Chapter IV - Incident at Potomac Park

1532 Local_2032 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia

AJ Chegwidden looked at his assembled staff. An audible sigh escaped from him prompting looks of curiosity mixed with concern from the men and women seated at the table. Sitting at the opposite end of the table were two people most of the JAGC staff had never seen before.

"As some of you may have heard, Lieutenant Singer has gone missing and there is evidence of foul play. Special Agents Gibbs and Blackadder of the NCIS DC Major Case Response Team will be investigating her disappearance."

Harmon Rabb, Junior's eyebrows rose at this unexpected news. "Admiral, you're letting NCIS take the lead on this?" He asked the disdain evident in his voice. Harm had had his fair share of run-ins with NCIS and its agents before. He couldn't believe that the Admiral was casually stepping aside and letting NCIS handle this matter.

The former SEAL though, wanted Harm to understand that JAG didn't always get its way. In fact, when his girlfriend Jordan Parker had been killed, NCIS had taken the lead.

"That's correct, Commander," he said tersely hoping that would end this discussion.

The aviator/lawyer though, wasn't about to let this happen. Whatever problems had been caused by Loren Singer in the past, he believed that JAG Corps should be the one investigating her case. "Sir, I recommend we run a concurrent JAGMan investigation. It may have been attempted murder of one our own sir, we should-"

AJ shot him a wary look, as if trying to figure out if this was Rabb's disdain for NCIS showing through, or something else. "Already taken care of, Commander," AJ said cutting him off.

Now the gray haired NCIS Agent at the other end of the conference table spoke. "And why would you suspect that, Commander? Why is it attempted murder?"

Harm almost chuckled. He didn't like this guy already. "You wouldn't be here if it was accidental, now would you?" he challenged.

AJ watched as Mac's eyebrows rose at Harm's borderline comment. She understood his past feelings about NCIS Agents and their sloppy investigations but now was not the time to antagonize these agents.

Mac shifted uneasily in her chair. "Lieutenant Singer was supposed to be on her way to San Diego. What would she be doing still here in DC?"

This time the female Agent spoke. "We were hoping one of you could tell us." She sounded like she was looking for help. Harm though, knew their tactics and what this woman was trying to do.

He looked at his fellow attorneys and staff members. "Well, nobody here has seen Lieutenant Singer since Sunday."

Gibbs was getting irritated with Rabb. He got up and walked toward the Commander's chair. "Do you always speak for everyone, Commander Rabb?"

The JAG could see that this situation might deteriorate rapidly if he let the conversation go on much longer. "Agents Gibbs and Blackadder have requested to interview each of you individually. I expect your full cooperation." He turned to the two NCIS Agents. "How would you like to proceed with this?"

Gibbs walked over to where the Admiral sat, looking down the table at everyone. "While you're all still here I'd like to admonish you that discussing your testimony with one another could result in an obstruction of justice charge, so if you could refrain from discussing our questions or your answers, that would be appreci-"

Harm traded a knowing glance with Mac before acting insulted at Gibbs' antics. "I think we know the law, Gibbs, we're lawyers."

Gibbs turned his DI stare on Commander Rabb. "You seem to know it better than anyone else. Why don't we start with you?"

Harm stood up facing him, taking the challenge. "Fine."

AJ could see these two were on a collision course. He had to find out why his top attorney was bristling like a watchdog and quick. "Commander Rabb and I have to rework a court schedule. Anyway, I prefer you start with me. Any problems with that?"

Gibbs looked at the Admiral for a moment. Whatever it took to get the interviews started he was all for. Besides he knew what the Admiral was doing. "Nope." He said sitting back down.

Thinking he had averted disaster, AJ gave Harm a piercing glance before he turned to the Leader of the DC MCRT. "Good give me a few minutes; I'll be right with you." He looked back at the staff. "That'll be all."

As AJ got up, the rest of the staff stood up at attention until the JAG left and then they filed out of the room. Harm noticed with some disdain that Gibbs had sat down in the Admiral's chair. Noticing the Commander's sour look, Gibbs gave him a friendly smile. Harm shook his head, walking out and shutting the door. When they were alone, Vivienne looked at the closed door.

"I thought we called the shots on an investigation," she said grumpily.

