain it, I have no proof, but I think someone else was there that night."
"Harm, do you realize what you're saying?"
He nodded solemnly. "I can't prove anything yet, but maybe after some digging... The Hill has some pretty strong ties to this case. They managed to get a civilian trial, and TJ locked up. And no one mentioned the second gun, the actual murder weapon, in any of the reports. Something isn't right."
Mac had to agree. "It is a little odd."
Harm yawned, causing Mac to follow suit. "I know I didn't get any sleep, but I won't be able to rest anymore tonight...this morning."
Mac smiled at his correction. "Are you taking a shower first?"
"Nah, you can go first. I'll make some breakfast."
"Nothing too healthy, Sailor," She warned jokingly. "My bag's still in the car. I'll be right back."
Harm nodded, climbing to his feet. He watched his best friend walk out the door and shook his head, trying to clear it.
It was going to be a long day.
1032 PRECINCT 77 WASHINGTON, DC
"Airman Wots, you have to tell us what happened that night," Harmon Rabb was beginning to lose patience with the young man sitting across from him in Interrogation Room 4. He had been in here for the past twenty minutes and hadn't learned anything new.
It's not like TJ was being purposefully evasive. It's just... his story had not changed at all. Harm had tipped him off that his gun hadn't killed his father, but the story remained the same... word for word. Even the inflection was identical in every rendition.
It was starting to get suspicious.
"Sir, I've told you everything already. Several times," He tried not to sound annoyed. After all, he really did appreciate all the Navy lawyer was doing for him and Amy. But Harm was being stubborn and there was nothing new Wots could tell him.
"Okay, okay," Harm stood and held his hands up in defeat. "Maybe you'll talk to Mac, like you did last time."
His voice was so hopeful, so determined, that TJ didn't have the heart to tell him the story would remain the same.
Harm left TJ in the room and closed the door behind him, leaning his back against it for a moment. Mac, who was standing by Lucas O'Reilly's desk across the bullpen and watching Amy, eyed him with a sad smile. She had known, despite Harm's hopes, that even if TJ was innocent, he wasn't likely to admit it. Even now, with evidence clearing his name... he loved his sister too much.
Mac had never had a sibling, but she had come close to the fierce love and strong self-sacrifice that result from such a bond when Chloe entered her life. The Colonel would do almost anything to protect the girl she missed so dearly... she could only imagine the love and loyalty TJ had for his abused little sister.
Harm crossed the room rapidly. Mac recognized the determination in his gait.
"Yes, Harm, I'll go talk to him. But I doubt it will do any good."
Harm was shocked at her almost psychic response to his unasked request. He opened his mouth to question her, but Mac was already halfway across the room.
She never ceased to amaze him.
He turned to face the little girl sitting at Lucas's desk. She was clutching Captain Bear - Harm had let her bring the stuffed animal along - and drawing colorful flowers on Officer O'Reilly's white dry-erase marker board.
"How are you feeling, Amy? Did you get enough sleep?" Harm asked, turning to face the child. She didn't look at him to answer - too engrossed in drawing - but managed a quiet, "I'm okay."
Harm was feeling horrible. Amy didn't know about the latest developments, but she had to have noticed that both Harm and Mac were acting a bit more strangely around her. As much as he tried to hide it, he wasn't as good at acting as Mac. Amy could tell the dynamic had shifted between herself and the Commander she'd only yesterday adored. Perceptive as she was, she rolled with the changes, quietly accepting Harm's awkward glances and uncomfortable questions.
He felt atrocious. He doubted Amy had killed Mitch Wots, and even if she did he knew it was in self-defense. It had to be. Still, he couldn't help feeling strange around her now.
His phone began to chirp. He quickly dug it out of his pocket.
"Rabb here."
"Rabb, it's Webb."
"Webb?!?" Harm was astonished. "Is everything okay?"
"'Is everything okay?'" Clayton Webb repeated playfully. "What, I can't call you when everything is normal?"
"I'm sure you could, Clay, but you never do. What's happened?"
"I have some information for you. About the Wots case."
Harm rolled his eyes at the silence that followed.
"Well...? What is it?'
"I don't want to say it over the phone. I'll just give you a hint- you've stumbled onto something much bigger than you ever thought. Can we meet for lunch?"
"Would you accept no for an answer?" Harm said sarcastically. He could almost envision the CIA agent glaring at him.
"Be at Patrick's Diner in an hour. I'll be in the corner booth."
Harm shook his head at the dial tone that greeted his ear. Sometimes Webb was too spy-like for his own good.
"Look Harm," Amy said, tugging at his uniform and pointing to the marker board. "I drew a picture of Amelia and Captain Bear."
He smiled at her before looking at the picture. "Very impressive, Amy. I like Captain Bear's goggles."
"Do you want to draw, too?" She asked, handing him a blue marker. Harm shrugged and sat down in Luc's chair. He rolled over so that he was next to Amy, who was standing in front of the board.
"What should I draw?"
"Ooh, can you draw an airplane? The one you have?"
Harm nodded, smiling, and grabbed the yellow and red markers. While Amy began an elaborate drawing of a cat, Harm set to work drawing his beloved Sarah. The picture wasn't of very good quality, but it made Harm itch to go flying in it. Maybe when they finished this case and saved the Wots family as well as they could...
