Part 3
Disclaimer: I do not own the JAG characters nor do I receive any money for doing this.
1022 Hours Local Time
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church
Harm had been at work for a little over two hours and after only getting two hours of sleep the night before, everything that happened was beginning to take its toll. Worse, the admiral had been away from the office attending meetings at the Pentagon all morning so Harm had yet to talk with him. He wasn't about to leave until he did. He was just headed out to get what was to be his third cup of coffee that morning when he spotted Admiral Chegwidden getting off the elevators.
"Admiral…" Harm said, calling out as he tried to catch up with the man in question.
The admiral, upon hearing Harm call out to him stopped and turned, "Commander, I heard." He said. Jordan's death bringing the recent death of his own girlfriend forefront in his mind. "You have my deepest sympathies."
"Thank you, sir." Harm said and he knew that the words his CO had just spoken had come straight from the older man's heart and not something, he was saying out of common courtesy. "I was wondering if you would consider ordering a JAGMAN investigation parallel to what NCIS is doing." It was a statement more than a question.
"Why?" Admiral Chegwidden wanted to know.
Just then Bud stepped up, wanting to help his longtime friend and mentor make his point, and after overhearing the last part of the conversation between Harm and the admiral he said, "We were all friends with Commander Parker, Sir. We think that we should be part of it."
The admiral sighed, he wanted to get JAG involved but he needed a better reason, "Better reason." He said, hoping that someone would come up with a better reason than the one Bud had just come up with and that someone was Sarah Mackenzie.
"They are keeping Commander Rabb in the dark." She stated as she joined the small impromptu meeting that was taking place in the middle of the busy bullpen.
"Why would they do that?" The admiral asked.
"I'm on their suspect list, sir." Harm stated, dropping his head at that implications.
"He was alone in his car at the time of Commander Parker's death." Mac interjected.
"I was on my way to Montclair to pick up Renee." Harm quickly added.
"Which is close to Quantico…?" The admiral quickly deduced. He sighed as he looked over the three subordinates who stood before him waiting on his decision. "Alright, colonel…." He finally conceded, looking her straight in the eye as he did. "You will head it, Roberts you'll assist."
"Sir, may I enlist the services of Lt. Commander Coulter for forensic pathology?" If there was one woman Harm truly trusted in this department it was his longtime friend, Commander Coulter.
"Alright." The Admiral said, not finding a problem with Harm's request. "Just stay in the background. Any appearance of impropriety…" He looked straight into Harm's eyes…the seriousness of his warning showing in their very depths.
"I understand sir." Harm quickly interjected.
"I just hope you do." The admiral said as he turned to head in the direction of his office.
The next morning….JAG Headquarters
Harm felt reasonably better after going home early the day before and getting some, much needed sleep. He was expecting Commander Coulter to arrive at any moment so he was waiting for her near the bank of elevators. He was standing near a file cabinet when his mind began to wonder. Suddenly he could see Jordan, lying there sleeping on his bed. She must have fallen asleep after he had left her in order to pursue the case that he had been working on.
"Harm….Harm…."
The sound of someone calling his name quickly brought him back to the present. Commander Coulter was standing in front of him. He was so out of it that he hadn't even seen her step off the elevator nor approach him.
"You dreaming?" She asked, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Unfortunately." Harm sighed, uncomfortable at having been caught. "It's nice to see you, Teresa." He said using her given name instead of her last name and rank as was customary. "I wish it was under better circumstances." There was a brief time when Teresa and Harm had grown quite close and maybe something might have come of it if they didn't happen to live thousands of miles apart.
"Well, I hope I can be of some help."
"Did you examine the body?" Harm asked. Keeping things as clinical as possible seemed to help him keep a reign on his already ragged emotions.
"I just got back from the morgue. The muzzle mark left a residue pattern on the clothing and the muzzle displacement indicated the gun went off and was placed directly against her chest and fired."
"What about the crime scene?" Harm asked, hoping against hope that she had been able to find something there.
"NCIS will only clear me for forensic pathology."
Just then, Mac and Bud walked over and after hearing the last part of the conversation Mac added, "NCIS won't let us near the rest of the evidence until they have finished their part of the investigation."
Bud chimed in, "But their preliminary report, reports that the weapon, a 38 Arrowhead, belonged to Commander Parker."
After hearing what Bud had to say the blood drained out of Harm's face and for a moment he looked like he was about to pass out.
"Are you okay?" Teresa Coulter asked as she stepped towards Harm a look of concern on her face that mirrored everyone else's in the small group.
Harm took a deep breath as he fought to steady his emotions, "When Clark Palmer was threatening Jordan I insisted she buy the weapon."