Gibbs understood her irritation but he also knew that it was just posturing. If she stayed around long enough at NCIS she'd learn that too. "We do," he said confidently.

"So why let the Admiral cool Rabb down?" She asked.

He was surprised that a former FBI Agent didn't understand this. "We're gonna let the Admiral play good cop…" Gibbs glanced at his watch, "for about seven minutes. Have a seat."

xxivxx

Loren thrashed in bed as James Garrel entered the room She had been sleeping soundly for an hour, so he had decided to step out for a little bit and get something to eat from the vending machines.

"No! D-don't…." she whimpered as she continued to twist and turn in the bed.

James hurried over to her side and grabbed one of her hands. "Lieutenant? Lieutenant! Loren! Loren! What is it?"

Loren's eyes shot open as she stopped her movement. "A man…an African-American man…he-he looked mad…then he grabbed me," she said in hushed voice as if her apparition could hear her.

Unconsciously, James rubbed her hand for assurance. "Easy…easy, just tell me what you saw…"

Loren looked up at him and tried to sit up. "Okay…an African-American man. Wearing…wearing a uniform, a summer navy uniform…what you say they call dress whites…."

"Can you see his rank?"

She shook her head. "No…just that he's upset with me and he… no… someone else then grabbed it me…."

"Who grabbed at you, the African-American or someone one else?" he pressed.

Loren shook her head in irritation. "I don't know…every time I try to grasp at something more significant, it all flies apart."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have rushed you," he replied honestly.

Loren hadn't meant to admonish him. After all, he had been so helpful up to this point. "No, you didn't know…you're just trying to help."

His grin returned. Loren liked his smile; in fact, she liked a lot of things about him. She had to almost pinch herself to get her focus on what he was saying to her.

"Okay, well, let's try again. The first man you see African-American, and he's a naval officer…"

And so they began trying to pull the fragmented images together like putting together a virtual jigsaw puzzle.

"Yes, yes he is."

"And he's upset about something?"

"Uh huh…but the other man, he just reaches out of nowhere and grabs me…"

"Can you tell why he and the African-American are upset?"

"Something about religion…?" Even Loren didn't seem sure about this part.

Loren could see in her mind's eye the African-American Navy Commander saying something to her.

'Mozoltov'

"He's said 'mozoltov' to me." She reported.

For the first time in this latest brush with her damaged memory, James laughed. Though it was nerves, she didn't know that. "Loren, usually people only say 'mozol'tov' when they are happy about something."

Loren didn't like him laughing at her. But her fragmented memories weren't helping the situation any. "B-but he's upset with me – ooh it's all tangled together!"

"Loren…Loren, I'm sorry…." James said quickly, but it was too late. The 'oh no second' had passed. He had blown it, big time. The Marine Sergeant began mentally kicking himself.

She turned away from him and faced the window. "Just leave, okay? I'm not feeling up to having company anymore. I'm tired."

"Loren?" He hadn't meant to make fun of her. He had been headed toward being too familiar with her in order to try and get her to remember and without realizing it, he had crossed the line.

"Please leave." The anguish in her voice was apparent. He had hurt her feelings. Nuts.

James like most guys was at a loss to know what to do. Sometimes there was only one course of action. A cooling off period. "I—okay…all right. I'll come back later?"

Loren didn't answer. She kept her back to him. James Garrel quietly left the room.

xxivxx

As the JAG made his way to his office, Mac headed toward him. He could tell she was about to say something. AJ gave her an irritated look. "Don't start," he warned.

Mac was caught totally off guard by his waspish comment. Truthfully, it knocked any ideas that the Marine Light Colonel had about Lieutenant Singer's whereabouts right out of her head. A confused "Sir?" Was all that she was able to get out.

Inwardly AJ Chegwidden winced at having to treat Mac like this, but given her past relationship or lack thereof with Loren, but he had to get that 'helpful attitude' out of her before it got her into trouble – big trouble. "I know what you're thinking," AJ said brusquely. "I know what you're all thinking. We're not getting involved in this beyond the required participation both here and in the courtroom."

Mac was flummoxed by his response. It was as if he was trying to push all of them away from this case. "Why sir?" She had to know why. She continued to trail him as he reached Tiner's desk.

