Chapter XVIII - Incident at Potomac Park
As Teddy Lindsey tried to make sense of what had just happened, Tony began reading him his Article 31 Rights. "You have the right to remain silent and make no statement. Any statement you do make could be used against you in a court martial-"
"Wait, uh, wait, what's the charge?"
"Well, its charges actually…let's see, we have you on theft of government property," Tony flipped open the file to show the thick stapled document that was a compilation of the all the personnel files and after action reports that had been on his laptop plus a few he thought had been erased. Teddy's mind began to spin as Tony finished the litany of charges against him. "…attempted murder, no, make that attempted involuntary manslaughter, um, leaving the scene of an accident, improper conduct with a junior officer, conduct unbecoming-"
"No! Wait! The truth is- She threatened me – she threatened my family! We argued. She turned to leave- I-I tried to stop her. I-I-I grabbed her! We-we struggled. She-she fell over the railing! I was going to call for help, but it was too late. The river had taken her away. And … I was...I was…scared."
Tony nodded understandingly. "It's a good story. Couple of small problems."
"We found her blood on the bridge where she 'slipped' and hit her head on the railing."
Teddy could 'see' Loren Singer slipping and hitting her head on the bridge railing. Before he could do anything, she hit the concrete floor of the bridge.
"And I'm sure you thought she was dead … that you'd killed her. Maybe you reached for your phone, but you had another idea."
He watched himself as he took his cell phone out of his coat pocket and stared at Singer on the ground, blood oozing out onto the concrete from her head wound. In an instant he made a fateful decision. Tucking the phone back in his pocket, he reached down and picked her up.
"Lieutenant Singer didn't fall in the river, Commander…she was thrown."
And like watching a movie he didn't like, Teddy watched as he threw her over the railing. Singer fell into the water and vanished.
"And she would have drowned, Commander. And that was no accident."
"I-I tried to save her-" Lindsey whined and then suddenly the anger in him boiled over. "She was going to blackmail me-!" he snarled.
"No, you didn't try to save her, Commander, but Sergeant Garrel did."
Teddy looked on flabbergasted as Loren Singer stood in the open doorway looking at him. Next to her stood Harmon Rabb and Marine Sergeant James Garrel.
Tony delivered the coup de grace with aplomb. "And remember you were going to pin it on Commander Rabb with that cover we found at the park."
Theodore Lindsey was silently looking in disbelief at Loren Singer/Laurie Singer, back from the dead. She was not in uniform and her hair was different, but it was either her or her ghost.
"But-but, I saw you fall, you-you were dead…" was all he could say. He had a wild, almost animal look in his eyes.
"You were going to kill me?" Laurie said in an anguished voice. "Why? What did I ever do to you?"
Teddy Lindsey's features morphed into a man barely suppressing his rage. "You—you were going to blackmail me…and my wife…ruin my career…told me you were going to tell Rabb and Chegwidden everything I had done…!"
Laurie shrank back from the doorway feeling the man's unrestrained fury. "I'm sorry-" Harmon Rabb and James Garrel instinctively moved closer to Laurie.
"You—you're—you're sorry?!" Teddy Lindsey stood up causing Tony to launch himself from his chair to restrain the Lieutenant Commander. "You and Rabb and the others ruin my life and all you can say is that 'you're sorry'?!"
Tears formed in Laurie's terrified eyes. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I—I don't remember…I don't know what else to say…I'm so s…sorry…." The Marine Sergeant had moved even closer to Laurie. Harm felt his fight or flight mode beginning to kick in.
Teddy couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You don't remember? The blackmailing, the threats, what you were going to do, any of it?!"
Laurie closed her eyes as if she was trying to will something, anything to come to her mind about her relationship with Teddy Lindsey. "No, God help me, no, I don't, I'm sorry."
Tony momentarily let go of Teddy Lindsey and that was all the chance he needed.
"Arrrrrrhhhh!" He yelled as he charged Laurie. "You bitch! You didn't die at Potomac Park, but I'll make sure you do now!"
