Grove End Road – London, England
1722 Greenwich/ 1222 Eastern
Harm was alone when he arrived home. Beth had been stuck in another meeting and had left word with the Embassy guard for him, saying she didn't know how long she'd be. So, rather than wait around, he caught a taxi. Leaving his briefcase by the front stairs, he put his coat and cover in the closet before heading for the kitchen.
There, he found Mattie hard at work on her school work. Judging by the papers he could see, it was mathematics of some kind. Still, he left her to it while he started laying out things for dinner. He decided on a tuna casserole with a garden salad. He'd eat a little of the casserole, while having more of the salad, trusting that between Mattie and Beth the remainder of the casserole would disappear.
While he worked on the casserole, he set the oven to preheat. He knew that by the time he'd finished, the oven would be ready. Then, he could go get changed and relax for a little while before making the salad. Just as he was finishing, the telephone rang. Seeing that Mattie was absorbed in her homework, Harm went to answer it.
"Captain Rabb's residence."
"Captain, Commander Alexander," came the voice on the other end. "Were you able to get copies of your bank records, Sir?"
"Unfortunately, no. The bank said that they don't keep those files past five years and that my files from 1996 would have been destroyed in 2001 or 2002," Harm told her.
"And you're positive you didn't keep a copy of them?"
"Not 100 percent, no. But if the records do exist, they're at my house in Falls Church and I'm here in London."
"Damn, I need something, Captain. Because right now, Captain Krennick is having a field day turning this into a mutual relationship and that you're the playboy of the Navy. Heck, she got Ms. Austin to admit that she was, if not in love with you, at the very least attracted to you and that you'd had relationships with Commander Pike and some stewardess back then as well," Commander Alexander complained.
"Let me see if I can help, Commander," Harm told her. "Let's start with the assumption that she and I went down to Hilton Head. Ok, how did we get there?"
"You had to have flown. Driving from Quantico to Hilton Head would have killed most of a day, then the drive back to Washington would have killed another."
"Very good. Now, on Captain Krennick's bank statement, does it list an airline or travel agency?"
"No. There are a number of purchases down in and around Hilton Head, but nothing on how she got down there," Commander Alexander told him.
"Which leads me to believe that she flew military down from Quantico, probably out of Andrews. Land at MCAS Beaufort and you're an hour out of Hilton Head," Harm replied.
"And, this being the Navy, I'll bet there are records somewhere."
"Exactly, Commander. I'd concentrate on that entire weekend, not just Friday. See if you can find the flight she took down there as well as the one she came back on. Also, see if you can get the records of every flight into and out of Beaufort that entire weekend, just so she can't try to claim we traveled separately to avoid suspicion."
"Well, that gives me some ground to cover, Captain," Commander Alexander said.
"I'd offer my staff's services, but I think it would be better if the data came from JAG HQ or NCIS. That way, Captain Krennick can't claim that we've deliberately hidden information or falsified documents," Harm told her.
"Let me get on it then, Captain."
Harm looked at the phone in surprise, realizing that the woman had hung up without a further word. Putting down the telephone, he saw that the casserole was almost done. So, changing out of his uniform would have to wait, while he fixed the salad that would accompany dinner.
"What was that all about, Dad?" Mattie asked from the table.
"A case at work," Harm replied, not wanting to get into it with the teen.
"Oh, a case involving you personally?"
"And what makes you say that, Boss?"
"Nice try, but I was sitting right here and heard your side of the conversation. You said 'we', not 'they' and you mentioned your bank account records. So, obviously, if you were talking to someone about a case, it has to involve you," Mattie said, while flashing Harm a look at that screamed 'Do I look stupid!'
"Alright, it is a case that involves me. The officer I replaced here is on trial for stalking me and trying to dig up dirt on me. Her defense is that we had a relationship in the past," Harm told her.
"You mean, you guys were having sex?"
"That's what she's trying to claim. The problem is, the only evidence that exists at the moment appears to support her claim to an extent. That was the Commander who is prosecuting her, seeing if I had managed to get anything to refute the claim."
"Does Beth know about all this?" Mattie asked.
"Yes, she and I have talked about the problem. But the claim by Alison was just made today, so I haven't told her about that yet," Harm replied.
"Did you have sex with this woman?"
"Mattie!"
"What? I'm just asking," Mattie said, taking a momentary delight in the color on Harm's face until she realized it might not be a blush of embarrassment, but rather a flush of anger.
"Mathilda Grace Rabb, that is a question you don't ask," Harm said. "But for your general information, no, I never had sex with Alison Krennick."
"Well, that's certainly a relief, Harm. Although, I'm curious as to why you needed to tell Mattie that," came Beth's slightly amused voice from the doorway, causing Harm's head to snap around.