"Harm," Mac appeared by his side only moments later. "Nice drawing," She complimented with a smile.
"Did you get anywhere with him?"
"Nope."
Harm handed the marker to Amy and stood, taking a few steps away from the young girl. He motioned for Mac to lean in.
"I got a call from Webb," He whispered.
She looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion. "Webb? What did he want?"
"He wants to meet us for lunch in an hour. He says he has information about the case ."
Mac rubbed her neck and sighed. "Nothing is ever easy whenever Clayton Webb is involved."
Harm had to agree. As he and Mac went over the reports with Lucas again, he hoped their meeting with Webb would be more fruitful than their interrogation of Airman Wots had been.
1135 PATRICK'S DINER WASHINGTON, DC
"Hello, Clay," Harm greeted as he slid into the booth opposite the CIA agent sipping coffee. Clayton Webb nodded curtly as Harm scooted over for both Amy and Mac to join them.
"Hey, Commander. Colonel," He leaned forward towards Harm and lowered his voice. "I didn't know you were bringing company."
"Mac is my partner, Webb, and co-counsel in the Wots case, and Amy Wots is officially in my custody. They go where I go, and vice versa."
Clay looked over at Mac, then at Amy. He smiled slightly at the child before gesturing to the lone menu sitting on the table in front of Harm. "I just got some coffee, but I figured you'd be hungry... I didn't know you were bringing guests or else I would have gotten more menus."
Harm, Mac, and Amy perused the menu for a few minutes before a waitress appeared at their table. The three ordered their meals and sat quietly as the waitress hurried away.
Clay caught Harm's eye and nodded his head at the two females. Harm shook his head slightly in response. Mac, who had been watching the exchange, sighed loudly.
"We don't have time for your games, Clay. If you don't want Amy and me to hear what you have to say, fine. I'll take her to the bathroom. But if you boys aren't done sharing by the time we get back, we'll just have to listen in, all right?"
Webb just stared at her as she stood and motioned for Amy to slide out of the booth. Both men watched in silence as they walked towards the other end of the diner and disappeared behind the wooden swinging door marked "Ladies."
"I don't mean to be annoying, Rabb," Clay began, eyes still on the closed bathroom door.
"There's a first time for everything," Harm joked, taking a sip of the water the waitress had just placed in front of him.
"Seriously, Harm," Webb turned to the Commander and looked him straight in the eye. The tone of his voice made the hair on the back of Harm's neck stand up. He scratched the side of his neck and looked at Clayton Webb expectantly.
"I know this is serious," Harm told him, all traces of levity absent from his words. "And we don't have much time. So I suggest you spill."
Clay looked around their booth briefly, in true paranoid spy fashion, before leaning forward. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and urgent.
"Commander, are you aware of the ongoing war between East and West Morenia?"
Harm nodded, wondering what a war in Southeastern Europe had to do with the Wots case.
"In the months before his death, Mitch Wots had been approached by Andrej Weisolzki, a member of the American Air Force who is a, let's say 'strong,' supporter of East Morenia."
Clay paused for a breath, allowing Harm to slip in the beginning of a question. "Why was -"
"Why was Mitch Wots approached by a supporter of East Morenia? Wots's mother fled the country when she was seventeen and became a well-spoken activist for the East Morenian cause. Since he began working, Mitch Wots had been contributing to various Morenian charities. In the weeks before his death, he was approached several times by Andrej Weisolzki about rallying support for a fledgling bill giving East Morenia enough US support to quash the militant advances of West Morenia."
"What did Wots say?"
"He didn't agree with Weisolzki and told him he'd think about it. He pulled a few strings and had an old friend of his in the agency do some digging. What Mitch Wots didn't know was that we had been monitoring Weisolzki for months. For reasons I'm not at liberty to divulge, Wots's apartment was put under twenty-four hour surveillance. The night of the murder, Mitch Wots had stopped off at a bar on the way home. Weisolzki met him and discussed the bill. Wots finally refused to throw his support behind it. Weisolzki was, to say the very least, not thrilled. Unbeknownst to Wots, he followed him home. Wots paid the babysitter and grew angry with Amy because of some toys she had left out. He yelled some threats at her and got himself another drink. It was at this point that Amy called her brother."
Clayton sharply broke off his narrative when their waitress came and placed the three plates of food on the table. Harm muttered a polite "thank you" and caught the sight of Mac steering Amy towards the two arcade games in the far corner of the diner. He picked up a French fry from Mac's plate and motioned for Webb to continue.
"Weisolzki knocked on the door. When Wots opened it, he barged inside. He begged for Wots to reconsider, but Mitch held his ground. He suspected, rightfully so, that the funds allocated to the East Morenian army would not go towards defensive actions against West Morenia, but instead towards the violent acts of the rogue terrorist group that had gained most of the country's military power."
"Did Wots explain that to Weisolzki?"
