*************
Spoilers: The Stalker
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"So Colonel Mackenzie never mentioned anyone being with her while you were on the phone with her?" Detective Mark Adams looks at me through his wire rim glasses, waiting for my answer. I am sitting on a fence post near the entrance to the trail. Crime Scene Investigators are swarming around me, taking pictures, dusting Mac's jeep for prints, searching for more clues. I take in the scene around me and suddenly I am very annoyed with the man in front of me.
"No. But you already knew that because this is the third time you have asked me that question. Listen to me, I know all the tricks, I am with the Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps. I know how to change the wording of a question so that someone may not realize it is the same question and hope for a different answer. I know that you are doing your job, but I have told you everything as it happened to the best of my knowledge. If you don't believe me, there isn't anything you can ask at this point that will change your mind." I finish speaking and glared at the detective. Part of me knows he is just doing his job but another part is angry with him for wasting so much time talking to me. I don't know what happened to Chloe, he needs to find the person who does.
"You haven't given me enough credit Commander. I believe everything you have told us. It is just that many people remember much more than they realize. Something that seems trivial and insignificant when it happens may actually be vitally important to the investigation when looked at later. I just wanted to be sure I had picked your brain clean. You said that when you left the office a Lt. Roberts took the phone, is that correct?"
I sigh before replying, "Yes."
"How do I get a hold of him for an interview?"
"I can call and let our CO know you are coming. He can arrange to have Lt. Roberts made available to you." I look up at him for confirmation that this is acceptable. He nods at me and I reach for my cell phone. It is then that I realize I still have Mac's cell.
"Um, Detective?" Adams turns back towards me. "This is Mac's phone, it was in the jeep after they took her out of it. I grabbed it when I locked the Jeep up before I followed the ambulance to the hospital. I didn't realize it was a crime scene then." I finish meekly.
He sighs and smiles at me, "While I realize that and I know you didn't mean to disturb a scene, the CSI's aren't going to be happy with this. Here," he says as he pulls out his cell phone, "Use mine and I'll go break it to Chief Gallows that the jeep has been tampered with as well as the weapon and sweatshirt."
He walks away, leaving me with the unpleasant task of explaining the situation to Admiral Chegwidden. I look down at the cell phone in my hand, small and silver. With that thought comes a memory of another small silver object I have seen recently. I try and block the sight of the bloody knife from my mind but it stubbornly refuses to leave. I shake my head to clear my vision, and focus on the phone. Resignedly I flip it open and slowly dial the number.
"Judge Advocate General, Admiral Chegwidden's office." Tiner voice greets me through the phone.
"Tiner this is Commander Rabb, I need to talk to the Admiral."
"Yes, Commander, he has been expecting your call. We are all worried about the Colonel. I hope she-"
"Tiner! Snap too! I need the Admiral, NOW!"
"Aye, aye, sir!" I can just see Tiner snapping to attention, while blushing slightly in embarrassment. I hear the familiar click of the call being transferred.
"Commander, please tell me that the search for the missing child at West Bend Park has nothing to do with you or the Colonel." Rear Admiral AJ Chegwidden's voice was low with urgency.
"I wish I could Sir. We got Mac to the hospital, she has a severe concussion and some intracranial swelling. Because of her injuries she doesn't remember the time just leading up to the injury or just after. When I was finally allowed to see her she asked why Chloe hadn't called me, why she had-"
"Oh, God no." AJ interrupted me. "Chloe is the missing girl?"
"Yes. Sir, we came back to the park when we learned that Chloe was with Mac. We had hoped she would be waiting by the Jeep for us. She wasn't. So along with police officers, I walked the path they would have been most likely to jog this morning. Near the end of the trail we found a bloody hunting knife and a torn and blood soaked sweatshirt."
"It was Chloe's? Are we sure of that?" The Admiral queried.
"Yes, Sir. It was the sweatshirt Mac got here this past Christmas."
