Major Floyd, locked away with his two men in Margaret's tent, smiled. For several hours now (from dawn, when they woke the major up until that moment, after midnight), he had been vigorously questioning Major Houlihan. So far, he hadn't gotten his confession yet, but he was slowly breaking away at her resolve. He knew that he was coming closer to getting the truth of the matter.

She's a tough cookie, that Major Houlihan. Tougher than nails really. But she'll never get through me. I'll outwit this one and get the blood off of my hands soon enough.

Rubbing his forehead, beads of sweat visibly running down his face, Major Floyd sighed. "And I ask you again, Major Houlihan, where were you the night that Nurse Winifred Curtis was murdered?"

"I was in my tent sleeping, Major Floyd, as I've told you many times before," Margaret replied, also frustrated and growing weary from the lack of sleep and the blatant harassment. "Nobody saw me, but I'm pretty sure that our occasionally-skirted Corporal Klinger didn't see me leave my tent during the night to run off to some deserted corner of the camp's vicinity to murder a nurse nobody liked."

"Yes, but you were the last person to talk to her when she was alive. Do you remember the exact conversation? What did you two talk about?"

These were new questions from Major Floyd and it took Margaret off-guard, surprising her, even because of how detailed she would have to be in order to save herself. Floyd, in the meantime, seemed pleased with himself for asking such meticulous questions and listened for the answers, only to see hesitation on Margaret's face. She was hiding something, he thought, and used it to his advantage. She had to have been there when Nurse Curtis was murdered!

"So, you threatened her?" he then asked, sending the major's hand to her mouth.

"No! No, it wasn't like that. Not at all. I wanted to see what her problem was and why she was a nuisance in camp, just like Colonel Potter suggested that I do when I asked for his advice. I was brushed off, like everyone else. She asked for a transfer and I agreed with it. And then, she kept telling me that I should wish her dead, but I didn't. Now, is that what you call a threat, Major? What exactly are you talking about?"

"Then, tell me more about the night you talked with her, Major Houlihan, because it sounds like you were talking to her less about her antics in the camp and more about how she was annoying you. You know the consequences will be dire if you don't tell us the truth."

She's pushing back, but I know I've got her. Floyd smiled. Sarcastic little bitch, she is.

"Well, isn't this what it's supposed to be about? Telling the truth?" Margaret then asked him, a little confused. "I'm innocent, Major. You've got to believe me! I didn't murder anyone with anything. I reported my weapon missing over a week ago and I don't own a knife. How could I have killed this woman?"

"Then, why is there a chunk of your hair missing? Or why are your fingerprints all over the scene?" Major Floyd was growing impatient by the moment, the nice game long since over and his cards now being shown. "I can see that your hair was pulled out by Nurse Curtis in the struggle for her life. Your gun was the murder weapon, the one that shot Nurse Curtis. A knife with your little finger's prints was on the item that we have yet to find. Face it, Major Houlihan. You murdered Nurse Curtis!"

Margaret put her hand to her hair, realizing at that moment that it did feel like someone pulled some of her hair out, wondering how and when it happened and why she could have missed that in her nightly brushings. A few strands even remained loose, twisting around her fingers and falling to the floor as she felt around her head for more damage.

It must have been done while I was sleeping. There's no other way!

"I did no such thing, Major!" Margaret finally yelled back as she put her hand down, tired of being accused of something she did not do. "My last conversation with Nurse Winifred Curtis the night she was murdered concerned her behavior around the camp, like I said. I have several witnesses to attest to the fact! She and Sergeant Church were causing this camp so much chaos that I didn't know what to do. I talked with Colonel Potter, like I've told you already."

Suddenly, a light went off in Margaret's head. There were witnesses. "Yes! You can talk with Colonel Potter. He can tell you about it. I talked with him about it with Nurse Kellye many times, but when we were in the Mess Tent, we talked to him about Nurse Curtis. Colonel Potter suggested –"

"Colonel Potter and Nurse Kellye did no such thing, Major. I don't believe you. Both stated that they didn't speak with you about Nurse Curtis and I've asked them several times if they have, to make sure that they weren't lying. I'm an investigator, Major, so I know all the corners and have covered every inch of territory. Now, what did you talk to her about?"