"Yes. But he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. When Wots refused, Weisolzki threatened him. Wots told him to leave, and Weisolzki pulled a gun. Wots wrestled it away from him. While they were fighting, the gun came to rest by Amy, who had been hiding behind the couch and had accidentally called you instead of her brother again. After she hung up with you, Airman Wots arrived. His presence distracted the two fighting men long enough for Amy to grab the gun and fire at Weisolzki. She missed, and Weisolzki charged her and took his gun back. Thomas came to Amy's side and yelled "Drop the gun!" Weisolzki refused, but it gave Mitch enough time to break a bottle and knock Weisolzki to the floor. Thomas yelled a warning to his father, and Weisolzki shot Mitch from the floor. Then, before he climbed out the living room window and down the fire escape, Thomas shot at him, but missed. He stooped to check his father's pulse, then stood and just stared at him in disbelief as his sister cried at his feet. At that point, you walked in. And you know the rest."
Harm stared at him in confusion, his food cold and untouched on the plate in front of him. "Thomas Wots and Amy Wots are innocent?" He asked softly, relief flooding his features.
Clay nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. "Yes. But Weisolzki is nowhere to be found, and the tapes proving Wots's innocence are highly classified."
"What do you mean, 'highly classified'? You just told me what was on them!" Harm said incredulously, rubbing his forehead. Talking with Clayton Webb somehow never failed in giving him a headache.
"Commander, this situation is rather sticky. The war between East and West Morenia is heating up every passing day. Our relations with both countries are extremely volatile. Mitch Wots had many friends on the Hill who are pressuring as many people as they can to prosecute Airman Wots quickly and severely. The agency wants the trial to be civilian as well so we can shy away from the Morenian and American military connections. And the only reason I am telling you all this is because I don't want to see an innocent man get a life sentence for a crime he didn't commit."
"Somehow, Clay, I think there's more to it than that," Harm commented dryly. Webb shot him a look and both men noticed Mac and Amy approaching the table.
"Webb, there's one thing I want to know," Harm said quickly. "If the CIA had been monitoring Wots, why didn't anyone do anything about the situation with Weisolzki when it got out of hand?"
Webb dropped his eyes as Mac and Amy rejoined them.
"Guess what, Harm! I got a high score on the Ms. Pacman game!" Amy chattered excitedly. Harm smiled at her, watching Webb out of the corner of his eye.
"Congratulations, Amy."
The young girl dug into her food hungrily. Mac eyed the two men curiously.
"So are you guys done talking now, or do you need more time?" She asked, picking up on the high tension level between Harm and Clayton. Harm looked over at Webb expectantly.
Clayton Webb stood up and dropped a few bills on the table. Still not looking any of them in the eye, he answered her question. "We're done talking, Colonel."
He slipped his wallet into his back pocket and looked up, staring Harm right in the eyes. The emotions clearly visible in his eyes caught Harm by surprise. "Commander, see to it that you use the information I gave you. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything else."
With that, Webb turned on his heels and strode out of the diner, leaving both Harm and Mac puzzled at his rather abrupt departure.
tbc
Feedback, believe it or not, helps me write faster. And now that I have a plot figured out, it shouldn't be that difficult to pump out the rest of this sucker.
Author: Papergirl (Ambino1111@prodigy.net)
Spoilers: Goodbyes, Boomerang, People v. Gunny (assume that Renee broke up with Harm)
Summary: The murder of a politician brings Harm and Mac closer to an Air Force family.
Rating: PG 13 - mentions of violence & mild swearing
Classification: Eventually H/M
Disclaimer: Lucas O'Reilly and the Wots family are mine, as are all the other characters you don't recognize, but all the familiar characters in the following story belong to Bellisarius Productions, Paramount, and CBS. The idea of a country named Morenia is borrowed from Early Edition. If you're going to sue me, could Harm and Mac be my lawyers?
Author's Notes: I just want to send a big "Thank you" out for all the positive feedback. It really meant a lot, and it motivated me to keep going. Thanks! I also changed from ZULU time to Eastern military time so nobody has to worry about converting time zones.
Plus, a BIG apology to everyone who's been waiting. I'm so sorry this story is taking forever to get out. I'm not quite sure why - it started out so straightforward. The thing was, I didn't want TJ to be a killer, self- defense or not, so I had to construct an elaborate plot around that and, on top of that, it takes me a while to write. Thanks for the feedback and thanks for all the patience!
Dedicated, with love, to Patrick, aka "Airman Patch." My thoughts and prayers were, and are, with you. You continue to make all of us very proud.
2108 NORTH OF UNION STATION WASHINGTON, D.C.
"Hey, sailor," Mac whispered as Harm joined her on the couch. "How'd you get her to go to sleep so easily?"
"It's a secret," He teased, snatching the remote from her hands. Mac opened her mouth to protest, but Harm put a finger over her lips.
"Shh. She's trying to sleep."
He let his finger linger there for a moment before guiltily taking it away. Feeling a blush rising to his cheeks, he turned off the television and started pacing his living room.
Mac sighed inwardly when Harm removed his finger. She'd felt tingly at his touch and she wished it was more than his finger on her lips.
'Focus, Marine,' Mac silently reprimanded herself. 'That precious little girl is going to lose the only family she has if you can't keep your mind on the case.'
"You never did tell me what Wots told you," Harm said suddenly, stopping momentarily in his pacing.