Laurie screamed and shrank back from her attacker. James Garrel instinctively moved in front of her, shielding her body with his. Without thinking, Harm surged forward and hit Lindsey with a solid right cross, sending his glasses flying. Seeing that he wasn't going down, the aviator/lawyer struck him a crushing blow between the shoulder blades as he rushed past, sending Lindsey crashing to the floor.
Teddy Lindsey from his crumpled position on the floor pointed up at the aviator/lawyer. "Ahhhooowww! My Godd! Yoo bwoke muh nohse! Dhat's ahssalt and bahtterry Cahmmander!"
Gibbs came up behind the hard breathing Commander who looked ready to deliver another blow to this lowlife. Gibbs touched Rabb's shoulder indicating he had done enough. Harm looked and the NCIS agent and then nodded his agreement.
Sounding suspiciously like a tattling younger brother, Teddy continued to howl. "Yoo sahw whut he dihd Speshal Aghent Ghibbs! Hee hit me!"
"Tony, did you see Commander Rabb hit anyone?" Gibbs asked.
Tony DiNozzo's shocked look morphed into that winning smile of his. "Why no Boss, but I did see Commander Lindsey slip and Commander Rabb try to catch him – bad luck that Commander Lindsey slipped and got hit in the eye and nose."
"Yeah, that's too bad," Gibbs agreed, shaking his head at this 'unfortunate accident'. "Special Agent Blackadder, were you watching from in there?"
A voice came from the viewing room. It was a female. "Yeah Gibbs, Ducky and I were watching…"
"Did you both see what happened?" he asked.
"Sure, Commander Lindsey slipped just like Tony said," Agent Blackadder replied soberly.
The final nail in the coffin was the precise clipped tones of Donald 'Ducky' Mallard. "Indeed Jethro, Commander Lindsey unfortunately slipped and Commander Rabb did try to help the poor fellow-"
1735 Local_ 2235 Zulu
Bethesda Naval Hospital
Bethesda, Maryland
Harm had just left Laurie, James, and Mac in Laurie's room. The Light Colonel had wanted to stay to talk to Loren/Laurie.
The first thing that Mac noticed was how she carried herself – and not because she was five months pregnant. No, she really acted as if she was actually someone else. Sure, she looked like Loren Singer, but her movements, her facial expressions, her comments to the Marine Sergeant and to her told the JAGC Marine Light Colonel that Loren was no longer here.
"How are you feeling, Lieutenant?" Mac inquired of this stranger in Loren Singer's body.
Laurie despite her improved demeanor after getting away from Teddy Lindsey still seemed troubled. "Okay, I guess for someone in my stage of pregnancy. Though I could do without the indigestion, constipation, and excess gas." That last part earned Laurie an embarrassed smile from the SJA Colonel and a sheepish look from the Marine Sergeant.
Laurie had actually done this to break the tension. Everyone was still on edge from Lindsey's meltdown. When Harm told Mac, he and Laurie thought she was going to go down to the brig and do some serious damage to the SECNAV's former special assistant. It had taken all three of them to assure her that Commander Theodore Lindsey had gotten his just deserts.
"But don't get me wrong, ma'am, I am looking forward to having this baby," she added to assure her comment was meant as a joke, albeit a slightly off-color one.
Mac though, was taken aback by her happy anticipation of her blessed event. "You are?" She had not talked to Harriet and Jennifer about Loren/Laurie's change in attitude toward her child.
Laurie nodded. "Yes, and I want you know that I am sorry for any trouble that I caused you…you know…in the past," Mac could see that Loren was feeling very self-conscious and embarrassed – but then Mac also knew that Loren was a good actor.
Mac gave the woman a thin smile. She still wasn't sure she could trust this 'new and improved' Loren. "Water under the bridge, Lieutenant, let's work right now on getting you better," Mac replied coolly.