"Damn!!!" I hear him sigh, "Well, once they are done with you, go back to the hospital. Mac needs to hear this from you and not some news reporter on the television. Since this was an act of violence against a Marine I am going to assign a Jagmen investigation, and before you can ask, no you may not volunteer."
"But Sir, this is Chloe we are talking about here--" There is no way I am being cut out of this search.
"That is precisely why you are not going to be on the team. Rabb you are too close to it, I know she is the Colonel's little sister, but Harm can you honestly tell me that you have no feelings for this little girl?"
Damn, he has me there. There has got to be some way around this.
"No, I can't tell you I don't care about Chloe, I love her like she was my little sister, but everybody does. No matter who you put on this investigation, they have all met Chloe. Sir, you know that when I care about somebody I don't rest until I know they are safe. Please sir, let me stay active in this investigation." I finish speaking and hold my breath waiting for the Admiral's response.
"Okay Commander, BUT Commander Turner is the lead investigator, you will do what he tells you and take his lead. Understood?" I know when to quit, this is the best I am going to get from him, and it is more than I had hoped for.
"Yes, Sir! I won't let you down."
"Now, my original orders still stand. You are to get back to Mac and let her know what is going on. Then you are to report back to me to let me know what is happening with the Colonels condition. I am assuming the D.C. Police are going to want to talk to Bud, since he was on the phone line with the Colonel before the paramedics arrived?"
"Yes. The lead Detective's name is Mark Adams. He seems to know his job, and is an okay guy. He asked that I call and set up an interview, through you, with Bud for him. Can I tell him that that will be okay?"
"Commander let him know that when he arrives the Lieutenant will be made available to him no matter what. Inform him also that at that time we ask he meets with our lead investigator Commander Sturgis Turner." Although to anyone else it would sound like the Admiral had everything under control, I could hear the ever so slight roughness in his voice. This lets me know that he is greatly upset by the situation.
"Aye, aye sir! Is that all, sir?" AJ is right this is something Mac needs to hear from someone who cares about her, not the television.
"That is all, get to it Commander. Oh, and Harm let Mac know we are all praying for her."
"I will sir, and thank you. I will keep you advised of the Colonels condition. Goodbye."
Well, I think to myself, that wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. I get up and walk over to where Dt. Adams is standing, talking to the lead CSI.
"So is there ANY part of this crime scene that HASN'T been disturbed?"
"Look, I am sorry your job is being made more difficult, you know I would love to make it as easy as possible for you to do your job and catch this guy, but they didn't realize it was a crime scene until nearly two hours after it happened. Do the best with what you have." Adams had clearly been through this before.
"We always do!" The CSI snapped at him in annoyance.
"I know, and I know that you will again. Ah, Commander Rabb, this is Chief Gallows the head of the Crime scene investigative department here in D.C. He has a question or two for you."
I extend my hand toward him. He waves my hand away saying, "Pleasure, Commander, I'm sure, but I don't want to have to change my gloves. Can you show me exactly where the phone was in the car when you found it?"
Together we walk over to Sarah's Jeep.
"It was right here." I point to where it had laid on the front seat. "I came over, hit the automatic lock button and had started to close the door when I noticed her phone. Since I had left my phone at the office I took hers so I could keep in contact with the Judge Advocate General's Office."
Gallows looks at me in surprise, "Now why would you do that? Do you have some reason that you feel you need a lawyer?" His eyes narrow in suspicion.
I smile at him and explain, "I AM a lawyer. Both Sarah Mackenzie and I work at the JAG Head Quarters in Falls Church."
"Oh, sorry, matter of habit. Everyone is a suspect in my eyes until I prove otherwise." Gallows turns back to the jeep, "So you didn't touch anything else at all except the lock and phone?"
"Well just the door, to close it."
"Yes, yes. I am done with you for now, you can go away now." With that comment Gallows turns his back on me, "Reed, make sure you dust the outside of that door." He commands the young man who is standing on the passenger side of the jeep.
"You'll have to forgive him, not much with people but he is the best at what he does with a crime scene."
