(Authors note, yes another one. As all great dramas go one needs conflict. So I asked myself, how could I make this conflict? As a daughter of a cop and former marine, I know first hand how my father feels about my dating. As I am 18 and have not yet gone on a date. If he knew I were to date a cop or marine, he'd die, right after he killed the poor soul. So I thought to myself, played with that theme, and presto! Plus I had to add a certain incident involving the paramedics, true but certain things have been doctered.)
Danny McKnight knew his men called home with the bases phone, quite often he turned a blind eye to it. After all he had called home throughout his entire career. He knew how the men felt, how they longed just to hear a loved ones voice.
When his comanding officer gave him the phone record from Grimes's Office Danny wasn't surprised. He looked over the names with the numbers. Finding wives, parents, and children of the Rangers at the base. Many of them over and over. All the calls had been at night or early morning, a few at meal times.
One recurring number was Diana McKnight's home phone.
This puzzeled Danny, he called his daughter but not on Grimes's phone. Which meant someone was calling his daughter. As Danny pondered this he counted the number of times someone had called Diana, 32. Which was not a simple wrong number.
He continued to ponder and realized someone on the base was involved with his daughter.
A Ranger. Danny did not like that thought, his only daughter deserved better. He knew she dated and quite frankly did not like to think about it. Dating lead to things he'd rather not picture with his daughter.
Now Danny was on a mission to find out who. He stormed down the hall of the base to Grimes's office, where he didn't bother to knock. Giving the man quite a fright as he worked. Reading over some files at his desk, a fresh cup of coffee on his left.
"Good afternoon, Sir." Grimes spoke, quickly standing up from his seat. The wounds from the monthes previous events were healed. All that remained were scars and a memory.
Danny thrust the paper at Grimes, "Who the hell is calling my daughter?!"
Grimes raised his eyebrows and took the paper. Quickly he spotted Diana's name and the number of calls. All from his office. "I...I...I don't know Sir."
Danny narrowed his eyes, "Well who has a key for your office?"
Grimes shook his head, "Well, you, me, and the Officers. But it's a simple lock....any of the men could pick it."
A idea came to Danny, "Well then put a deadbolt on it!"
A month later
Danny sat at his desk looking over the new phone record.
The number of calls from Grimes's office had been cut in half, though the phone calls from the hanger had tripled. But whomever was calling his daughter had been able to pick a deadbolt. Danny mulled over that and found it was not a simple ranger.
A officer or perhaps a Delta.
A specialist no doubt.
He wrote down all the dates and found some were days apart, others weeks. One call had taken place on Diana's birthday. Another on Valentine's day. Another on the day Diana's mother had died. While others had been on various days.
Danny looked at the calender on his wall. He found half the dates of the calls had taken place when he was either off the base. Or had been occupied. The other half were at God forsaken hours in the morning.
"Just when she'd get home from work," he thought aloud, "Damn."
Whoever was calling his daughter knew when to call her. When she would be home, what days were special to her, whoever it was had been speaking to her for sometime.
Now Danny had the perpetrators M.O. he could now narrow down the calling times.
Tonight Diana had a night shift, since he only called her when she got home from work, or on certain dates dear to Diana. When she would be awake or wouldn't mind getting woke. When she could expect a call. A smile came over Danny's face.
Meanwhile
The tv in the Delta's quarters was on CNN, as the news lady spoke at the desk. A pretty blonde lady with far too much botox. She reminded Hoot of Barbie.
The furniture around the tv was full of Delta's.
Eagerly watching the news. Some sat on edge watching pensively, while others sat slouched down, their worry hidden.
"As the worst blizzard in over a hundred years strikes the eastern coast, blackouts and water problems continue to soar. Today Miami recieved her twelth frost of the month, Buffalo recieved thirty two inches of snow. Weathermen predict this to continue for the rest of the winter season. Lets go to Dan who is in the feild in Georgia, Dan what have you got for our viewers?"
The Delta's made jokes about the poor reporter on assignment, covering up the concern for their relatives in the south.
Hoot watched silently. Diana was on a base in Georgia, she had called a few days ago, and told him she was working in a hospital till the weather cleared. But that meant she would be in ambulances. He swore he worried more about her then she did.
The reporter stood in the middle of a snowstorm, yelling into his mic, "Well Susan it is cold as hell! But the news of the day is a apparent accidental suicide."
This drew laughes from half the Delta's the others either looked unimpressed or wanted to hear about their family.
"A man climbed to the top of Spagetti Junction in Atlanta, and there he threatened to jump. For sixty eight hours a tense standoff pursued. Until the Paramedics began to encourage the man to jump, they were sent back to Emory, the three Paramedics are facing investigation when the weather clears. I believe you have video, Susan?"
"Indeed we do," the Botox Queen stated as a clip began to roll. Showing three paramedics obviously tired, annoyed, and rowdy. A large black men, a young white woman, and a chinese man. All three stood shouting for the man to hurry up and jump.
Hoot did a double take when he noticed the woman. It was clearly Diana. Beside him Sanderson let out a laugh, "It's McKnight's daughter."
"Well you know what they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the Colonel." Another Delta remarked innocently.
Sanderson glanced at Hoot, who remained calm.
The cameraman went for a close up of the Paramedics. Showing it was indeed Diana, a tired Diana with circles under her eyes. Her hair falling down from the ponytail. Her lips moist from chapstick, her cheeks flushed from the wind. She looked like hell but beautiful to Hoot. A few of the Delta's wistled their appreciation for her as well. Three remained quiet knowing she belonged to Hoot. Behind Hoot came Fowler's voice, "Damn! You know she'd be a good fuck."