But Laurie wanted her to know this was the real deal. "Please ma'am, you have to believe me. I really want us to have a better relationship than we did in the past," Laurie added. "I know that I was a troublesome co-worker and caused you pain in the past."
Mac thought their past encounters. "You remember those?" Mac asked, trying to keep the astonishment from her voice.
Laurie nodded. "My gap filled memory let me 'see' those. Based on those performances, I'm never going to win co-worker of the year," she quipped trying to lighten the situation.
This attempt made Mac actually chuckle. There was something endearing about the way Loren acted and reacted now. It was as if the accident and resulting amnesia had given Loren Singer a long overdue epiphany.
Laurie decided to take the first step in reaching out. She knew that Sarah 'Mac' MacKenzie as well as many others at JAGC would be wary about dealing with her. She had already won the tentative trust of Harriet Sims and Jennifer Coates, now she wanted to reach out to her fellow attorneys as well. "Can we start over, ma'am? I'd really like to be friends. You and Harriet did try to reach out to me…before my accident…I was just too stubborn, vain, or proud to notice, maybe all three,"
Mac studied Loren/Laurie for a moment. Maybe she had changed. Oh well nothing ventured nothing gained, Marine. Mac smiled."Sure, I'd like that, but I am curious, why didn't you want to have anything to do with us?"
Laurie shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know now," alluding to her memory problems. "Maybe I was just scared to let anyone in, you know, let down my walls, so to speak."
Mac looked down and cleared her throat. That last comment hit home because the Light Colonel was good at erecting those walls as well when she thought she needed them. Was mentioning that intentional? She thought briefly and then dismissed the idea. No. Just coincidence. She looked back up and saw that Loren was eagerly awaiting to hear what she was going to say next.
"Well, I'm, uh, glad you can now," Mac said cheekily.
"Me too," Laurie said with a shy smile.
xxxviiixx
Teddy Lindsey was a broken, defeated man. He had been given a shot for his pain as a Corpsman tried his best to set his broken nose. Luckily his glasses, which had flown from his face when Harmon Rabb had hit him, hadn't been smashed in the clash. But if they had, Teddy would only have himself to blame for the destruction.
He had destroyed his career, his family, everything that he held dear. And he had almost snuffed out the life of an unborn child in his lust for revenge and getting even. He sat in the Navy Yard brig looking listlessly at the smooth countertop of the table where he sat manacled and chained.
He didn't even look up when a guard let Tony DiNozzo in.
"Whut do yoo whant?" he said nasally, the packing in his nose making it difficult for him to speak normally.
Tony sat down across from the former special assistant to the SECNAV. "Hey Commander, I just thought I'd come by to let you know that Commander Rabb and Lieutenant Singer are not pressing charges for your attempted assault."
"Wundurful." he replied flatly, still not looking up. He couldn't stand that goofy smile on the Agent's face.
Tony for his part smiled broadly as he opened a folder he was carrying. "Oh yeah, and we've checked the baby's blood type against your service record."
At this news Teddy Lindsey looked at him. A child – his child. Well despite everything, hearing that another Lindsey would come into the world wouldn't be a bad thing.
Tony waited a moment until he was sure that he had Teddy's full attention.
"Child isn't yours." The former Baltimore detective said soberly.
Tony got up and left him with that. Lindsey was left speechless as the door to room slammed shut with that metallic clang signaling the end to his freedom.
xxxviiixx
Now that Mac was accepting her as Laurie, instead of the conniving Loren Singer, she moved forward with the next step in her reformation. Her newfound conscience didn't exactly approve, but she was going keep James Garrel from getting into any more trouble than he was already in.
"Colonel, there's something I need to address with you," Laurie began in a serious tone.
"Go ahead," Mac said carefully. She had just gotten used to the fact that Loren no longer wanted to be known as Loren but to be called Laurie. Okay, she thought What's in a name? If she wants to change her name that's all right with me… But now her serious look had the Light Colonel wondering if Laurie/Loren was about to throw her a curve.
