CHAPTER 21 -REPAYING A DEBT

"We need to concentrate on motive," Jack said as he took the fork and plate of food from Elizabeth.

It was now more than sixteen hours since they had found Carl injured on the floor and Jack's focus was starting to get side-tracked by his empty stomach. Not only had he missed most of dinner last night when he had run after Elizabeth due to her concern over his name on the return flight's manifest but, wanting to avoid any unwanted attention, Jack had remained in the security office all morning.

Last night, the ship's Captain, although he trusted Jack, had ordered him not to go back to his living quarters and had maintained a guard outside the security office door to quell any passenger concerns. The quartermaster had delivered a mattress, which was now propped up against the wall of the small office, for Jack to sleep on but Jack had mostly lay on it restlessly.

Now, in the light of day – or at least the artificial light of an artificial day in space – the Captain had called off the guard and ordered Jack to hurry up and solve the transporter's rash of problems.

Elizabeth sat down across from Jack and motioned him to begin eating. "According to the scuttlebutt-"

"The what?" Jack interrupted.

"Scuttlebutt. It's a nautical term. I figured since we are basically star sailors – I mean after all that's where the term astronaut comes from. The Greek word astron meaning star and nautes meaning sailor – that'd I'd use a nautical term. Scuttlebutt is the nautical term for rumors or gossip."

"Elizabeth, I love that you're enthusiastic about this and that you love teaching. And that you're full of knowledge. But can you please focus?"

"Right. Sorry. So according to the scuttlebutt or gossip, there are several motives. You have a law enforcement superiority complex. You attacked Carl because he was interested in me and you got jealous. Carl caught you doing something bad – although no one knows what that was. Or you were suffering from space madness."

"I don't mean we have to concentrate on MY motive! I know that I didn't do it! We need to look at other people's motives!" Jack exclaimed as he stared at her in bewilderment.

"Right. Good point," Elizabeth replied calmly. "And I thought of that. Which is why I started hacking into people's computers."

"You what?!"

"I hacked into some computers this morning. After I had an early breakfast."

"How?!"

"I'm a school teacher. We know things."

When a baffled Jack just stared at her, Elizabeth continued. "I have to teach computer science. Java. Pascale. Cobol, Fortran, C plus plus. The usual stuff," she explained casually. "In order to teach it, I had to learn it. And for a very brief time I dated a computer hacker."

"You what?!"

"It turns out he was more interested in computer games than me. It was incredibly hard to hold hands with him because he always had a computer mouse, joy stick, or game controller held tightly in his grip. After a few dates which consisted of eating pizza and staring at a computer screen, I ended things."

"How'd he take it?"

"I'm not sure he's noticed yet", Elizabeth said with a chuckle.

"How long ago was it?"

"About five years ago," Elizabeth smiled. "Like I said, he was more interested in computers than me. But the important thing is that I picked up a few impressive computer skills from him."

Jack swallowed a bite of scrambled eggs, and motioned for Elizabeth to continue.

"I started with Seth. He's clean. Nothing on his computer but notes on rock concentrations, photos of his family, and sappy love messages home."

"You hacked into Seth's computer?" Jack had to admit that he was impressed with Elizabeth's skills and determination.

"You told me to trust no one. Although, I really do trust Abigail so I didn't bother with her computer. I also checked Carl's to see if there was anything there. I didn't understand most of it. Just studies on microbes and bacteria. Nothing suspicious. I checked Wayne's too."

"How'd you manage that?"

"I snuck into his office when he was in the Cafeteria bragging about how he could have taken you down but he didn't want to hit someone in law enforcement. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything."

Jack took a slug of orange juice from a juice box and glanced at Elizabeth who had turned the desk chair to face his computer, and was now looking through one of his databases as she talked.

"I also hacked into our suite-mates'. That's why I'm so late bringing you your food. I realized that they could have easily entered our room through the shared bathroom. They could just bypass the front door sensor. But unfortunately, I didn't find anything. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. But nothing looked out of the ordinary."

"Thanks", he said gratefully.

"No problem. I'm looking at these bank account records you requested a few weeks ago, but these are only the crewmembers. When do you get the passengers' accounts?" Elizabeth asked. Her eyes were scanning the records on the computer screen and she didn't notice Jack still looking at her.

"I mean it. Thanks."

"For the breakfast?" Elizabeth asked absent-mindedly. "I hope it was still warm." She clicked a few more buttons on the laptop and sighed in frustration. "Damn time delay. This is so frustrating waiting for the information to transmit. When do you think you'll get it? A few more days?"