Mac took a deep breath, reaching in the brown bag to pull out the last of its contents - a file folder. "A lot of it hit close to home for me. Their mother died a little over two years ago. After Basic Training, TJ was stationed at Andrews, doing security detail. He spent all his free time at home, taking care of Amy. Mitch Wots had just won his re-election campaign for another term in Congress. According to TJ, he loved his job, but ever since their mother died Mitch had been hitting the bottle pretty hard. He lost interest in almost everything." Mac closed the file in front of her. She didn't need to read the notes she'd made - TJ's words had been burned into her brain. "Around Thanksgiving, Mitch Wots started growing increasingly abusive. It started out as purely verbal - he'd curse at TJ, or call Amy names - but he'd always apologize later. After a few weeks of that, his abuse graduated into physical violence. On Christmas Eve he punched TJ for trying to help him unwrap a present; TJ had to have his jaw wired. Not wanting to ruin his father's reputation, he told the doctors and his C.O. that he'd been in a car accident."
Mac paused to take a swig of her juice, and Harm sank into a chair, shaking his head at the story.
"What happened after that?"
"A lot. In the few months between Christmas and St. Patrick's Day, TJ was admitted seven times to four different area hospitals with injuries ranging from minor cuts to a broken arm."
"And Amy?" Harm's eyes were dark with sadness as he glanced towards his bedroom.
Mac sighed, trying to forget about her personal connections.
"She was admitted nearly as much. She needed a few stitches for a cut, and a rib was bruised. Nothing major enough to raise suspicions."
"You know, under normal circumstances this case would've been relatively easy to prove."
Mac nodded. "They're going to make the jury focus on what a great politician Mitch Wots was, and then TJ going AWOL and "borrowing" his friend's car to kill him. Not to mention that if we want to prove it was self-defense, they'll trash TJ's character by bringing up how he lied to his C.O."
They settled into silence, both of them thinking about how they were going to convince the judge and jury that Airman Wots wasn't a cold-blooded killer.
After a few minutes Harm suppressed a yawn and stood. He handed Mac the big bottle of juice.
"Here, I know you want to finish this." He grinned. "I'll just be a minute."
Mac watched him head off to the bathroom while she twisted the cap off to pour the remainder of the liquid into her cup. She turned the cap too hard and it went flying to the floor. Feeling silly, she bent to pick it up and noticed the large book underneath.
She was about to yell and ask Harm what it was right before she remembered that Amy was sleeping. Instead, Mac pulled the book into her lap and opened it. She was almost halfway through the photo album by the time Harm emerged from the bathroom wearing a Navy t-shirt and boxer shorts.
"Hey, whatcha looking at?" Harm asked, sitting down next to his partner.
"You," Mac pointed at a picture, trying to ignore the fact that Harm was wearing boxers and sitting so close to her that she could feel his leg hair. "Is this your senior prom?"
Harm nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Give me that," he snatched the book away with a chuckle. "I haven't looked at this in years."
"That was some outfit," Mac commented, muffling her laughter at the next picture.
"That was for a costume party!" Harm said, playfully slapping her arm. "You think I'd actually walk around in public like that?"
"I've seen you in worse," Mac teased.
"Yeah, it's because my mom doesn't pick out my clothes for me anymore," Harm deadpanned, eyes twinkling. "Although Renee, with her Hollywood fashion sense, has been helping me lately."
Mac's eyes widened as she groaned and slapped her palm to her forehead. She still hadn't informed Harm of Renee's decision.
Harm was giving her an odd look because of her reaction. She laughed nervously.
"Yeah, Harm, about that... I was supposed to tell you that when you were in Iceland, Renee came to JAG Headquarters."
"And...?"
"Well, she didn't believe that you were really there - in Iceland. She thought you were hiding from her. So she told me to tell you..." Mac trailed off, thinking of how to say what she had to say.
"She doesn't want to see me anymore," Harm guessed. Mac nodded, trying to look sad for him but failing. "You don't look upset about that at all."
She shrugged. "I never really cared for the Video Princess."
"To be honest, neither did I," Harm admitted, chuckling.
"Then why'd you date her?" Mac asked. She had always been curious what he saw in the shallow, outspoken blonde.
'Why did I date her?' Harm asked himself silently. She wasn't that pretty, she was very clingy, she whined a lot - she wasn't his type at all. Come to think of it, he couldn't come up with a reason at all... except for the one he was afraid to admit. What would Mac say if he told her the only reason he went out with Renee was because Mac was now spoken for, and he needed someone to take his mind off of that fact? What would her reaction be if he told her how far in denial he had sunk over the past few years, how when he finally admitted his feelings to himself he became utterly terrified of losing her? In some ways he already had, though, and it depressed him. He blew his chance, his one and only chance, and now he had to suffer the consequences. At least he didn't have to pretend to be happy anymore - that fake smile he had to wear whenever he was with Renee hurt his face.
"Harm?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you still with me here?"
Harm snapped out of his thoughts in time to see Mac eying him strangely.
"Whatcha thinking about, partner?" she asked quietly. She knew this case was painfully close for both of them.
"You," he answered truthfully, shocking himself as well as his friend.
Mac chuckled nervously. He reached over took her hands in his.
"Mac... Sarah... I've been thinking... and I... I mean, I have to tell you that the, the only reason I went out with Renee was because I -"
A loud cry from the bedroom interrupted him. They both jumped at the sound, and Mac got to her feet before Harm.
"I'll take care of her," she said softly before turning and hurrying into his room.