The former SEAL stopped and turned on her, piercing her with an angry look. "Why? Because we already look guilty as hell, Colonel. Rabb stuck his nose in and now he looks like a leading suspect. He would be if I were investigating this case."

Mac didn't know what to say. As Harm came out of his office, she skirted past him, barely glancing at the aviator/lawyer as she went into her office and shut the door.

xxivxx

AJ waited until Harmon Rabb had followed him in and closed the door to his office. "What the hell went on between you and Lieutenant Singer?" he snapped.

Harm was somewhat taken aback by his commanding officer's harsh tone. "Nothing, sir," Harm replied honestly.

AJ, though, didn't believe him. He turned into the Commander's face. "Nothing my ass!" he barked, making Harm flinch. "After that performance in the conference room, you'd be my prime suspect!"

Harm knew his disdain for NCIS had gotten him crossways with the JAG. "I didn't do this, Admiral."

The former SEAL had finally gotten through to him, but Rabb still hadn't told him what he needed to know. "I know you didn't, but you're involved and I wanna know how!"

Harm knew that his CO deserved more of an answer, but as a lawyer he also had a duty to Loren Singer. "I'd rather not say, sir."

AJ fixed him with a skeptical look. He almost shouted at the Commander. "Good God, did you get her pregnant!? Then he regained a measure of his self-control as he turned away from the aviator/lawyer. "No, of course not, you didn't get her pregnant." He almost said to himself, but then turned on the Commander again. "But you know who did, and you're protecting him, aren't you?"

Harm knew this would tick off his CO even more, but he had no choice. He steeled himself for the coming blast. "I am protecting Lieutenant Singer's privacy, sir. If she didn't tell anyone who the father was, I'm not going to speculate."

The Navy JAG got back in his face again. "You're not being any more truthful with me than you would be with those NCIS Agents!"

Harm held his ground. "I'm not going to lie, Admiral."

AJ suppressed a sarcastic laugh as he made his way to his desk. "No, you're a damn good lawyer and know how to obfuscate the truth in an interrogation…Huh." Harm looked confused as AJ sat down, shook his head, and chuckled.

"Damn, he's good," the JAG said softly.

Harm wasn't sure this change of tone was good. Angry AJ Chegwidden he could handle. "Sir?" he ventured.

Admiral Chegwidden realized he had lost Rabb. "Special Agent Gibbs." He said with grudging admiration. "He's got me questioning you. Hearsay rules don't apply in an interrogation. I'm duty bound to repeat anything you tell me if he asks."

Harm had so focused on protecting Loren that he forgotten that rule. "You really think he's that devious?" he asked.

AJ sighed, looking up at the Commander and gave him a wry smile. "Reminds me a lot of you…"

1654 Local_ 2154 Zulu
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Bethesda, Maryland

Ducky tapped on the door as he entered Loren's room. "I trust I'm not interrupting anything?"

Loren turned, noting who had come in. A look of embarrassment crossed her face. "Oh Doctor, sorry, I was just thinking…."

"That's all right, m'dear," Ducky said affably, as he pulled up the chair up next to her bed and sat down. "What were you thinking about?"

She actually looked more embarrassed than she had when he first came in. "Oh nothing really," she said off-handedly.

Ducky was pretty good judge of human character and right now he could tell that Loren Singer had been in some sort of disagreement with someone before he arrived.

"What did they say to you?" Donald Mallard said benignly.

"What did who?" Loren replied trying to appear blasé about the whole matter.

But Ducky wasn't fooled. "Someone upset you. What did they say to you?"

Loren sighed. "You're good, I'll give you that."

Dr. Mallard laughed gently while smiling at her. "Call it a gift." Then he turned serious. "Now what did they say that upset you?"

Loren gave him a guarded look. "You're going to say I'm acting silly-" She began.

"I'll do nothing of the sort," Ducky replied with mock condescension. "Now out with it."

"I got peeved at Sergeant Garrel for laughing at me…." She began.

Ducky stopped her. "Sergeant Garrel, laughing at you?"

Loren became defensive. "Well, it seemed like he was laughing at me…."

"And you didn't like that," he surmised from her tone.

"No. No I didn't," She admitted reluctantly.

"You said it *seemed* like he was laughing at you." Ducky said clinically.