"If he can find Chloe, I will forgive him anything. Now, the Admiral wants me to let you know that you can come anytime and Lt. Roberts will be made available to you for an interview. I am also to inform you that since this involves Navy Personnel, that there will be a JAG investigation as well. We want to work in conjunction with you. We don't want a turf war, we are all after the same thing."
"That is understandable, I assume that you are on this team?"
"Yes, but because I am too close to the situation Commander Sturgis Turner will be lead investigator. You will meet him when you go to interview the Lieutenant. Is any of this unacceptable to you?"
"That shouldn't be a problem. I am sure--"
"Adams, get over here!" A shout from Chief Gallows interrupts him.
Adams briskly moves to the where Gallows stands holding a half sheet of paper.
"We found this tucked up under the car." He looks at Mark Adams and then over at me. He hands the paper to Adams to read after Mark has put gloves on.
Gallows looks at me again, "Commander does the name Dalton Lowne mean anything to you?"
"Yes." I answer confused, "He dated the Colonel about four years ago. But he is dead, what does that have to do with this?"
Adams who had been reading what was on the paper, lowered it and looked at me with solemn eyes. "Because, apparently he has an older sister who blames Colonel Mackenzie for his death."
Adams turns and holds the paper up so I can read it.
You took my brother from me. My baby brother. You will know what it feels like to have someone take your sibling away from you. Dalton Lowne loved you and you killed him. YOU KILLED HIM. Don't worry she won't suffer anymore than Dalton did.
I look up in shock at the two men in front of me. This can't be real. Just then Mac's cell phone starts to ring.
"May I answer it? It may be JAG or the Hospital, this is the number I gave both of them to contact me."
Gallows looks disgruntled but relents muttering, "Sure why not, it's only part of a crime scene."
I flip her phone open, "Rabb."
"Commander Rabb, this is Dr. Kevinson."
"What is wrong?"
"Sir, I am calling to inform you that Colonel Mackenzie is in a coma."
Spoilers: The Stalker
*************
"So Colonel Mackenzie never mentioned anyone being with her while you were on the phone with her?" Detective Mark Adams looks at me through his wire rim glasses, waiting for my answer. I am sitting on a fence post near the entrance to the trail. Crime Scene Investigators are swarming around me, taking pictures, dusting Mac's jeep for prints, searching for more clues. I take in the scene around me and suddenly I am very annoyed with the man in front of me.
"No. But you already knew that because this is the third time you have asked me that question. Listen to me, I know all the tricks, I am with the Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps. I know how to change the wording of a question so that someone may not realize it is the same question and hope for a different answer. I know that you are doing your job, but I have told you everything as it happened to the best of my knowledge. If you don't believe me, there isn't anything you can ask at this point that will change your mind." I finish speaking and glared at the detective. Part of me knows he is just doing his job but another part is angry with him for wasting so much time talking to me. I don't know what happened to Chloe, he needs to find the person who does.
"You haven't given me enough credit Commander. I believe everything you have told us. It is just that many people remember much more than they realize. Something that seems trivial and insignificant when it happens may actually be vitally important to the investigation when looked at later. I just wanted to be sure I had picked your brain clean. You said that when you left the office a Lt. Roberts took the phone, is that correct?"
I sigh before replying, "Yes."
"How do I get a hold of him for an interview?"
"I can call and let our CO know you are coming. He can arrange to have Lt. Roberts made available to you." I look up at him for confirmation that this is acceptable. He nods at me and I reach for my cell phone. It is then that I realize I still have Mac's cell.
"Um, Detective?" Adams turns back towards me. "This is Mac's phone, it was in the jeep after they took her out of it. I grabbed it when I locked the Jeep up before I followed the ambulance to the hospital. I didn't realize it was a crime scene then." I finish meekly.
He sighs and smiles at me, "While I realize that and I know you didn't mean to disturb a scene, the CSI's aren't going to be happy with this. Here," he says as he pulls out his cell phone, "Use mine and I'll go break it to Chief Gallows that the jeep has been tampered with as well as the weapon and sweatshirt."