Sanderson's eyes darted over to Hoot who didn't move, but spoke, "Watch your mouth."
"Why? McKnight isn't even in this building."
Sanderson looked over to Fowler who had just shaved his red stuble. Not a new Delta nor was he a friend of Hoot's, it wasn't safe to call them such. They simply tolerated one another. Both were completely different men. Sanderson knew Hoot could remain calm through quite a bit. But certain things set him off, and when he was set off, it was hell to calm his ass down.
"Fowler," Sanderson warned.
The other Delta's noticed the hint in Sanderson's voice. Fowler turned to Sanderson, "Come on, look at the bitch, those lips are only good for one thing." Fowler never got to finish his view of Diana, since Hoot grabbed Fowler by his arm, pulling the man over the couch and into the tv stand.
One of the Delta's had seen Hoot move and saved the tv, but not the stand. Which was destroyed under the weight of Fowler.
Fowler was stunned for only a moment, he rolled to his feet and swung at Hoot. Whom easily blocked the punch and returned with one of his own. Knocking Fowler back to his bum on the floor.
Not one Delta moved.
Either they wished to see who would win the fight, or they had no desire to get between the two men. Sanderson looked more annoyed then anything, "Come on Fowler quit pissing him off!"
The fight drew the attention of the Rangers in the next room. Whom crowded in the open doorway to watch. Eversman included.
Fowler got to his feet again, realizing he had somehow pissed Hoot off. Hoot caught Fowler's fist on his wrist, then stepped forward and drove his knee into Fowler's stomach. Sending the man back but not to the ground. Even a few Delta's knew Fowler would need a few x-rays, if not a overnighter in the infirmary.
Later that evening
Danny read over the chart from the night's fight between the Deltas.
Two Deltas going at it was prime entertainment, Danny was rather bummed he missed out on it. Even he knew when you put different men together in close quarters, not everyone played well together.
Fowler was staying in the Infirmary for the evening, Gibson had beat the living hell out of the man. Danny was rather curious how Fowler accomplished this feat. Gibson was a calm man, Danny knew the man was violent at times. But he could turn it on and off. He respected Gibson for it and all he did with the Deltas. He hadn't known Gibson for a long time, but had met the man on and off for the past five years. This had been the only time they were stationed together.
He sat in the office across from Grimes's and watched a tv moniter. Earlier he had set up and camera and now he lay in wait. It was past the time when Diana would be home.
The sound of someone picking the lock drew his attention.
Danny lay the paper down an watched intently. Turning the sound on his tv up so he could listen in on one side of the coversation.
Hoot easily picked the lock and the deadbolt, the walked into Grimes's office to the desk. Where he took a seat as he had many times before. Still wired from the fight with Fowler earlier he rubbed his knuckles. Lifting the phone from the desk he dialed the number for Diana's apartment.
Listening as it rang twice, "Hello?"
"Hey, I saw you on tv."
"Hoot? What do you mean you saw me on tv? Did my hair look ok? Who the hell took my picture?"
Hoot smiled at her rantings, "At work in Atlanta. You were yelling at some fool to jump."
Diana gasped, "No! My God I was stuck in the ambulance for days! I looked horrible! Oh it figures the one time I go on tv and I'm in scrubs, filthy, looking like hell. Perfect. You know your mother is never going to let me live this down. She's already trying to fatten me up. Did I tell you what that woman sent me? Pecan pie. Do you know how fattening Pecan Pie is?"
"You looked beautiful. Besides, momma only sends pie to people she likes. If you can't eat it all send me some."
"I already ate the whole pie," Diana confessed.
Hoot laughed to be scolded by Diana, "It's not funny! Why can't she send me carrots?"
"Momma don't like carrots unless their in stew or gumbo. She ain't a health nut."
Hoot smiled and asked, "You know if your gonna be investigated?" As he spoke the door opened and McKnight came inside. From the look on McKnight's face the man knew. His eyes followed McKnights as the man sat down across the desk. Hoot continued as if McKnight were not even sitting infront of him.
"God I hope so, I need a vacation." Diana admitted.
With McKnight's eyes on him he asked, "You gonna go to London? I could probably get off and meet you there, I got some time comin up. It's only a week, too short to go home."
"London? Maybe, I'll see how much money I have saved away. Do you know when?"
"Not yet. Tell me when you get your suspension."
"Ok. I have to go walk your dog. And then I'm going to eat the Gumbo your mother sent me, and go to bed."
Hoot smirked then asked, "A'ight. You wanna talk to your father?"
McKnight actually smiled at Hoot, the man had balls, he had to admit that. Hoot held his eyes while Diana very carefully asked, "Is he in the same room?"
"Right infront of me."
Hoot heard her take a deep breath, then ask, "Does he have you at gunpoint?"
"Not yet."
Diana closed her eyes, "Ok, hand him the phone. And remember get into a crowded area he probably won't kill you there."
"Ok Darlin." Hoot answered, not sure if he should be worried about the smile on McKnight's face.
"Love you."
"Love you too," Hoot answered then gave the phone to Danny.
Danny smiled at Hoot as he spoke, "Diana? How're you, I've been watching the news....yes he's right infront of me....no...yes he's still alive.....I swear I'm not armed.....yes..... Diana I promise to behave myself...when haven't I not been nice....I know that sweetie but they were communists ....ok...ok...ok..ok..ok....no.......I won't hurt him....I swear to god....our God....ok....love you too....bye."
Diana hung up the phone and prayed Hoot could weather the storm that was her father.