1424 ZULU
Mac's office
JAG headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
A week earlier
Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie was sitting at her desk, staring at an open folder lying in front of her. She couldn't concentrate on the content of it, even knowing she had to. The case wasn't very easy; Lt. Thomas Harriman, who had been in the Marine Corps for years, had been accused by his ex-wife of the murder on both his children. She and Harm had been assigned to the case by Admiral Chegwidden only a couple of days before his retirement.
He'd said that she and Harm would work together on this case, but the two of them would be on the same side – the prosecution. Mac wasn't really happy with the case, because she hated the idea that fathers could or would kill their children – their own blood. When God allows to have such precious gifts you are supposed to love them, cherish them, protect them and most important of all: love them, not kill them!
Sarah Mackenzie was very sensitive on the subject of children lately, though she didn't exactly know why. Maybe because of her biological clock that was still ticking? Or was it because of the memory of a certain little girl that had lost her twin sister because of a madman, who thought that he'd had the right to kill because she'd disobeyed him. Harm had been even more sickened by it. Mac still could see the haunted expression he'd had back then, and the remembrance of it still tore at her heart.
And now, Admiral Chegwidden was asking them to work on a case like this? At least, they didn't have to defend Lt Thomas Harriman. Mac didn't know why, but every fiber of her body was telling her that the man was guilty as sin. But having that conviction was one thing; being able to secure a conviction was a very different thing, and she hadn't talked to Harm yet about how she felt. Knowing him, Mac knew that it would only be a matter of time before her work partner would find out.
What the hell's wrong with me? I've never ever acted like this or even thought like this before, and now when there's any case or event where a child is involved, somehow I'm getting nuts. The truth is that I want to become a mother, but... with Clay I'm not really sure it would work. He's never at home. We barely see each other, and the most important thing of all; we've never had a single conversation about having any desires of having children. So I'm not so sure that he would be happy to have one.
The file that was open in front of her contained the most information about the case they could have, including a picture of the children bodies when they were found in their father's car that had fallen into the lake. Mac had looked at the picture only a few seconds because she couldn't bear the sight. How in hell could a human being do this to children? Mac stood up and went to the window, staring at the emptiness that was stretching before her and wondering if she would ever have children on her own.
Someone gave a firm but gentle knock on the doorframe. Not hearing a response, he opened the door. "Mac, have you seen..." he began.
Harm stopped, waited a few seconds and then entered, closing the door behind him. He had noticed that Mac was standing at the window of her office more often lately. Something was clearly wrong.
Harm came closer to her and squeezed her left shoulder with his right hand. He felt her shiver slightly, but didn't withdraw his hand. "Mac, what's wrong?" he asked softly.
Mac didn't answer immediately. Harm waited 'til she was ready to tell what was wrong – he could sense that it was something important to her. Harm hadn't moved an inch; he was still standing behind her when she murmured, "It's this case, Harm. This case Admiral Chegwidden assigned us."
"What about it?"
Mac turned slowly to face Harm, a silent tear rolling down her right cheek. At the sight, Harm reached out his thumb and brushed it away.
"Mac, come on. It's me, Harm. I know things haven't been easy for us in the past few months, but I'm still your friend."
"How can a man kill his own children?" she asked him, and he could easily hear the pain in her voice.
"Mac, we don't know if Lt. Thomas Harriman did it, so..." Harm pointed out gently.
"Yes, he did," she replied firmly.
"Mac, what are you talking about? How can you be so sure of that?"
"I saw it," she answered while more tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"What? You saw it? You saw Lt. Harriman kill his children?" he demanded incredulously.
"Yes," Mac said slowly.
"Were you there?" Harm asked, not really knowing where this stupid question came from.
"No. If that were the case I would have told Chegwidden immediately about it."
"I'm sorry, Mac. I know you would have told the admiral if you had been there."
Mac was still crying, and Harm opened his arms this time to take her in them. Mac curled herself in them and let her tears flow now. Harm didn't say a single word but simply stroked her hair gently. They both stood there together, in each other's embrace, in front of the window for a while.
Harm knew was she was going through – he was certain she'd had a vision, just like she had had one when Chloe disappeared when she was on her grandparents' farm. Harm knew she'd experienced a few visions after that, but this one must have been pretty horrible and nasty: seeing a father kill his own children... a wave of anger rushed through him. How could a father do such a thing to his very own blood, his children?
A lot of parents would give the world away to be able to have children but can't. And on the other side there are guys like this Thomas Harriman who kills them. God almighty, how is this possible? How can a human being fall so low? What went through this guy's head to make him kill two young children? Rage was spreading through him.
No matter what, no matter how long it would take, this man would hang and pay for what he did. That was a promise he made to himself, a promise he made to Mac.
Harm had to think of a 6-year-old girl he'd saved a few years ago – five years ago to be exact – Darlin Lewis...
