Chapter 33 - One Crazy Redhead

Lee and Roger both headed to Lee's quarters. A master-at-arms trailed behind Roger and another one sat in the living area of Lee's quarters.

"She's been quiet since we brought her here. Lieutenant McDowell is in the bedroom watching over her."

"May I inquire what your instructions are?"

"To make certain she does not leave the base. A policeman has been positioned at the entry who is checking all vehicles leaving the base."

"They know she's broken loose then," Roger said.

"Someone must have tipped them."

"Are you worried about that, Lee?"

"No, I'm more worried about how Admiral Johnson is reacting to her being broken out of his custody."

Roger and Lee both peeked into the bedroom. Brian McDowell acknowledged them and exited silently. Roger and Lee each took a side of the bed and flanked Rachael as she stirred awake.

"Hey beautiful. How are you?" Roger asked.

"More like where am I and how did I get here?"

"No memory?" Lee asked.

"I was talking to this kind of cute older Scottish sounding guy, a doctor I think, then nothing. Jesus, if I am having blackouts maybe I actually killed her."

"I don't think so, Red, though we definitely do have a problem or two with what Johnson's doctor has been up to with you."

Rachael shrugged. "I'm starving. Is there any food here?"

"No, but I can run down to the Commissary and beg. It's late."

"Pizza. I want white pizza with anchovies from Nardo's."

"No, Rachael. They'll be closing soon."

"Roger, why don't you give them a call. I think we can try to accommodate that simple a request. You can take your friend outside for a ride to pick it up."

"Clothes, real clothes, too. Shoes. Can't I have some shoes? Where's my stuff anyway?"

"Not a clue, Rach. I'm guessing they cleared out your room at the base hospital and put the stuff in storage somewhere. I'll see what I can scrounge up. Keep your expectations low at this time of night."

"Thanks, Rog. Are you okay?"

"Me? Very funny."

"What's so funny?"

"My best friend is accused of murder. How okay could I be?"

"Roger, what if I did it but I can't remember?"

"You didn't. If you really want that pizza, we can talk about this more later."

"God, yes. Pizza. Don't forget hot peppers!"

Roger left. Rachael sat up on the edge of the bed. She leaned her head on Lee's shoulder. "You'll take care of him, Curly?"

"Listen Red, things are breaking open some. There's another suspect."

"Who?"

"The ex-boyfriend. The only problem is that someone killed him."

"Shit."

"Hey, at least we know it couldn't have been you. You were under lock up. Be positive. We have a trail."

"Don't you have something I could change into? I could really use a shower. No, a bath. I could kill for a bath."

"Watch the threats, Red! Take a bath. I can lend you a shirt at the least. Those scrubs are awful with your complexion."

"They are so inconsiderate in the psych ward. No sense of fashion or style. Elastic waistbands are just so déclassé."

"Hey, don't you even think of asking me for a belt!"

Rachael looked around the ceiling and shrugged. "Not too much I could do with it here."

"You better not try anything on my watch, Red, I'm warning you."

"Then maybe you shouldn't let me out of your eyesight." Rachael stripped off her scrub top as she entered the bathroom. She leaned over to start the tub.

Lee fought the urge to follow her in. Rachael turned back toward him and removed her bra. Lee sighed and turned away. "Leave the door open so I can check on you."

Twenty minutes later, Rachael emerged in a towel. Lee handed her a T-shirt and turned away.

"Guess I must just have imagined the other night."

"What about it?"

"We'll leave it in my imagination. Only odd thing was there were all these fresh cuts and bruises on you, and a bunch of tiny stitches."

"Maybe someone told you about my accident the other night?"

"What accident?"

"I was tracking a lead in the mountains using Roger's car. The brakes went out and I had to bail."

"Maybe someone did tell me then."

"Come on Red, do you doubt your own mind that much?"

She shrugged. "There have been a lot of drugs. I hate them."

"I can understand that, but I think you are giving up too easily. Maybe you remember something else?" Lee leaned in to kiss Rachael, then pulled back. "Does that ring a bell?"

Rachael looked back questioningly. She kissed Lee back. She began to kiss down along the front of his shirt. When she got to his abdomen, she pulled up the shirt. "You son of a bitch. Isn't my brain mucked up enough without you adding to it?"

"I'm sorry. To what are you referring?"

"That scar. How could I have imagined that?"

"See, you can trust yourself to remember."

Lee was caught unawares when Rachael plunged both her hands into his chest, knocking him back on to the bed. He stayed back, uncertain what to expect next, and letting Rachael make the next move. She glared at him for a second. Lee couldn't refrain from smiling at her. She was on top of him moments later. "Don't you think I'm screwed up enough that you don't need to add to it?" she asked between kisses.