"Given what happened to me and my highly emotional state due to my pregnancy, you may have, um, heard things about my personal and professional conduct recently. Especially as it involved Sergeant Garrel."
Mac was surprised to hear her speak in such a professional tone. Up to this point, Laurie had acted more like a recent Annapolis grad than a polished attorney but now here she was speaking in a serious tone about something that had only been mentioned in scuttlebutt since the Lieutenant had been pulled from the Potomac.
James tried hard not to look at Laurie. He had never heard her talk this way before. Not even with other officers. Was Laurie finally remembering who she was?
Mac who had been sitting on Laurie's bed stood up. "It's understandable, Lieutenant, given what has happened to you, but as the saying goes, 'it takes two to tango…'" She understood about what Laurie was trying to say but that didn't absolve the Marine Sergeant from all the guilt. She noticed that James Garrel was looking decidedly uncomfortable but he had not said anything yet in his defense.
Laurie was determined to deflect as much of the blame for this from him to herself. "I know that ma'am, but the Sergeant has distanced himself from me. What I mean to say is, ma'am, is that I understand my actions were just a, um, 'heat of the moment' thing and a reaction to what had happened to me…."
James heard the words, but couldn't believe they were coming from her. What he heard was that Laurie had just acknowledged their feelings for each other were a mistake.
Laurie looked earnestly at the Marine noncommissioned officer. "Sergeant, I apologize for any untoward actions on my part. Please understand it was nothing that you did. You were only trying to help me. If anyone was at fault, it was me."
James merely nodded. He couldn't get any words to form. He had been fooling himself – it was crazy to think a Sergeant and Lieutenant could ever form any kind of relationship. What a fool he had been. Now he was really glad that Special Agent Gibbs and his buddy Jim at NCIS had caught him when they did.
Laurie saw his nodding as her signal to continue. "Sergeant, I heard about your twin sister and I know mere words can't express the loss you must feel." Forgive me Jimmy, for what I'm doing right now….
James saw her talking but the words were meaningless to him, he felt like he had been sucker punched. He merely nodded again. A great loneliness was enveloping, threatening to swallow all the air in the room. Did he really love her? Is that why it hurt so much?
Laurie knew what was surging through his mind at this point. That's it? It was all a mistake? But she had a reason for doing this and if he would let her, she'd tell him the plan. "Permission to hug the Sergeant? After all, you did save my life," she said in a grateful female officer tone.
"Of course ma'am," James said stoically, not even really hearing his words – or feeling her embrace. He wanted to leave the room.
Mac could tell the Sergeant was conflicted but felt duty bound to accept her 'apology'. Still the female side of the Light Colonel inwardly winced at the anguish he must've been feeling at that moment.
As Laurie got close to the Sergeant and began to hug him, she moved even closer and deepened the hug just briefly enough so she could get close to his ear. "This is window dressing for the Colonel and any officers she may talk to," she whispered into his ear. "I am so sorry about your twin sister, and I am here for you, Jimmy. And I want to continue what we started, please call me tonight, all right?" He fought not looking shocked about what she was saying to him. What kind of game was she playing? Is this what the real Loren Singer was like?
She stood back, looking at him with her 'officer face'. "I am truly sorry for your loss, Sergeant." She said in a cool professional tone.
James Garrel didn't know what to think at this moment. He just knew he had to get out of there. He wanted this to end as quickly as possible. "Uh, yes ma'am, thank you, ma'am" he said, the words stumbling out of his mouth as he fought to maintain his composure.
The next few minutes were a blur as he seemed to go on automatic pilot as he thanked both officers for their condolences on the loss of his twin sister. When they were done, he came to attention and gave them both his best NCO look. "By your leave, Colonel, Lieutenant," he said like any good noncommissioned officer should before exiting the room.
Mac and Laurie nodded their acceptance and James Garrel left the room. Given what Laurie had whispered in his ear, he had a lot to think about.
xxxviiixx
Laurie looked anxiously at her phone. Nothing.