More to come Soon!
Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Mackenzie was sitting at her desk, staring at an open folder lying in front of her. She couldn't concentrate on the content of it, even knowing she had to. The case wasn't very easy; Lt. Thomas Harriman, who had been in the Marine Corps for years, had been accused by his ex-wife of the murder on both his children. She and Harm had been assigned to the case by Admiral Chegwidden only a couple of days before his retirement.
He'd said that she and Harm would work together on this case, but the two of them would be on the same side – the prosecution. Mac wasn't really happy with the case, because she hated the idea that fathers could or would kill their children – their own blood. When God allows to have such precious gifts you are supposed to love them, cherish them, protect them and most important of all: love them, not kill them!
Sarah Mackenzie was very sensitive on the subject of children lately, though she didn't exactly know why. Maybe because of her biological clock that was still ticking? Or was it because of the memory of a certain little girl that had lost her twin sister because of a madman, who thought that he'd had the right to kill because she'd disobeyed him. Harm had been even more sickened by it. Mac still could see the haunted expression he'd had back then, and the remembrance of it still tore at her heart.
And now, Admiral Chegwidden was asking them to work on a case like this? At least, they didn't have to defend Lt Thomas Harriman. Mac didn't know why, but every fiber of her body was telling her that the man was guilty as sin. But having that conviction was one thing; being able to secure a conviction was a very different thing, and she hadn't talked to Harm yet about how she felt. Knowing him, Mac knew that it would only be a matter of time before her work partner would find out.
What the hell's wrong with me? I've never ever acted like this or even thought like this before, and now when there's any case or event where a child is involved, somehow I'm getting nuts. The truth is that I want to become a mother, but... with Clay I'm not really sure it would work. He's never at home. We barely see each other, and the most important thing of all; we've never had a single conversation about having any desires of having children. So I'm not so sure that he would be happy to have one.
The file that was open in front of her contained the most information about the case they could have, including a picture of the children bodies when they were found in their father's car that had fallen into the lake. Mac had looked at the picture only a few seconds because she couldn't bear the sight. How in hell could a human being do this to children? Mac stood up and went to the window, staring at the emptiness that was stretching before her and wondering if she would ever have children on her own.
Someone gave a firm but gentle knock on the doorframe. Not hearing a response, he opened the door. "Mac, have you seen..." he began.
Harm stopped, waited a few seconds and then entered, closing the door behind him. He had noticed that Mac was standing at the window of her office more often lately. Something was clearly wrong.
Harm came closer to her and squeezed her left shoulder with his right hand. He felt her shiver slightly, but didn't withdraw his hand. "Mac, what's wrong?" he asked softly.
Mac didn't answer immediately. Harm waited 'til she was ready to tell what was wrong – he could sense that it was something important to her. Harm hadn't moved an inch; he was still standing behind her when she murmured, "It's this case, Harm. This case Admiral Chegwidden assigned us."
"What about it?"
Mac turned slowly to face Harm, a silent tear rolling down her right cheek. At the sight, Harm reached out his thumb and brushed it away.
"Mac, come on. It's me, Harm. I know things haven't been easy for us in the past few months, but I'm still your friend."
"How can a man kill his own children?" she asked him, and he could easily hear the pain in her voice.
"Mac, we don't know if Lt. Thomas Harriman did it, so..." Harm pointed out gently.
"Yes, he did," she replied firmly.
"Mac, what are you talking about? How can you be so sure of that?"
"I saw it," she answered while more tears were rolling down her cheeks.
"What? You saw it? You saw Lt. Harriman kill his children?" he demanded incredulously.
"Yes," Mac said slowly.
"Were you there?" Harm asked, not really knowing where this stupid question came from.
"No. If that were the case I would have told Chegwidden immediately about it."
"I'm sorry, Mac. I know you would have told the admiral if you had been there."
Mac was still crying, and Harm opened his arms this time to take her in them. Mac curled herself in them and let her tears flow now. Harm didn't say a single word but simply stroked her hair gently. They both stood there together, in each other's embrace, in front of the window for a while.
Harm knew was she was going through – he was certain she'd had a vision, just like she had had one when Chloe disappeared when she was on her grandparents' farm. Harm knew she'd experienced a few visions after that, but this one must have been pretty horrible and nasty: seeing a father kill his own children... a wave of anger rushed through him. How could a father do such a thing to his very own blood, his children?
A lot of parents would give the world away to be able to have children but can't. And on the other side there are guys like this Thomas Harriman who kills them. God almighty, how is this possible? How can a human being fall so low? What went through this guy's head to make him kill two young children? Rage was spreading through him.
No matter what, no matter how long it would take, this man would hang and pay for what he did. That was a promise he made to himself, a promise he made to Mac.
Harm had to think of a 6-year-old girl he'd saved a few years ago – five years ago to be exact – Darlin Lewis...
More to come Soon!