Chapter 22

Mac placed the call as soon as she was back in her own office. She waited to be connected and then eagerly started to speak when Woody came on the line. "Detective Hoyt, this is Colonel Sarah Mackenzie. I know you don't know me, but I believe you came in contact with my CO, Admiral AJ Chegwidden the last time he was in Boston…"

"Yes, I did. How can I help you Colonel?" Woody asked when Mac paused for breath.

"Well, I was just notified that you ran the prints of a Marine Captain Kellson Manors. I was recently assigned his missing person case when the office was doing it's review of unsolved cases."

"Really?! That was how I got his case as well! But on this end it was an unidentified murder victim."

"Murder?! Oh dear, I was hoping to be able to give his wife some closure, not more questions."

"You might want to hold off on talking to her then because I have come across another old case that might shed some light on what happened to Captain Manors."

"Really?!" Mac inadvertently echoed his exclamation from earlier, "I don't suppose you could use some help with the case? The Admiral has given me permission to travel to Boston if this phone call doesn't sort everything out."

"I would be happy to have all the help I can get Colonel. My wife is expecting a baby in just a few weeks and I would like my desk as clear as possible so I can take some free time to be with her."

"Then I would be glad to come. Let me give you a call as to when I will arrive when I get things arranged."

"That would be fine Colonel, and please give the Admiral my best."

"I will," Mac answered, and hung up. She spent the rest of the morning clearing up her schedule and making her flight arrangements. Mac was pleased when she could call Detective Hoyt to say that she would be in Boston that evening.

After catching a cab from the airport and checking into her hotel, Mac set out to get some dinner. When Bud and Harriet found out she was going to Boston for the first time they both insisted that she had to try food that the city was famous for.

Harriet enthused about Boston clam chowder and even though Mac wasn't really a soup fan, and had never eaten clams in her life, she promised to give it a try. Bud also wanted her to try a favorite food of his, which Mac felt was much more likely that she would like, Boston baked beans. Baked beans had always been a favored side dish to her beloved Beltway Burgers, so she happily promised to try them as well. Harriet had let it go on as long as she could before she just had to rescue Mac from her husband's joke. She informed Mac that Boston baked beans were peanuts covered by a hard candy shell. Bud looked sheepish while Mac privately thought that she might still like them better than the clam chowder.

However, a promise was a promise and she headed down to the hotel dining room and ordered a bowl of clam chowder. After one spoonful she called the waiter over and placed an order for a hamburger with a side of baked beans!

The next morning she grabbed a cab and headed down to the precinct to meet with Detective Hoyt.

Woody had requested the case file on Max's old case the day before after talking to Colonel Mackenzie on the phone. When she arrived he wanted to go over it with her to see if she might come to the same conclusion as he had.

At home he had debated on whether he should tell Jordan that he was going to be working with someone from JAG on these cases. He had been taught that honesty was always the best policy and he knew she would be hurt if she found out about it after the fact. So at dinner he let her know that Colonel Mackenzie was coming into town. As soon as Jordan heard the news, she started crying and Woody regretted his decision.

To be continued…