"She overheard a phone call about the case and was asking questions," Harm replied.
"That's as may be, but seriously, does Mattie really need to know that type of detail?"
Fortunately, for Harm's sake, the oven timer went off then, effectively ending the conversation for the moment. Harm removed the casserole and carried it over to the table, while Mattie removed her school work and then set to helping Beth with place settings.
"So, how was your day?" Harm asked.
"Nice try at changing the subject. I'll let you, though, because I really don't think Mattie needs any more information on the previous one. My day was fairly good. A couple of meetings about British defense spending and items they're looking to get from the states. A policy meeting with the head of the office, briefing us on the Congressional delegation due in town next week," Beth told him.
"Are you scheduled to deal with them?"
"No, the present plan is the Ambassador will handle them. Our office is to do a briefing for them but the day is still being decided. According to the boss, they'll spend most of their time shopping and we'll have to pack a two hour presentation into thirty minutes."
Harm remembered his time on Capitol Hill and thought that figure was about right.
"How is the case against Captain Krennick going?" Beth asked.
"It doesn't sound great, but there's still plenty of time," Harm said, adding a silent 'I hope.'
"Oh, what's wrong?"
"She's trying to claim that she and I had a previous sexual relationship and has submitted what she claims is proof. Now, Commander Alexander has to find evidence that refutes that proof or it becomes a he said, she said case and I think Admiral Morris would have to believe her because of reasonable doubts. At worst, he may conclude I lied in my testimony and charges could potentially be filed against me for it, as well as against Commander Alexander."
"Ouch! So, what are you doing about it?" Beth asked.
"Well, aside for giving Commander Alexander some advice, there's really nothing I can do about it. Anything that I discovered would be immediately attacked by Alison as being manufactured and unreliable. No, I can't get involved any more than I already have. Other JAGs or even NCIS agents need to be the ones to find the evidence," Harm told her.
"Do you think they'll find it in time?"
"I think so. Tomorrow's Friday, so all Commander Alexander has to do is get through the day and that buys two more days to search. Also, this is the Navy, we don't throw records away. Hell, I had a case where we identified a body over twenty years later by tracing the lot number on his issue watch. So, I have to believe that flight manifests are on file somewhere. They just have to find them and then identify the specific flights for those days."
"That only works if Captain Krennick actually went down there, Harm," Beth said.
"Well, her bank statement lists several purchases made in Hilton Head and the surrounding area for that weekend, so we know she went there, at least," Harm told her.
Beth could see that this topic of conversation wasn't pleasant for her husband, so she decided to just drop it. Harm was probably the most honest and honorable man she knew and to have been basically accused of lying, she knew, had to have hurt him. For now, all she was achieving by questioning him was to increase that hurt, which she didn't want to do.
VOQ – RAF West Ruislip, England
2014 Greenwich/ 1514 Eastern
With only a short break for dinner, Commander Alexander had spent her evening tracking down information. To this end, she'd contacted the local NCIS agent with a request for his agency to search for the flight records from Andrews AFB and NAS Oceana to MCAS Beaufort for the weekend in question. She needed all of the records, with any mentioning the names Commander Alison Krennick and Lieutenant Commander Harmon Rabb Junior separated out, and it was a priority. Fortunately for her, the agent was well aware of the current trial involving those two officers and agreed to do everything he could.
After that, she got on to the JAG assigned to MCB Quantico and requested his help in tracking down the gate logs for that weekend. She needed to know when Admiral Chegwidden, Commander Krennick and Lieutenant Commander Rabb had arrived on base and when they had departed. She knew that, since they were visiting the base rather than being assigned there, they would have had to check in with someone.
With that done, her next call had been to Commander Manetti at the Pentagon. Alexander had gone through a mental list of everything she needed and all were crossed off except for getting Admiral Chegwidden to London to testify. There were just two major problems with that, as far as she could tell. First, since he was retired, she couldn't just have orders issued for his appearance. Second, if she couldn't get corroborating evidence, Admiral Morris was unlikely to allow him to testify, which meant that getting him to London would have been a waste.
Still, she wanted to set the wheels in motion. She was trusting in the necessary records being found somewhere. She was also silently cursing herself for having jumped the gun and trying to admit the proof she had already found. She knew that she could not afford to make the same mistake twice, because she might not get a third try.
Which is why Commander Alexander was now considering asking Admiral Morris for a day's delay in the trial. If need be, she could try to stretch things out with testimony from Commander Pike and Lieutenant Commander Coulter. But, given the direction to case had taken and the testimony already given, there was very little of relevance that either of the women could offer.
No, the delay was the only acceptable course of action open to her.