Harm sighed from his spot on the couch. Was he doomed to have bad timing his entire life? After a moment he shifted positions and grabbed the case file, carefully studying the information. 'Might as well be useful,' he told himself.
Inside Harm's bedroom, Mac had climbed next to Amy in bed, berating herself for being so eager to flee from Harm. She wasn't exactly sure where his conversation was headed, and she wasn't in the mood to get hurt again.
The little girl had awakened and was laying on her back, staring at the ceiling, tears streaming down her cheeks while clutching a teddy bear with a death grip.
"It's okay, Amy," Mac soothed, collecting the shaking girl in a hug. "It's okay. You're safe. I won't let anyone hurt you."
After a few minutes the shaking stopped, and Amy sniffled.
"Thank you, Mac," she whispered. Mac smiled, smoothing down Amy's hair.
"You don't have to thank me, hon. I'm just glad I can help."
Amy nodded, and snuggled back under the covers. She adjusted her grip on the bear, and Mac was able to take a good look at it.
"Who's that?" she asked, propping her head up with her arm bent at the elbow.
"He's Captain Bear," Amy said, then a look of horror crossed her eyes. "Oh no! I wasn't asposeda let you see him."
"Why not?"
"Harm said I couldn't show you. He said he'd never hear the end of it."
Mac smiled, but Amy was still worried.
"I didn't - I didn't mean for you to see it," she said, voice quivering. "I didn't mean to mess up. I don't want Harm to get mad at me. He'll yell and hurt me, please don't let him hurt me." Amy started pleading with Mac, sounding frantic and terrified.
"Shh. Shh. You're safe. I'll keep you safe. Harm would never hurt you - he wants to help you. He wants to keep you safe, too," Mac assured, putting an arm around Amy. It made her sick that a child so young knew such fear.
"Will you stay with me?" Amy hiccupped, tears running down her cheeks again. "TJ always stays with me when I have a bad dream."
Mac nodded in the darkness. "I'll stay with you, Amy. Don't worry, I'll be right here."
The girl sighed slightly and closed her eyes, feeling safe in the arms of Colonel Mac and Captain Bear. Pretty soon, both of them were sound asleep.
0217 NORTH OF UNION STATION WASHINGTON, D.C.
Harm was just resting his eyes. They had gotten sore from all the hours of poring over the files, trying desperately to find some hidden key that would help their case. So it felt like he had just closed his eyes when the phone rang. Instantly, he was wide awake again and managed to grab the phone before the third ring. He glanced at his bedroom - they were still asleep- before he said, "Rabb here."
"Hey, Harm. It's Lucas," Harm's heart sank when he heard the serious voice of his friend at the police station. It couldn't be good news.
"What's new, Lucas?" Harm asked wearily, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. He'd been up by himself for hours trying to create a defense for TJ - and it didn't look too promising.
"I know it's after two in the morning, but I'm working the night shift tonight, and I just chanced upon the results of the Wots autopsy."
"Luc, I can tell from your voice that this isn't good."
"Well, that depends on your definition of 'good,' pal. This will probably do wonders for your case, but... see, the angle of entry is a little odd."
"Odd? How so?"
"In your statement, you said that when you came upon the scene, Airman Wots was standing and holding the gun. And it'd be safe to assume that if he shot Mitch Wots in self-defense, it would have been at point blank range. If it was self-defense."
"Yes... are you saying it wasn't self-defense, that Wots killed his father in cold blood?" Harm couldn't help the incredulity in his voice. Sure, he'd seen TJ with the gun, but he never would've thought -
"No, that's not what I'm saying. I believe it was self-defense."
Harm was getting a little frustrated. "Then what is the big revelation? Why'd you call me in the middle of the night?"
Lucas O'Reilly was a good guy, but he could be annoyingly enigmatic at times.
"Mitch Wots was shot at close range by someone low to the ground. The entry angle tells us that."
"So Airman Wots was kneeling when he fired?" Harm guessed.
"Not exactly. The report also tells us that the bullet that killed the victim did not come from Airman Wots's standard 9mm Beretta."
Harm was thoroughly confused. "What?!?"
"The bullet wasn't from-"
"No, no. I heard THAT. I mean... how? Who? Did the police find another weapon? Why wasn't it in the report?"
"My mind started wondering all that, too. So I did some checking. Turns out that another gun was found at the scene and taken into evidence, but for some reason it never made the file. It was an old, unregistered Smith & Wesson. The bullets match."
"Okay... so TJ was holding a different gun after he shot his father..." Harm was thinking out loud. "Why would he switch? Say the father was threatening the two kids with the Smith & Wesson. If the Airman got it away from him... it still doesn't make sense."
"Exactly. So I had the Smith & Wesson scanned for fingerprints. There was some smearing, but we got enough of a partial to work with it. Airman Wots never touched the gun."
Harm's eyes grew wide. "TJ didn't shoot him? Then who did?" His eyes subconsciously wandered to his bedroom door.
"Amy Wots," he breathed, hearing Luc's voice echo his own.
"Her prints were found on the gun," The cop admitted quietly.
Everything had just fallen apart on Harm. "Lucas, can you have a formal report on your findings ready in, uh, a few hours? I'll stop by to pick them up. And I'll have to speak with Airman Wots, too."