He walks away, leaving me with the unpleasant task of explaining the situation to Admiral Chegwidden. I look down at the cell phone in my hand, small and silver. With that thought comes a memory of another small silver object I have seen recently. I try and block the sight of the bloody knife from my mind but it stubbornly refuses to leave. I shake my head to clear my vision, and focus on the phone. Resignedly I flip it open and slowly dial the number.
"Judge Advocate General, Admiral Chegwidden's office." Tiner voice greets me through the phone.
"Tiner this is Commander Rabb, I need to talk to the Admiral."
"Yes, Commander, he has been expecting your call. We are all worried about the Colonel. I hope she-"
"Tiner! Snap too! I need the Admiral, NOW!"
"Aye, aye, sir!" I can just see Tiner snapping to attention, while blushing slightly in embarrassment. I hear the familiar click of the call being transferred.
"Commander, please tell me that the search for the missing child at West Bend Park has nothing to do with you or the Colonel." Rear Admiral AJ Chegwidden's voice was low with urgency.
"I wish I could Sir. We got Mac to the hospital, she has a severe concussion and some intracranial swelling. Because of her injuries she doesn't remember the time just leading up to the injury or just after. When I was finally allowed to see her she asked why Chloe hadn't called me, why she had-"
"Oh, God no." AJ interrupted me. "Chloe is the missing girl?"
"Yes. Sir, we came back to the park when we learned that Chloe was with Mac. We had hoped she would be waiting by the Jeep for us. She wasn't. So along with police officers, I walked the path they would have been most likely to jog this morning. Near the end of the trail we found a bloody hunting knife and a torn and blood soaked sweatshirt."
"It was Chloe's? Are we sure of that?" The Admiral queried.
"Yes, Sir. It was the sweatshirt Mac got here this past Christmas."
"Damn!!!" I hear him sigh, "Well, once they are done with you, go back to the hospital. Mac needs to hear this from you and not some news reporter on the television. Since this was an act of violence against a Marine I am going to assign a Jagmen investigation, and before you can ask, no you may not volunteer."
"But Sir, this is Chloe we are talking about here--" There is no way I am being cut out of this search.
"That is precisely why you are not going to be on the team. Rabb you are too close to it, I know she is the Colonel's little sister, but Harm can you honestly tell me that you have no feelings for this little girl?"
Damn, he has me there. There has got to be some way around this.
"No, I can't tell you I don't care about Chloe, I love her like she was my little sister, but everybody does. No matter who you put on this investigation, they have all met Chloe. Sir, you know that when I care about somebody I don't rest until I know they are safe. Please sir, let me stay active in this investigation." I finish speaking and hold my breath waiting for the Admiral's response.
"Okay Commander, BUT Commander Turner is the lead investigator, you will do what he tells you and take his lead. Understood?" I know when to quit, this is the best I am going to get from him, and it is more than I had hoped for.
"Yes, Sir! I won't let you down."
"Now, my original orders still stand. You are to get back to Mac and let her know what is going on. Then you are to report back to me to let me know what is happening with the Colonels condition. I am assuming the D.C. Police are going to want to talk to Bud, since he was on the phone line with the Colonel before the paramedics arrived?"
"Yes. The lead Detective's name is Mark Adams. He seems to know his job, and is an okay guy. He asked that I call and set up an interview, through you, with Bud for him. Can I tell him that that will be okay?"
"Commander let him know that when he arrives the Lieutenant will be made available to him no matter what. Inform him also that at that time we ask he meets with our lead investigator Commander Sturgis Turner." Although to anyone else it would sound like the Admiral had everything under control, I could hear the ever so slight roughness in his voice. This lets me know that he is greatly upset by the situation.
"Aye, aye sir! Is that all, sir?" AJ is right this is something Mac needs to hear from someone who cares about her, not the television.