"Well, I was thinking about it just before you walked in." She admitted sheepishly.

"Tell me what happened…." Ducky had a pretty good hunch as to what caused this row, but he wanted her to confirm his suspicions.

"James, I mean Sergeant Garrel, was here when I woke up. I had another memory flash and he was trying to help me figure it out," She explained.

Ducky smiled at her slip, but Loren didn't notice. "So what did he laugh at?"

"I saw two men, an African-American navy officer who was upset with me, and another Navy officer…one I was really scared of…and then, one grabbed me…."

"Do you remember which one?"

"I can't remember for sure. All I remember is one said the word 'mozoltov' to me. And that's when Sergeant Garrel laughed at me."

Donald Mallard had been through this kind of conversation before with his nieces. "Are you sure he was laughing at you?"

"No, that's just it. I think I overreacted." She said glumly.

"Ah hum," Ducky said nodding. Deep down he was disappointed, he had found Loren intriguing and wanted to get to know her better, but it was obvious that she was developing feelings for James Garrel, and Ducky was first and foremost a gentleman. The matter of military called fraternization could be handled by her commanding officer, when the time came.

"What?" She said looking stricken.

Dr. Mallard pierced her with an all knowing look. "Loren, how do you feel about Sergeant Garrel?"

Loren's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "How do I feel about him? Why are you asking me that?"

"Because I think it has a lot to do with your reaction to his laughter," he said honestly.

Loren didn't like where this was going. "Doctor, he's a Sergeant, I'm a Lieutenant—" she began hurriedly.

"That doesn't stop you from being a human being, Loren." Logic was always Ducky's best strong suit.

Loren sat quietly for a moment digesting that. "You really think that's it?" she said softly.

Dr. Mallard nodded. "I do indeed, Loren."

"Is it – is it wrong to feel that way—about him?" She ventured.

Ducky sighed. "That's not for me to say, but I strongly suspect your commanding officer would see it as fraternization," he said as gently as he could. "And the only way to change that is to make some tough decisions that you are not ready to make yet."

Loren nodded, but he could see that she contemplating what she needed to do based on what he had just told her.

xxivxx

The JAG sat at his desk watching the Head of the DC Major Case Response Team. Gibbs moving around the room looking at the pictures and plaques that adorned the wood paneled walls. Vivienne has taken a chair in front of his desk. "Lieutenant Singer requested extended maternity leave a few days ago, and it was granted."

Gibbs examined a photograph of a Kidd class destroyer. This ship was obviously one of Chegwidden's previous commands. "Is that the last contact you had with her?"

"That's correct." The two-star Admiral studied the gray haired NCIS agent. Gibbs was good at unsettling potential suspects. That's what he was trying to do to him. That's what he'd try to do if he were in his place.

Vivienne decided to add to the JAG's discomfort. "There was a charge subsequently dropped, by the skipper of the Seahawk of conduct unbecoming."

AJ turned to look at Agent Blackadder. Any junior officer would have been rattled by his question, but not AJ Chegwidden. "That's right. She was found to be pregnant while on sea duty. The skipper suspected an onboard liaison."

Vivienne tried to lock eyes with the Navy/Marine Judge Advocate General. "She said it happened before she sailed but refused to prove it by naming the father."

The former SEAL nodded. He knew what the junior agent was trying to do. He also knew how to handle her. "That's correct," he said blandly.

Still Vivienne persisted. "Why'd the skipper drop the charges?"

AJ had to admire the fiery red head's tenacity, but her technique needed work. "I assumed he believed her."

Gibbs liked the way she was soft pedaling her queries that made it easier for him to ask the tough questions. "-Or Colonel MacKenzie. You sent her to the Seahawk too to investigate Lieutenant Singer, didn't you?"

AJ though was ready for that twist he knew an investigator would ask why two JAGC attorneys were needed for what looked like one could have done. "You already know that. It's in that file" he said dismissively.

Gibbs held up a blue file folder. "It's not in this file." That caused the JAG to look up from his work. "This is Commander Rabb's file. You sent him to the Seahawk, too."

The Navy/Marine JAG, despite this slip up, was ready for him. "Separate investigation," he replied unemotionally.