"I'll do my best, Harm. See you soon."
"Yeah," Harm hung up the phone and tossed it next to him on the couch. He stared straight ahead, bewildered mind reviewing and analyzing the latest information.
"Everything okay, Harm?" Mac asked quietly from across the room. He jumped in surprise.
"I didn't see you there."
"Obviously," She smiled, then examined his face as she approached to sit next to him. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"It's a little too late for that," He laughed quietly, humorlessly, rubbing a hand across his face. He turned suddenly to face his partner and caught her by surprise. "Mac, what exactly did Wots tell you about the night of the murder?"
Mac blinked back surprise, alarmed by the fire in Harm's eyes. She knew that look - something had happened...
"Not much. He said he received a phone call from his little sister at 0354, which the phone records confirm. His roommate, Airman Cody Klein, was asleep, and he took his car keys, sped over, and burst in the apartment. Amy was crouched by the couch when he arrived. Mitch had a broken bottle. TJ yelled for him to stop. Mitch yelled at him and refused. TJ hurried over to Amy's side and when Mitch put his arm back to hit them with the bottle, Airman Wots fired."
"Dammit," Harm muttered, leaning a chin on his balled fist. "Why did he lie to you? To both of us?"
"Uh, Harm, can you back it up a little? Who was on the phone? What happened?"
Harm smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."
He briefed her on Lucas's findings and tiredly asked her opinion.
Mac smiled sadly. "Well, I think we've won our case."
Harm glared at her. "Really? 'Cause I'm thinking of the next case - obstructing justice? Conspiracy to commit murder? Accomplice to murder? And what about Amy? AND, to top it off, we still don't know what exactly happened that night."
"Harm, we go to court on Monday. We have all today and all tomorrow to investigate. We'll figure this out," Mac assured him. She could tell something else was bothering him, something he hadn't mentioned. "Harm, what is it?"
"What is what?" His eyes narrowed in confusion.
"There's something you're not telling me. Something's bugging you about this case..."
"How'd you know?" He seemed genuinely curious.
"I can read you like a book, Rabb," Mac revealed with a small smile.
He returned the smile halfheartedly. "I don't.. I just - something doesn't feel right. I think there's a cover-up going on."
Mac's eyebrows raised. "A cover-up? Of what?"
"I think Mitch Wots was murdered, and not in self-defense. I can't explain it, I have no proof, but I think someone else was there that night."
"Harm, do you realize what you're saying?"
He nodded solemnly. "I can't prove anything yet, but maybe after some digging... The Hill has some pretty strong ties to this case. They managed to get a civilian trial, and TJ locked up. And no one mentioned the second gun, the actual murder weapon, in any of the reports. Something isn't right."
Mac had to agree. "It is a little odd."
Harm yawned, causing Mac to follow suit. "I know I didn't get any sleep, but I won't be able to rest anymore tonight...this morning."
Mac smiled at his correction. "Are you taking a shower first?"
"Nah, you can go first. I'll make some breakfast."
"Nothing too healthy, Sailor," She warned jokingly. "My bag's still in the car. I'll be right back."
Harm nodded, climbing to his feet. He watched his best friend walk out the door and shook his head, trying to clear it.
It was going to be a long day.
1032 PRECINCT 77 WASHINGTON, DC
"Airman Wots, you have to tell us what happened that night," Harmon Rabb was beginning to lose patience with the young man sitting across from him in Interrogation Room 4. He had been in here for the past twenty minutes and hadn't learned anything new.
It's not like TJ was being purposefully evasive. It's just... his story had not changed at all. Harm had tipped him off that his gun hadn't killed his father, but the story remained the same... word for word. Even the inflection was identical in every rendition.
It was starting to get suspicious.
"Sir, I've told you everything already. Several times," He tried not to sound annoyed. After all, he really did appreciate all the Navy lawyer was doing for him and Amy. But Harm was being stubborn and there was nothing new Wots could tell him.
"Okay, okay," Harm stood and held his hands up in defeat. "Maybe you'll talk to Mac, like you did last time."
His voice was so hopeful, so determined, that TJ didn't have the heart to tell him the story would remain the same.
Harm left TJ in the room and closed the door behind him, leaning his back against it for a moment. Mac, who was standing by Lucas O'Reilly's desk across the bullpen and watching Amy, eyed him with a sad smile. She had known, despite Harm's hopes, that even if TJ was innocent, he wasn't likely to admit it. Even now, with evidence clearing his name... he loved his sister too much.
Mac had never had a sibling, but she had come close to the fierce love and strong self-sacrifice that result from such a bond when Chloe entered her life. The Colonel would do almost anything to protect the girl she missed so dearly... she could only imagine the love and loyalty TJ had for his abused little sister.
Harm crossed the room rapidly. Mac recognized the determination in his gait.
"Yes, Harm, I'll go talk to him. But I doubt it will do any good."
Harm was shocked at her almost psychic response to his unasked request. He opened his mouth to question her, but Mac was already halfway across the room.
She never ceased to amaze him.
He turned to face the little girl sitting at Lucas's desk. She was clutching Captain Bear - Harm had let her bring the stuffed animal along - and drawing colorful flowers on Officer O'Reilly's white dry-erase marker board.