"Elizabeth, will you look at me?"

Elizabeth turned her head sideways and noticed that Jack was no longer eating. He was simply looking at her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Aren't you hungry?" she asked. She looked at the plate of food in his hands. While he had made a dent in the pile of scrambled eggs, he hadn't touched the toast, hash browns, grits with butter, or slice of quiche. "I guess I went a little overboard, but I was worried about you."

"Nah, the food's great. Thanks," Jack said as he set the plate down on the floor. "But I mean thank you for believing in me. For never questioning me about whether I did it." His voice was a mixture of gratitude and amazement at being lucky enough to have a woman like Elizabeth in his life.

"Of course I never questioned you. I know you wouldn't have done it. And if you had, you would have had a very good reason. And told me."

"You really are incredible."

Elizabeth smiled. "Focus, Jack. We are trying to solve a mystery."

Jack stood up and shook his head. "Not just yet. First, we have a business matter to handle", he said as he closed the distance between them.

"Business matter?""

"There's a little matter of your loan repayment," Jack whispered as he lowered his mouth to hers.

Four hours later, Elizabeth could still remember the feeling of Jack's lips on hers. The way his hand had moved up her back. The sexy hardness of his chest muscles when she pressed against him. The way he made her moan with desire when he kissed her, and whimper in frustration when he pulled away.

She shook her head to put aside the memory of his taste and the feel of his tongue traveling on her neck. Concentrate, girl she reminded herself as she stepped out of the elevator.

They had divided up the transporter's occupants into two lists. Jack was interviewing crewmembers, while Elizabeth had the task of interviewing passengers. Jack wasn't thrilled with Elizabeth putting herself in danger but he had finally agreed after Elizabeth promised that she wouldn't let on that she and Jack were looking into the numerous incidents on the ship. As far as anyone was concerned, this was just about Jack attacking Carl.

Elizabeth had portrayed herself in a variety of ways depending on who she was talking to. The devastated heart-broken victim of a Jack's charms had earned her sympathy from several of the female passengers. Unfortunately, none of them had divulged anything of importance.

"Jack always seemed like such a gentleman. I can't believe he was the culprit. I'm sorry, Elizabeth, but I didn't see anything. I was in the gym with Star and Alex."

"Don't lose hope, Elizabeth. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding. I don't know anyone who had problems with Carl."

"Did Carl make a pass at you? Is that why Jack attacked him? Because I never did like the idea of rooming males and females together. It's just not safe."

"Jack always seemed too good to be true. You know, that whole sexy law enforcement manliness. I'm not surprised he had a dark side. But no, I didn't see anything."

Acting the part of the wealthy socialite who would be grateful for any information as to why her roommate had been ruthlessly attacked had likewise revealed nothing important.

"Carl's never mentioned problems of any kind to me. But if I think of anything I'll let you know. So, your dad is president of Thatcher Enterprises?"

"I was getting my biweekly physical when it happened. The doctor can vouch for me. But hey, if you need me to say I was somewhere else, I can do that."

Elizabeth walked into the Plant Nursery and saw Lori, the attractive horticulturist, holding a caliper against a small red tomato to measure the size of the fruit that she was growing without the benefit of soil.

Elizabeth didn't know what she was hoping for, other than some sage advice from the woman. And hopefully, in an accent she could understand.

Fifteen minutes later, Elizabeth walked back into the elevator and pushed the button to take her up to the level with the cafeteria and security office. She wondered if Jack had had better luck with his interviews. Lori had been as sweet as ever but she had barely ever spoken to Carl and neither she, nor her husband, knew why anyone would want to hurt the man. Or why Carl would blame Jack.

That was the problem. No one knew why Carl would blame Jack unless Jack had been the one to attack him.

"Maybe he eez not nice?" Lori had said with a helpless shrug when Elizabeth had asked her if she had any idea why Carl would accuse Jack of hurting him.

"No, he is nice. That's why I don't understand why he would blame Jack."

"Maybe you are barking wrong."

"Excuse me?" Elizabeth had replied. Did she say barking? Like I'm a dog? Is she accusing me of being barking mad? Is she accusing me of being a bitch?! I am not a bitch!

"Maybe you are howling at zee tree incorrectly. You look at why Carl said Jacque's name as zhe culprit, but maybe he did not. Maybe he said another name or zhere is another reason why he said Jacque's name", Lori had offered as she tried to be useful.

Standing in the elevator, Elizabeth dismissed what Lori had said and instead listened to the grumbling of her stomach. It was past lunch time. Time to meet Jack and compare notes.