Gibbs knew that the two star had been caught off guard by the folder switch. He decided to see if there was more to it than a simple slip up. "He and Lieutenant Singer even departed together." If Gibbs could have wiggled his eyebrows and gotten away with it, he would have.

AJ though wasn't about to take that bait. "Pure coincidence. She was on her way back to Washington, he was on his way to an assignment in Naples."

Gibbs decided to turn up the heat a little. He picked up the Plexiglas case containing one of AJ's autographed baseballs and handled it as if he were examining it for authenticity. "I'll bet they conversed on the COD." He let the strongly worded supposition hang in the air as he put the container back down deliberately in the wrong spot on the desk, causing AJ to reach out and move it back to its appropriate spot

"I'm sure they did. I have, ah, no idea what they said," the JAG said distractedly and with some irritation in his voice.

Gibbs had to be careful. He just wanted the Admiral to reveal what he knew, not a late afternoon session with the NCIS Director about proper interview protocol with Navy's top legal authority. "He didn't mention it, Admiral?" the Head of the DC MCRT said innocently.

AJ was tired of this. "No he didn't, and neither did she. Agent Gibbs, why don't we save ourselves some time, what do you say? The only thing Commander Rabb told me was that he did not murder Lieutenant Singer and has no idea who did."

Gibbs smiled and nodded. At least now he knew that the JAG wasn't involved. That was a big relief. He looked at Vivienne and shrugged…one down. The smile was still on his face because they still had a bullpen full of suspects to interview. Including Harmon Rabb.

1703 Local_2203 Zulu
Near Great Falls
Washington, DC

Special Agent Dobbs and the Marines continued their search for Loren Singer's purse. The sky was lead gray. More snow was threatening to fall which would severely hamper their search. What's more, darkness was quickly approaching. Dobbs didn't want to spend another God forsaken night looking for Lieutenant Singer's personal items.

"I found it sir!" one of the Marines called out, holding up a dripping dark bag with a broken strap.

Dobbs walked over and looked at what had been found. Sure enough, it was Lieutenant Singer's battered and muddy purse. They could look for other personal effects in the morning.

xxivxx

Bud Roberts' interview up to this point had gone smoothly. He was seated at a chair midway between the two ends of the table located in the JAGC HQ conference room. NCIS Special Agent Vivienne Blackadder had taken up residence at the far left end of the table and MCRT Head Gibbs sat on the table right next to Roberts.

Gibbs was trying to unnerve the junior officer, hoping that if he succeeded, Lieutenant Roberts would let something slip that could help their case.

"Could the father be someone from right here at JAG Corps Headquarters?" the gray haired NCIS agent wondered aloud.

Bud chuckled wryly and then grew serious and began shaking his head vigorously. "God no. No, that – nobody around here would be dumb enough to get involved with Lieutenant Singer. I mean, she's not unattractive woman, but…" While Bud was talking, Gibbs moved around behind him and began brushing imaginary pieces of lint off his jacket, hoping to further unnerve him.

When the flustered junior officer turned to see what Gibbs was doing, the gray haired NCIS agent strode down to the other end of the table and began whispering in Vivienne's ear, who began nodding.

The rattled junior attorney's eyes went wide with disbelief as he watched their antics. "You – you – you don't think it's me, do you?"

Vivienne held up her index finger to Gibbs and made an effort to look over at Bud. "Should we?" she replied with one eyebrow arched.

Bud couldn't believe they would think this about him. "I did not have sex with that woman!" he declared emphatically.

Gibbs chuckled at his ill-timed outburst. "That's not the best choice of words there, Lieutenant."

Gibbs resumed whispering into Vivienne's ear and she began nodding again. Bud could feel bile rising in his throat. They thought he could have bedded Singer and then when she became inconvenient, he made her disappear.

Bud realized also that what he had just said sounded a lot like what a certain President had stated when facing allegations of having an extramarital affair. A blush rose in his face. "I know. I- I know; but believe me! It wasn't me!"

Gibbs stopped his whispering, turning and looking at Roberts.

Gibbs smiled at the agitated junior attorney. Maybe now he would reveal something helpful to them. "Yeah we know that. So who was it?"

xxivxx

Commander Tracy Manetti's interview was next. Like Lieutenant Roberts, Tracy was seated at a chair midway between the two ends of the table located in the JAGC HQ conference room. NCIS Special Agents Vivienne Blackadder and Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat across from her.