"How are you feeling, Amy? Did you get enough sleep?" Harm asked, turning to face the child. She didn't look at him to answer - too engrossed in drawing - but managed a quiet, "I'm okay."
Harm was feeling horrible. Amy didn't know about the latest developments, but she had to have noticed that both Harm and Mac were acting a bit more strangely around her. As much as he tried to hide it, he wasn't as good at acting as Mac. Amy could tell the dynamic had shifted between herself and the Commander she'd only yesterday adored. Perceptive as she was, she rolled with the changes, quietly accepting Harm's awkward glances and uncomfortable questions.
He felt atrocious. He doubted Amy had killed Mitch Wots, and even if she did he knew it was in self-defense. It had to be. Still, he couldn't help feeling strange around her now.
His phone began to chirp. He quickly dug it out of his pocket.
"Rabb here."
"Rabb, it's Webb."
"Webb?!?" Harm was astonished. "Is everything okay?"
"'Is everything okay?'" Clayton Webb repeated playfully. "What, I can't call you when everything is normal?"
"I'm sure you could, Clay, but you never do. What's happened?"
"I have some information for you. About the Wots case."
Harm rolled his eyes at the silence that followed.
"Well...? What is it?'
"I don't want to say it over the phone. I'll just give you a hint- you've stumbled onto something much bigger than you ever thought. Can we meet for lunch?"
"Would you accept no for an answer?" Harm said sarcastically. He could almost envision the CIA agent glaring at him.
"Be at Patrick's Diner in an hour. I'll be in the corner booth."
Harm shook his head at the dial tone that greeted his ear. Sometimes Webb was too spy-like for his own good.
"Look Harm," Amy said, tugging at his uniform and pointing to the marker board. "I drew a picture of Amelia and Captain Bear."
He smiled at her before looking at the picture. "Very impressive, Amy. I like Captain Bear's goggles."
"Do you want to draw, too?" She asked, handing him a blue marker. Harm shrugged and sat down in Luc's chair. He rolled over so that he was next to Amy, who was standing in front of the board.
"What should I draw?"
"Ooh, can you draw an airplane? The one you have?"
Harm nodded, smiling, and grabbed the yellow and red markers. While Amy began an elaborate drawing of a cat, Harm set to work drawing his beloved Sarah. The picture wasn't of very good quality, but it made Harm itch to go flying in it. Maybe when they finished this case and saved the Wots family as well as they could...
"Harm," Mac appeared by his side only moments later. "Nice drawing," She complimented with a smile.
"Did you get anywhere with him?"
"Nope."
Harm handed the marker to Amy and stood, taking a few steps away from the young girl. He motioned for Mac to lean in.
"I got a call from Webb," He whispered.
She looked at him, brows furrowed in confusion. "Webb? What did he want?"
"He wants to meet us for lunch in an hour. He says he has information about the case ."
Mac rubbed her neck and sighed. "Nothing is ever easy whenever Clayton Webb is involved."
Harm had to agree. As he and Mac went over the reports with Lucas again, he hoped their meeting with Webb would be more fruitful than their interrogation of Airman Wots had been.
1135 PATRICK'S DINER WASHINGTON, DC
"Hello, Clay," Harm greeted as he slid into the booth opposite the CIA agent sipping coffee. Clayton Webb nodded curtly as Harm scooted over for both Amy and Mac to join them.
"Hey, Commander. Colonel," He leaned forward towards Harm and lowered his voice. "I didn't know you were bringing company."
"Mac is my partner, Webb, and co-counsel in the Wots case, and Amy Wots is officially in my custody. They go where I go, and vice versa."
Clay looked over at Mac, then at Amy. He smiled slightly at the child before gesturing to the lone menu sitting on the table in front of Harm. "I just got some coffee, but I figured you'd be hungry... I didn't know you were bringing guests or else I would have gotten more menus."
Harm, Mac, and Amy perused the menu for a few minutes before a waitress appeared at their table. The three ordered their meals and sat quietly as the waitress hurried away.
Clay caught Harm's eye and nodded his head at the two females. Harm shook his head slightly in response. Mac, who had been watching the exchange, sighed loudly.
"We don't have time for your games, Clay. If you don't want Amy and me to hear what you have to say, fine. I'll take her to the bathroom. But if you boys aren't done sharing by the time we get back, we'll just have to listen in, all right?"
Webb just stared at her as she stood and motioned for Amy to slide out of the booth. Both men watched in silence as they walked towards the other end of the diner and disappeared behind the wooden swinging door marked "Ladies."
"I don't mean to be annoying, Rabb," Clay began, eyes still on the closed bathroom door.
"There's a first time for everything," Harm joked, taking a sip of the water the waitress had just placed in front of him.
"Seriously, Harm," Webb turned to the Commander and looked him straight in the eye. The tone of his voice made the hair on the back of Harm's neck stand up. He scratched the side of his neck and looked at Clayton Webb expectantly.
"I know this is serious," Harm told him, all traces of levity absent from his words. "And we don't have much time. So I suggest you spill."
Clay looked around their booth briefly, in true paranoid spy fashion, before leaning forward. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and urgent.
"Commander, are you aware of the ongoing war between East and West Morenia?"
Harm nodded, wondering what a war in Southeastern Europe had to do with the Wots case.