January 16, 2004
NAVFOREUR – London, England
0821 Greenwich/ 0321 Eastern
When Commander Alexander reported in that morning, she had been extremely surprised to find the NCIS agent assigned to NAVFOREUR waiting for her. Tucked under his arm was a large packet of manila envelopes, held together by two big binder clips.
"Is there someplace we can go to talk, Commander?" the agent asked.
"The law library," Alexander replied.
Leading the way, the agent held the door open for the officer and followed her into the room. Taking the first available seats, they faced each other across the table.
"Please tell me that's what I hope it is?" Alexander asked, pointing to the envelopes.
"You got very lucky, Commander. The flight records were converted to microfiche last year. Otherwise, my guys would probably still be searching just to find the right box," he told her. "Every flight between Andrews and Beaufort and between Oceana and Beaufort for the weekend of April 5, 1996. The guys in Washington faxed me these copies and are also sending copies on the next flight in the diplomatic bag. These are legible enough to read, though."
"Did they sort through them, though?"
"No, they were more interested in getting them to me. I made three copies for you, though."
Alexander looked at her watch. A half hour would be pushing things, but she would have to make do. Reaching for the first envelope, she started skimming, trying to find one of two specific names. If she didn't find what she was looking for by 0855, she'd just have to face the Admiral and ask for that continuance.
Looking across the table, Alexander saw the agent had begun to do the same thing she had. However, he was starting from the bottom of the stack. A glance at the top of her page showed her records were from Andrews on April Fifth. If the envelopes were in any particular order, he should have Beaufort departures for April Seventh, she hoped.
After three documents, she saw the time listed moving later in the day. If the case file on Gunnery Sergeant Crockett was accurate, Alexander was getting close to the probable time of departure. And on the next page, there it was. Commander Alison Krennick, listed as a passenger on a C-130 departing from Andrews to Beaufort at 1550 on the Fifth.
Unfortunately, she was out of time. Gathering the envelopes and her other files, she made a mad dash for the courtroom. Reaching the door, she paused for a moment to gather herself before pushing it open and entering. Captain Krennick was in her seat, as was Admiral Morris, so she hurried to her place.
"Punctuality is something to be commended in an officer, Commander, but there is such a thing as being too punctual," Admiral Morris remarked with a tight smile.
"My apologies, your Honor. Some new information came in this morning and I was gathering it, so that I could give a copy to the defense."
"I see. And the nature of this new information?"
"Flight manifests from Andrews AFB and NAS Oceana to MCAS Beaufort, covering the weekend in question," Commander Alexander replied with a slight smile as she handed a copy to the Admiral, then turned to deposit the remaining envelope on Alison's table.
"And these are supposed to mean something, Commander?" Alison asked from her chair.
"Well, we've already found the flight you took from Andrews to Beaufort, Captain. We hope to find Captain Rabb's name listed somewhere on those manifests as well."
"That's assuming that he didn't travel by commercial air, though?"
"Yes, Ma'am. But I have to start somewhere, don't I?" Alexander reposted.
"Your Honor, this so-called evidence merely supports my claim that Captain Rabb and I went to Hilton Head that weekend," Alison remarked.
"Actually, it supports your having gone to Hilton Head. Nothing on the bank record you submitted mentions Captain Rabb by name and we have only your allegation that he was there with you."
"Also, I object to the fact that these documents are handed to me at this point in the trial."
"Ma'am, you are the one who brought up the allegation that Captain Rabb and you went to Hilton Head for a weekend. That alleged event was unknown to me before yesterday, therefore how was I to know that I needed these documents to challenge your contention," Commander Alexander said, looking over at Alison. "Your Honor, I would be more than willing to give Captain Krennick any amount of time she feels necessary for her to review the documents and question the NCIS agents who found them."
"Ha, that also gives you time to review the files, which I rather doubt you've had time to do yet," Alison remarked.
"Stop!" Admiral Morris shouted. "Given the production of these new documents, I will give the defense the weekend to look them over. We will reconvene at 0900 on Monday, when I hope there will be no further 'newly discovered' documents appearing."
"Actually, your Honor. I also have the JAG officer at Quantico tracking down any gate logs concerning the arrival and departure of Admiral Chegwidden, then Commander Krennick and Lieutenant Commander Rabb, Sir. I hope to submit those documents when they are found," Alexander said.
"Fine. We'll cross that bridge if we come to it. We're recessed until Monday morning."
Admiral Morris didn't look back as he stormed from the courtroom. His temper was almost as high as it had been in years. He almost laughed as he realized that the same person was responsible, Harmon Rabb Junior. This was almost as bad as the day Rabb had shot up the ceiling of the courtroom with that H&K. Almost.