Tracy Manetti gave both agents a wary look in response to the question 'Who do you think tried to kill Loren Singer?'

"I'm the last person to ask that. I'm new here," she replied in her trademark Virginia southern drawl.

Gibbs didn't believe that for a moment. There was more to Commander Manetti than met the eye. "What does intuition tell you?" he asked slyly.

Tracy smirked at the gray haired NCIS agent. "Not to answer questions that I don't know the answers to," she said back in her own sly voice.

Gibbs chuckled at her response. "Spoken like a lawyer at a deposition there, Commander."

Tracy knew she had to give them something or they would hound the JAGC staff and ruin her own investigation. From her digging she knew it couldn't be anyone on Chegwidden's staff, so it wouldn't hurt to tell them that. "It wasn't someone from JAG," she allowed.

Gibbs was intrigued by this bone she had tossed him. "Now how would you know that?"

Tracy guessed that this next tidbit of information wouldn't hurt either. Besides they were bound to learn where Loren had conducted her business. "The bartender at Benzinger's told me that Singer was seeing a civilian before she shipped out."

xxivxx

Mac's interview followed Tracy Manetti's. Like Lieutenant Roberts and Commander Manetti, Mac was seated at a chair midway between the two ends of the table located in the JAGC HQ conference room. NCIS Special agents Vivienne Blackadder and Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat across from her.

Gibbs wanted to see just how much the SJA Colonel knew about Commander Rabb's 'off the books' investigation to see if there was any collusion there. "Did you know that Commander Rabb asked Commander Manetti to ferret out who Lieutenant Singer was seeing prior to her deployment?" The Head of DC MCRT handed her a copy of the report he had shown Admiral Chegwidden.

Mac was surprised by this news, though she and Harm had agreed that Loren had to be checked to see if she had gotten pregnant before or after she was named as replacement Force Judge Advocate for the injured Bud Roberts.

"What?" She said, momentarily flustered as she scanned the documents. What had Harm gotten himself into? And why?

Gibbs asked the question that was sure to upper most in the minds of the jurors. "He wasn't part of your investigation. Why would he do that?"

Mac was silent. A thousand thoughts were whirling around in her brain. Could Harm have done this? Was he the father of Loren's child? Is that why was he so interested in her lately? Why hadn't he told her more about what was going on? Had their friendship come down to this – lies and subterfuge to sabotage an official investigation?

"Colonel?" Gibbs could tell the Light Colonel had been completely thrown off by this bombshell, he could also tell that in addition to surprise she looked as if she had been betrayed.

Mac pulled herself together. She'd find out from Commander what was going on. It might cost her, her career, but she owed Harm that much for all the times he had stood by her. "I have no idea. You'll have to ask Commander Rabb," she answered in her best lawyer voice.

xxivxx

Loren could feel there was something wrong between her and the Navy man sitting at his desk in front of her.

'I will personally destroy that person's career.' He said to her. It was a threat. He could see it in her eyes.

'Personally destroy that person's career….'

'Personally destroy…'

The words frightened her. Why was he going to do this? What had she done?

Then she was looking at a smiling man in a white uniform, only this one didn't have anything on the shoulders like the officers had. This uniform had what was probably a rank on the sleeves along with the symbol she now understood was used by JAG Corps.

'Must you always be so cheerful?' she heard herself say. It sounded like she was angry with him.

'We'll miss you ma'am,' the smiling man said. Somehow she didn't believe him. Where was she going anyway?

Then she saw it.

She had somehow jimmied the lock on a sports car and now had the door open. She got in, a pulled a file out of her satchel marked 'Accident Investigation Report – Part B with the word 'confidential' stamped on it and laid it on the passenger seat.

His words came rushing back to her. 'I will personally destroy that person's career…'

Suddenly a young blond female Lieutenant hit her in the eye. She stumbled backwards and crashed into a wall.

Loren Singer awoke with a start. Her heart was beating wildly and she felt a sheen of sweat on her face.

The only thing that made sense about this gaggle of jumbled images was that they were the results of her actions – she just knew it.

-TBC