"That is all, get to it Commander. Oh, and Harm let Mac know we are all praying for her."
"I will sir, and thank you. I will keep you advised of the Colonels condition. Goodbye."
Well, I think to myself, that wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be. I get up and walk over to where Dt. Adams is standing, talking to the lead CSI.
"So is there ANY part of this crime scene that HASN'T been disturbed?"
"Look, I am sorry your job is being made more difficult, you know I would love to make it as easy as possible for you to do your job and catch this guy, but they didn't realize it was a crime scene until nearly two hours after it happened. Do the best with what you have." Adams had clearly been through this before.
"We always do!" The CSI snapped at him in annoyance.
"I know, and I know that you will again. Ah, Commander Rabb, this is Chief Gallows the head of the Crime scene investigative department here in D.C. He has a question or two for you."
I extend my hand toward him. He waves my hand away saying, "Pleasure, Commander, I'm sure, but I don't want to have to change my gloves. Can you show me exactly where the phone was in the car when you found it?"
Together we walk over to Sarah's Jeep.
"It was right here." I point to where it had laid on the front seat. "I came over, hit the automatic lock button and had started to close the door when I noticed her phone. Since I had left my phone at the office I took hers so I could keep in contact with the Judge Advocate General's Office."
Gallows looks at me in surprise, "Now why would you do that? Do you have some reason that you feel you need a lawyer?" His eyes narrow in suspicion.
I smile at him and explain, "I AM a lawyer. Both Sarah Mackenzie and I work at the JAG Head Quarters in Falls Church."
"Oh, sorry, matter of habit. Everyone is a suspect in my eyes until I prove otherwise." Gallows turns back to the jeep, "So you didn't touch anything else at all except the lock and phone?"
"Well just the door, to close it."
"Yes, yes. I am done with you for now, you can go away now." With that comment Gallows turns his back on me, "Reed, make sure you dust the outside of that door." He commands the young man who is standing on the passenger side of the jeep.
"You'll have to forgive him, not much with people but he is the best at what he does with a crime scene."
"If he can find Chloe, I will forgive him anything. Now, the Admiral wants me to let you know that you can come anytime and Lt. Roberts will be made available to you for an interview. I am also to inform you that since this involves Navy Personnel, that there will be a JAG investigation as well. We want to work in conjunction with you. We don't want a turf war, we are all after the same thing."
"That is understandable, I assume that you are on this team?"
"Yes, but because I am too close to the situation Commander Sturgis Turner will be lead investigator. You will meet him when you go to interview the Lieutenant. Is any of this unacceptable to you?"
"That shouldn't be a problem. I am sure--"
"Adams, get over here!" A shout from Chief Gallows interrupts him.
Adams briskly moves to the where Gallows stands holding a half sheet of paper.
"We found this tucked up under the car." He looks at Mark Adams and then over at me. He hands the paper to Adams to read after Mark has put gloves on.
Gallows looks at me again, "Commander does the name Dalton Lowne mean anything to you?"
"Yes." I answer confused, "He dated the Colonel about four years ago. But he is dead, what does that have to do with this?"
Adams who had been reading what was on the paper, lowered it and looked at me with solemn eyes. "Because, apparently he has an older sister who blames Colonel Mackenzie for his death."
Adams turns and holds the paper up so I can read it.
You took my brother from me. My baby brother. You will know what it feels like to have someone take your sibling away from you. Dalton Lowne loved you and you killed him. YOU KILLED HIM. Don't worry she won't suffer anymore than Dalton did.
I look up in shock at the two men in front of me. This can't be real. Just then Mac's cell phone starts to ring.
"May I answer it? It may be JAG or the Hospital, this is the number I gave both of them to contact me."
Gallows looks disgruntled but relents muttering, "Sure why not, it's only part of a crime scene."
I flip her phone open, "Rabb."
"Commander Rabb, this is Dr. Kevinson."
"What is wrong?"
"Sir, I am calling to inform you that Colonel Mackenzie is in a coma."