"Has Carl woken up yet?" Elizabeth asked. She carried a bag with the lunch of canned fruit and sandwiches which Abigail had prepared, and hurried over to Jack when she saw him coming out of the infirmary.

"Not yet. And I feel like a damn criminal. I'm not allowed alone in the room with him. Just in case I really am the one trying to kill him", Jack said in disgust as the two walked towards the security office.

When he reached over and took the bag from her hands to carry for her, Elizabeth was once again reminded that he was a gentleman.

"You find out anything valuable?" Jack asked.

"Nothing. No one knows who was with Carl just before it happened, or why you would attack Carl, or why Carl would blame you. I'll do more interviews after we eat. "

"What about your students and class?"

"I gave them the day off. They weren't going to pay attention to me anyway. Not with all the excitement of my boyfriend roommate trying to murder another roommate. One student asked if I thought that your body had been taken over by an alien. I think he's watched one too many Sci-fi movies."

"Great," Jack said with mild irritation. "I'm not just a rogue law enforcement officer, I'm a rogue alien law enforcement officer. How far did you get on the list?"

"I've done about half. I just came from Lori in Horticulture. She called me a dog."

Jack stopped walking and looked at Elizabeth with a puzzled face. "She called you a what?"

"A dog."

"You must have heard wrong", Jack remarked. The corners of his mouth quirked up as he thought about Elizabeth's difficulty with Lori's accent.

"No, I didn't. She said that maybe I was howling incorrectly. Howling at trees incorrectly."

Jack shook his head in mild amusement as the door to the security office slid open and they walked in. "She meant barking up the wrong tree. She meant that maybe you misunderstood something."

"Whatever. I needed an answer as to why Carl accused you. Not a poorly translated tree idiom."

The rest of the day had proved to be equally unsuccessful. Between the two of them, Jack and Elizabeth had interviewed most of the people on the ship. At least most of the passengers and day crew. The night crew still needed to be questioned.

By the next morning, Elizabeth's mind was exhausted.

Jack had spent a second night on the thin mattress on his hard office floor. But, as Elizbeth reminded him, it was still better than Carl who has spent a second night in an infirmary bed. He had regained consciousness but because of large doses of medication required to reduce any swelling of his brain, Carl was heavily sedated and too confused to remember anything coherent when he was awake.

Jack sat on the edge of his desk, one foot dangling a few inches above the floor, and sighed in frustration. He and Elizabeth had run out of ideas.

It was hopeless. They had no hint as to why Carl would be attacked or why he would claim that Jack had been the one who had attacked him.

"Maybe Lori was right. We're barking up the wrong tree," Elizabeth said. She closed her laptop and looked at Jack. "Let's rethink it. Start from the beginning. We saw Carl just seconds after the crowd came out from the training room. No one heard him say anything until you got to him."

"I asked him who attacked him. And he said You Jack. I asked him again and he said it again," Jack remarked in a bored voice. He preferred not to think about being accused of a crime.

"Isn't that odd?"

"Elizabeth, the whole damn thing is odd! He accused me of attacking him!"

A composed Elizabeth put her hand on Jack's knee to calm him. "I mean the way he said it exactly the same way. You Jack. You Jack."

"He had a concussion. I don't think he was concerned with speaking in full sentences or worried about being criticized for repetition," Jack said dryly.

Elizabeth pushed aside the laptop, picked up a crochet needle and some yarn – both of which she had borrowed from Abigail – and began practicing her chain stitch as she thought about Carl.

Replaying the scene in his head, Jack spoke up a few seconds later. "But actually, he said You twice the first time," he said indifferently.

"What do you mean?"

"He said You You Jack. And then when I asked him again. He gasped for a breath, said You, and then said Jack.

Elizabeth's eyebrows furrowed as she re-lived the scene and began to murmur the words. "You You Jack. Gasp for breath. You Jack. You You Jack. Gasp for breath. You Jack."

"Would you stop saying it?" Jack asked with mild irritation. "It was bad enough the first time I was accused."

Elizabeth set down the hopelessly irregular chain of yarn stitches, stood up, pushed the chair off the side of the room, and spread her body onto the floor.

"What are you doing?" Jack questioned in puzzlement.

"Shh. I'm re-creating the scene," Elizabeth explained as she adjusted her body. "Kneel down close to me."

"Are you trying to get me to make-out with you? Because, honestly Elizabeth, this is not doing it for me."