"Nope. I think you can take anything I or anyone can dish out, Commander, so long as you believe in yourself like I do."

By the time the pizza arrived, Lee and Rachael had redressed. Roger looked accusingly at both his friends. He put two pies in the oven and then handed Rachael a plastic sack. "Best you can do in the middle of the night. Drugstore chic."

Rachael kissed Roger's cheek. "Thanks." She darted off to change. She emerged in cut off shorts, a beachy Hawaiian looking shirt with Lee's black T-shirt underneath. Flip-flops and oversized sunglasses completed the ridiculous look.

Both men laughed.

"It beats scrubs!"

They all dug lustily into the pizza, polishing it and half a second pie off quickly.

"Sack time for me, boys and girls. Hope you don't get a backache from curling up on the couch, Lee," Roger winked and left.

"Beach. What if I never get to the beach again?"

"You will, Rachael, soon."

"No, now."

"We can't leave base."

"I want to feel the wind in my hair."

"Red, there are limits here."

"There are some Navy 26s on base for recreational use. Come on, Curly. Show me your captaining skills, the other kind. Just for an hour or so. Work off that pizza. Please."

"Let me talk to the master-at-arms a minute."

Lee returned a minute later. "We are going to get heat for this. You better remember the chance I took for you, Red, and return the favor."

Rachael smiled. The master-at-arms drove them to the dock. They puttered under the moonlit skies for about forty minutes. That was when Rachael pulled a gun on Lee, Roger's Sig Sauer.

"Jump off and swim to shore."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"It's an easy swim for you, Lee."

"So you can do what? Go along the coast and run? Sail out to deepwater and capsize? No dice."

"Don't make me shoot you, Lee."

"Only you can make yourself do that, Rachael, and you won't."

"No, you're right." Rachael put the gun to her head.

"Talk about a gut punch, Red. You sleep with a guy, then blow your brains out in front of him. What a parting gift!"

"Okay, so I'm being selfish." Rachael turned the gun back on him. "Hit the water so you don't have to watch."

Lee reached out to her arm and took the gun. She didn't fight it. "You know, Red, I'd have been much more scared had it been loaded."

"Why the hell are you carrying around an unloaded gun?"

"Well, I have this mentally unstable friend who keeps showing up unexpectedly so I figured I should be extra careful." Lee released the sheet and let the sail go into irons while he pulled Rachael into a hug. The hug quickly morphed into deep kissing. Lee pulled back. "You are deeply corrupting me. Give me a minute to drop anchor."

Lee kept his eyes on Rachael as he moved to the bow to drop anchor. He couldn't trust her from minute to minute. When he saw her stand up and remove her outer shirt he smiled. The next second she dove off the stern. Lee snagged the anchor tight and dove in after her. He was on her in seconds.

"What the hell were you thinking?" he asked as he dragged her back to the stern by the neck and chest. He pushed her up the stern ladder.

"Are you a dolphin or something? How did you get to me so fast?"

"I'm that good in the water, and don't forget it again."

"You're pretty good on land too," she smiled.

"What the hell was that all about?"

"I don't know. I felt sad all of the sudden. I didn't want to keep fighting that feeling. I just want to stop feeling. I don't want to hurt you or anyone else."

"Just accept that if you hurt yourself it will hurt me, and Roger, and Saul and others. Stop this shit."

"I told you that I am screwed up bad."

"It doesn't have to be a forever thing." Lee pulled her in close and hugged her. "How about focussing on what makes you feel happy instead of sad?"

Rachael rubbed up against Lee tweaking him on the butt.

"Weren't we heading that way before the swim, Red?"

"It was a mistake. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted."

"That wasn't my real apology. This is."

A few minutes later, Lee - a little breathless - wondered whether the cockpit of the Navy 26 had ever been used that way before. It was certainly a first for him. Fun, but more than a little crazy. He laughed. He'd just described Rachael. "All right, Red, time to go back and dry off. Here's something to keep you busy while I pull up anchor."

"That sounds so slutty, Commander."

"Oh, quit it."

Lee was tying an elaborate knot around one of Rachael's wrists, which he secured to a cleat.

"Bondage? I never would have guessed you the type."

"This is just in case you get any stupid ideas about jumping ship while I get us shoved off. That knot should keep you busy until we dock."

Rachael made a raspberry at Lee as he headed to the bow. Fifteen minutes later, Lee sailed them into the dock. The master-at-arms silently shamed them, Lee felt, but he was smart enough not to say anything about it as he drove them back to quarters. After a quick shower together, sleep was all that happened for the rest of the night.