She had hardly touched her dinner. Every time she had tried to take a bite, she saw that look of hurt and disbelief on James Garrel's face. She couldn't stop thinking about him. She idly wondered if 'Loren' had ever felt that way about anyone. And what would she do if she had driven him away for good - despite what she had whispered in his ear? She really didn't want to dwell on that….
So she looked at her phone again – no missed calls.
She looked at the clock… 1904…twenty minutes had passed since she had last looked at it. She knew he had reported back to Quantico. Maybe he was doing some paperwork. Maybe he was working with his squad…or maybe he had given up on her.
That thought left her a little panicked. Why? She was a grown woman…so what if he didn't call? …because she cared about him, that's why….she looked at the clock again…1908.
Arrgh, okay Laurie, just calm down, and drink some of your decaffeinated tea – ugh! Okay, well how about eating something? That will get your mind off him… As she picked up her fork, her stomach grumbled, indicating it was in no mood for food of any kind. Great, that's just peachy. Way to go, kid, you have a lovely way of showing me you're here and not going away…. She pushed the tray away from her side of the table.
She was about to check her phone again when it buzzed. Momentarily, the angry buzzing shocked her and she flipped the cell phone onto the table. She lunged at it as skittered toward the edge and toward certain destruction. Grabbing it, she flipped it open and put it to her ear.
"Yes, this is Laurie Singer," she said as calmly as she could.
"Lieutenant Singer, I have a call from a Sergeant James Garrel," the hospital operator replied, oblivious to her near disaster. "Would you like to take the call?"
"Yes please, thank you," she hoped that she didn't sound too flustered.
The hospital operator smirked. She had heard about this young Lieutenant flirting with the Sergeant. True, she could listen in and report if they were doing anything they shouldn't be doing or she could alert the guard to listen in, but frankly, she was rooting for them and they didn't pay her or the Corporal enough to interfere with whatever they might or might not be doing.
Laurie felt everything inside her, including her unborn little one, tighten up as she listened to the operator switch the line open.
"Hello Laurie." James Garrel's voice was flat, listless.
Laurie grasped the phone tighter. "Jimmy, thank you for calling," God, did that come out sounding needy…oh hell, I don't care, I wanted him to call….
James Garrel was all business. "Ma'am, the only reason I'm calling is because I said I would-"
Laurie anticipated that's what he would say. She had to head him off before things were said that couldn't be taken back. "Jimmy, please listen to me, I'm sorry I had to say the things I said earlier this evening but Colonel MacKenzie would have been duty bound to report us had I not said what I did."
There was that flat listless voice again. "Yes ma'am, I understand that, but you don't have to say anything else-"
He may have accepted her explanation but that didn't mean all was forgiven. She dived in again before he could continue. "Jimmy, please don't do this. I don't want you gone from my life, but until I can take steps to fix this I had no choice,"
"'Fix this', ma'am? Fix it how?" For the first time his tone had changed. Now it was slightly accusatory, but it was better than what she had heard up to this point.
Laurie took a deep breath. "Jimmy, as soon as I can, I'm resigning my commission-"
"No Laurie, I mean, ma'am, you can't do that." The fact that she used her first name [even if it was a slip] indicated he still had feelings for her.
Laurie decided if the cold hard truth didn't make him realize why she was doing what she was doing, then nothing would. "Jimmy I'm not going to magically remember who I was. It's been weeks since the accident and what I can remember about my old life would fill only a third of a stenographer's notepad – if that much. Look, I don't know what I'm going to do, but I know I don't want to do it without you and if I have to resign my commission to keep you, then so be it."
James' voice was gentle when he responded. "No Laurie, listen, I'll resign. Hell I've practically reached the end of term of service, I've been thinking about resigning anyway. I'll claim the incident in Afghanistan was too much. I'll get a job doing something else-"
"Belay those thoughts Sergeant," Laurie snapped sounding like Loren for just a moment. "No, you have a good career in Marines and I'm sure you're up for a promotion soon-"
The shock in the Marine Sergeant's voice was evident. He clearly hadn't expected her to say this. "Wait a minute – how did you-?"