"Hush, Jack. Let me pretend that I'm Carl with a concussion and trying to identify my assailant before I pass out. I'm dazed. I'm confused. I am so weak that I can barely get the words out."

Jack raised his eyebrows at Elizabeth but remained quiet as he watched her lie on the floor with her arms splayed out and one of her legs twitching as if it was being hit by the sliding door.

"It's still not doing it for me", he finally said cynically as he watched her murmur his name over and over. "Although, under other circumstances it actually might turn me on."

"Carl's fake British girlfriend!" Elizabeth screamed and sat upright. "Carl's fake British girlfriend!"

"Who?" Jack looked curiously at Elizabeth.

Elizabeth started talking excitedly. "That girl he hangs out with sometimes. They make-out on his berth. She's got a really long name from Central Africa or somewhere, and for the longest time, Carl was pronouncing it wrong! Finally, he just gave up."

"You mean Abayomi Nneki Oyeyemowa?"

"That's her! She likes everything British and acts like she's from London or something. But she's not."

"But what does she have to do with anything. He didn't say her name. He said mine."

"No, he didn't!" Elizabeth excitedly exclaimed. "Carl never talks about her using her real name because it's so long. He calls her Union Jack girl after the tee shirt she wears sometimes! It's got a big British flag on it. And she hangs out in our room. Seth even had to kick her out one night. The night of the talent show. When you were gone until three in the morning and she didn't want to leave. Don't you see? Carl wasn't saying You You Jack," Elizabeth continued enthusiastically. "He was saying Union Jack! That's what he was trying to say!"

"Union Jack?"

"Yes! Ask Seth. He'll tell you that's what Carl calls her." Elizabeth stood up and began pacing the small room. "I never did see what she saw in him. She's absolutely beautiful and Carl's kind of nerdy. Nice but nerdy."

"I don't know, Elizabeth. I've never seen the together but maybe a few times."

"Because she's usually been in our room whenever you aren't there! Almost like she wanted to know when you came back in our room so she could go do something without you watching on the security screens! Remember how one time you came back and she quickly made up an excuse and left? And she'd ask me about you sometimes. All friendly like. Like asking if you wanted to join us for dancing or how long you'd be gone. She wanted to know where you were!"

"It could be," Jack said. His voice suddenly getting excited. He started looking through files on his laptop. Clicking buttons until the woman's photo and brief biographical information appeared.

An excited Elizabeth continued to speak aloud every new thought that came to her. "She'd have access to Carl's gadgetor! She probably stole it and then accidently dropped it. And she'd be in our room because Carl would have let her in! But then, he must have realized she was up to something and so she grabbed your gadgetor and hit him over the head with it. He tried to go for help but collapsed before he could get out the door. Carl wasn't trying to warn me about you. He was trying to warn me about Union Jack! That's why he looked at me when he said it. Because he knew I'd know what he was talking about."

"But you didn't," Jack reprimanded her. "Not until now."

"Oh hush. I'm a school teacher, not a law enforcement officer. What did you expect? It took me awhile."

"You may be onto something here. She'd have access to Carl and his gadgetor. Neither one of us has interviewed her yet. . . . . It would make sense if Carl stumbled upon something and she tried to shut him up."

"I'm right. I know I am! Now give me a kiss."

Jack chuckled. "How about I go question Abayomi Nneki Oyeyemowa and then we make out?"

"Nope. First, we kiss. I need sustenance. And you owe me."

"I owe you?" Jack asked with raised eyebrows.

"I just saved you from the gallows," a self-satisfied Elizabeth said smugly.

Jack snickered. "They don't have gallows in space. And I wouldn't get the death penalty for knocking someone on the head."

"I still need sustenance."

Jack chuckled. "Since when did I become sustenance?"

"Since I started the North American Defense Force diet."

Jack laughed even harder. "The NADF diet is a diet FOR officers to keep us strong and fit. It is not a diet of NADF officers."

"You have your definition. I have mine," Elizabeth replied with a shrug and a mischievous smile.

Still grinning, Jack moved over to Elizabeth and cupped her jaw with one hand. "You do realize that I find you and your logic to be absolutely irresistible, don't you?"

"That was the game plan", she whispered as he lowered his mouth closer to hers.

"But we have a mystery to solve. No time for kissing," he quietly reminded her as he stopped moving just before their lips touched. His fingers continued to hold her face, and his own face was so close to hers that it was just a blur in her eyes.

"There's always time for kissing", Elizabeth said softly just before she closed the gap between them.

Up next: Chapter 22 – The Chase