"In the months before his death, Mitch Wots had been approached by Andrej Weisolzki, a member of the American Air Force who is a, let's say 'strong,' supporter of East Morenia."
Clay paused for a breath, allowing Harm to slip in the beginning of a question. "Why was -"
"Why was Mitch Wots approached by a supporter of East Morenia? Wots's mother fled the country when she was seventeen and became a well-spoken activist for the East Morenian cause. Since he began working, Mitch Wots had been contributing to various Morenian charities. In the weeks before his death, he was approached several times by Andrej Weisolzki about rallying support for a fledgling bill giving East Morenia enough US support to quash the militant advances of West Morenia."
"What did Wots say?"
"He didn't agree with Weisolzki and told him he'd think about it. He pulled a few strings and had an old friend of his in the agency do some digging. What Mitch Wots didn't know was that we had been monitoring Weisolzki for months. For reasons I'm not at liberty to divulge, Wots's apartment was put under twenty-four hour surveillance. The night of the murder, Mitch Wots had stopped off at a bar on the way home. Weisolzki met him and discussed the bill. Wots finally refused to throw his support behind it. Weisolzki was, to say the very least, not thrilled. Unbeknownst to Wots, he followed him home. Wots paid the babysitter and grew angry with Amy because of some toys she had left out. He yelled some threats at her and got himself another drink. It was at this point that Amy called her brother."
Clayton sharply broke off his narrative when their waitress came and placed the three plates of food on the table. Harm muttered a polite "thank you" and caught the sight of Mac steering Amy towards the two arcade games in the far corner of the diner. He picked up a French fry from Mac's plate and motioned for Webb to continue.
"Weisolzki knocked on the door. When Wots opened it, he barged inside. He begged for Wots to reconsider, but Mitch held his ground. He suspected, rightfully so, that the funds allocated to the East Morenian army would not go towards defensive actions against West Morenia, but instead towards the violent acts of the rogue terrorist group that had gained most of the country's military power."
"Did Wots explain that to Weisolzki?"
"Yes. But he wouldn't take "no" for an answer. When Wots refused, Weisolzki threatened him. Wots told him to leave, and Weisolzki pulled a gun. Wots wrestled it away from him. While they were fighting, the gun came to rest by Amy, who had been hiding behind the couch and had accidentally called you instead of her brother again. After she hung up with you, Airman Wots arrived. His presence distracted the two fighting men long enough for Amy to grab the gun and fire at Weisolzki. She missed, and Weisolzki charged her and took his gun back. Thomas came to Amy's side and yelled "Drop the gun!" Weisolzki refused, but it gave Mitch enough time to break a bottle and knock Weisolzki to the floor. Thomas yelled a warning to his father, and Weisolzki shot Mitch from the floor. Then, before he climbed out the living room window and down the fire escape, Thomas shot at him, but missed. He stooped to check his father's pulse, then stood and just stared at him in disbelief as his sister cried at his feet. At that point, you walked in. And you know the rest."
Harm stared at him in confusion, his food cold and untouched on the plate in front of him. "Thomas Wots and Amy Wots are innocent?" He asked softly, relief flooding his features.
Clay nodded, taking a sip of his coffee. "Yes. But Weisolzki is nowhere to be found, and the tapes proving Wots's innocence are highly classified."
"What do you mean, 'highly classified'? You just told me what was on them!" Harm said incredulously, rubbing his forehead. Talking with Clayton Webb somehow never failed in giving him a headache.
"Commander, this situation is rather sticky. The war between East and West Morenia is heating up every passing day. Our relations with both countries are extremely volatile. Mitch Wots had many friends on the Hill who are pressuring as many people as they can to prosecute Airman Wots quickly and severely. The agency wants the trial to be civilian as well so we can shy away from the Morenian and American military connections. And the only reason I am telling you all this is because I don't want to see an innocent man get a life sentence for a crime he didn't commit."
"Somehow, Clay, I think there's more to it than that," Harm commented dryly. Webb shot him a look and both men noticed Mac and Amy approaching the table.
"Webb, there's one thing I want to know," Harm said quickly. "If the CIA had been monitoring Wots, why didn't anyone do anything about the situation with Weisolzki when it got out of hand?"
Webb dropped his eyes as Mac and Amy rejoined them.
"Guess what, Harm! I got a high score on the Ms. Pacman game!" Amy chattered excitedly. Harm smiled at her, watching Webb out of the corner of his eye.
"Congratulations, Amy."
The young girl dug into her food hungrily. Mac eyed the two men curiously.
"So are you guys done talking now, or do you need more time?" She asked, picking up on the high tension level between Harm and Clayton. Harm looked over at Webb expectantly.
Clayton Webb stood up and dropped a few bills on the table. Still not looking any of them in the eye, he answered her question. "We're done talking, Colonel."
He slipped his wallet into his back pocket and looked up, staring Harm right in the eyes. The emotions clearly visible in his eyes caught Harm by surprise. "Commander, see to it that you use the information I gave you. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything else."
With that, Webb turned on his heels and strode out of the diner, leaving both Harm and Mac puzzled at his rather abrupt departure.
tbc
Feedback, believe it or not, helps me write faster. And now that I have a plot figured out, it shouldn't be that difficult to pump out the rest of this sucker.