"I'm still a Lieutenant in the United States Navy. Jimmy, I hear things – even cooped up in here. Anyway, after you left, Colonel MacKenzie shared what she knew about you. We were doing some officer to officer talk," She couldn't quite keep the mischievousness out of her voice.
"I-I don't know if I'm ready to lead a platoon, Laurie." James Garrel's voice was heavy with self-doubt, having forgotten about any perceived slights by Laurie.
Now she'd show him how she was in his corner. "You'll be one of the best damn platoon leaders the Marines have ever had, Jimmy, and I won't let you throw that away just because you met me,"
He tried being gallant. "But I can't let you-"
God, he is such a boy scout and I love him for it, Laurie thought smiling…Dash of cold water reality time. "My career is toast, Jimmy, plain and simple. I've been doing some reading. At best, my advance through the ranks has been capped. With my injuries and present mental state, I'll probably never go any higher than Lieutenant. As for being a JAG Corps attorney, occupational therapy is great, but truthfully, all they could do now is assign me to a Naval Legal Service office outside of DC. The Admiral can't keep dead weight in the Headquarters' office and frankly I wouldn't want to handicap them that way."
James was surprised by her brutal honesty. "Oh Laurie, I'm so sorry! I-"
She knew what he was going to do next. Apologize for being angry about what she said to the Colonel. Well he didn't have to be. She deserved that. "You don't have to be, Jimmy, I should have warned you what I was going to do and for that, I am very sorry. As for what I'm going to do with myself, can you get me an appointment with Phil Ronney?"
James saw where she was headed with this query. "Sure Laurie, I'll do that."
Okay, it seemed like they were both on the same page now. Now came the hard part. "Thanks Jimmy, now, for the time being, we have to keep our conversations limited to these phone calls, but know this, Sergeant. I'm not letting you get away from me that easily, am I understood?"
She swore she could actually hear him grinning. "Loud and clear, Lieutenant Singer, loud and clear. I'll call tomorrow night and let you know what I've set up, okay?"
0751 Local_1251 Zulu
JAG Headquarters
Falls Church, Virginia
Harriet was staring at her computer terminal screen when Legalman 2 Coates approached her. The Petty Officer could see she was deep in thought about something. With all that had been going on, she knew also that her relationship with Bud had been strained by his combat injury. She didn't want to add to that by horning in, but she and Harriet had sort of developed an 'office camaraderie' and she couldn't stand not to try and help her office buddy.
"Ma'am? Are you all right? Is everything with you and Bud okay?" she asked carefully.
Harriet turned in her chair and gave the young Petty Officer brief smile. "I'm all right Coates, and thanks for asking…everything is fine at home and with Bud,"
Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear ma'am, then what has you bothered?"
Harriet chuckled, wryly shaking her head as if she couldn't believe what she was saying. "If you want to know the truth, it's Lieutenant Singer,"
Jennifer Coates cocked her head. "Laurie, ma'am? What about her?"
Harriet gave her a knowing look. "You know she has a thing for the Sergeant who rescued her, don't you?"
Jennifer shook her pretty head. "I thought that was just a rumor ma'am, you know, scuttlebutt."
The IGO Liaison wearily shook her blond head. "No, but in a way I wish it was…."
Legalman 2 Coates immediately understood why Harriet Sims was so deep in thought. "Fraternization rules ma'am?"
Harriet sighed heavily. "Yes, and don't get me wrong, Jennifer. I understand the reasons behind the rules, but you'd think after all that has happened to those two, something good would happen."
"Maybe it will ma'am," Jennifer said hopefully.
Harriet sighed again. It was evident she didn't believe any good luck would be coming their way. "Maybe so, Coates, but it's out of our hands."
Jennifer nodded soberly. "Yes ma'am," She too, hoped Laurie Singer and Sergeant Garrel would find a way to make it work.
-TBC…