Chapter 8
"She really seems like a great person…much too good for Harm, don't you think Admiral?" Mac questioned trying as hard as she could to keep a grin hidden.
"Major Bell has proven to be a very good office manager. As for her personal likes, I wouldn't care to speculate," he answered.
As he was about to leave the room, Mac asked, "Weren't you the one that asked her about her date with Harm?"
AJ didn't reply, but if Mac had looked back she would have seen his ears go slightly red before he could control his flush.
An hour later he was just about to leave his office to go to the conference room for the morning briefing. Instead he came face to face with Clayton Webb. "What do you want Webb?" he snapped.
"To play you a recording of a phone call," Clay answered.
"I'm not a voyeur Webb, go find someone who's interested."
Clay took hold of AJ's are as he started to walk by him. AJ turned a glare on Webb that reminded him of the broken nose the Admiral had given him. Dropping his hand quickly he instead persuaded, "AJ one of your people is in danger. I just figured that you might care enough to want to be involved."
"What are you talking about Webb?!" AJ snapped.
"I think it can all be explained if you listen to this recording," Webb waved the recorder in front of AJ''
Looking at PO Tiner, AJ said, "Tell the staff the morning briefing will be delayed."
"Yes Sir," he responded and went to do as asked.
AJ led Webb into his office and motioned for him to sit down. AJ took his own seat behind his desk. "Alright Webb tell me what the hell is going on."
"We have had Zepher Davis-Marciniak wire tapped for quite some time and last night we got lucky. He was talking to his employee Brandon Grant. We would not have taken action this soon except JAG came up in the conversation.
"You made it sound like we more than came up in the conversation! You said one of my people was in danger!" AJ snarled.
"Let me play the tape and I can explain as we listen," Clay said and then right before starting the tape added, "The first voice on the tape is Davis-Marciniak."
"Just what is taking so long Grant?"
"Well we hit a snag Sir, our person at JAG is holding back…"
"Why?!" Zepher interrupted.
"I'll find out Sir!" Putting the phone down Brandon got out his own cell phone and dialed a number. When his person at JAG came on the live he demanded, "Why haven't you completed your assignment? You act like you don't want your compensation!"
"Of course I do! The delay is because there's someone new in the JAG office that has been sniffing around. I'm not sure how Admiral Chegwidden got wind of what we had planned but he must have brought her in to spy on me!"
"Grant!" came the angry voice from the cell phone lying on the table.
Picking it up, he responded, "Yes Sir?"
"I want this dealt with! Get rid of the problem. Then take care of the original mission!" Zepher ordered.
"Yes Sir. I will see that it's done!" Before he hung up with Zepher he said into his own phone, "The boss said to kill her too then get your primary job done!"
There was the sound of a deep sigh and then, "Alright!"
"It'll be done boss!" Brandon promised Zepher and ended both calls.
The recording ended there. Clay stood there staring at AJ waiting for his reaction. What he got surprised him greatly.
"Do you have any idea who else Davis-Marciniak wanted murdered?" AJ questioned.
"Murdered? Why do you think the other job is a murder?" Clay wanted to know.
"Because Grant said to kill her TOO. So who is it?"
"Well I was figuring we would get what the primary job was out of the suspect when we discern who that voice belongs to. But in the meantime don't you think we need to discover who this new person in your office is that is in danger of being killed. Then we can put him in protective custody."
"I know who that is. Major Bell is our newest hire and that voice on the tape sounds very familiar but I just can't place it."
"Don't you think we should get this Bell guy in here and get him to safety?"
"That 'Bell guy' is Major Samantha Bell and very much not a guy, Webb."
To be continued…