"I told you, Major –"

"And yet, you know that it's a lie, Major Houlihan. Tell me the truth. Did you or did you not murder Nurse Curtis?"

The questions bouncing back and forth confused Margaret more, her head into her hands before she knew it. Shaking it, she muttered words incomprehensible to her interrogators and it irritated them. Major Floyd's second-in-command, Corporal Wright, even put his hand on the major's shoulder and shook it, trying to get her to face his commander. However, this failed.

"Major Houlihan, Major Floyd asked you a question," Corporal Wright then yelled in her ear. "Answer him now!"

Margaret looked up, tears and makeup running down her face. Her was composure gone, defeat set into her face. "Which question? I don't kn-know what you're talking about!"

"Just answer the question, Major Houlihan!" Floyd yelled.

"Which one? I don't know which one you want me to answer!"

Major Floyd sighed, not knowing what to do next, so he looked to his two men. The latter man, Sergeant Wellington, walked from his position at the door and whispered something quickly in his CO's ear. This caused the major to smile from ear to ear, knowing that the sergeant was right. There was another tactic to use on Major Houlihan.

"Ok, let's start this once more." Major Floyd rubbed his forehead again, rethinking his strategy as Wellington went back to his position at the door. "Major Houlihan, you said that you were sleeping the night Nurse Curtis was murdered and nobody saw you or could verify that. Now, Nurse Curtis was seen walking by the minefields before that and was never seen again. Nobody saw her with anybody."

"Yes, and…?" Margaret asked, still confused.

"Did you order the murder to be committed instead of doing it yourself then, having evidence planted to leave your mark? Do you have accomplices? Or did you have help?"

"Answer now, Major, and we can grant you a lesser sentence," Wright added calmly, Wellington grinning broadly at his place, glad he thought of the idea.

We have her now, Wellington thought.

"I-I-I don't kn-kn-know," Margaret stuttered, not thinking.

"So, you're saying that you had a hand in the murder, but you can't remember if you did it with or without help or if you had someone else do it?" Floyd asked. "Sergeant Church, who was closest to Nurse Curtis, also disappeared and was reported as such early this morning. You're saying that you or somebody else murdered Nurse Curtis and also helped Sergeant Church go missing?"

"It must have been Major Houlihan who killed Nurse Curtis," Wellington reminded Floyd. "Who would want to leave a mark on their victims? Somebody else must've gotten Sergeant Church. But we'll find him soon, Sir."

"I –" Margaret started, her head trying to comprehend the latest tidbit of news.

"Give us a name, Major Houlihan, and you'll be set free," Wright then interrupted. "Give us the name of your accomplice and you'll be free to go. We'll go after them."

It was a promise and one that Margaret knew wasn't going to be kept. It would seal her fate and the other person she mentioned in this witch-hunt. However, the men weren't going to leave her alone, so she said what she wanted them to hear. With the blinding lights in her face for hours, the pressure of admitting to murdering a nurse and three men twisting every word she said, Margaret named the only person who could have helped her do anything, a true friend who stood by her since she arrived in Korea. She named someone who supposedly helped her murder Nurse Winifred Curtis.

And all she wanted was for them to go away and to stop harassing her about the issue, but it was no use. Immediately after hearing the name of the person who they thought helped her in the murder of Nurse Curtis and the disappearance of Sergeant Church, Floyd motioned Wellington to come out with him. Wright was left to guard Margaret, finally handcuffing her to the chair and then informing her that Seoul will want her charged in a formal court martial soon.

As the light went out in her tent and Wright took his position at the corner of it, Margaret thought of the predicament she placed herself in. Sighing, she just hoped that the man would forgive her for lying about him and herself.

~00~

Colonel Potter was writing a report about a patient in Post-Op when Major Floyd and one of his men came in, causing so much noise walking in that it woke up patients trying to rest. This made the colonel annoyed, to say the least, but he kept his cool and looked up the major when he stopped right next to his desk. He had to play the diplomat, but by the way Floyd looked at him, Colonel Potter wasn't sure that he was going to remain neutral for much long.

"Can I help you, Major?" Colonel Potter asked kindly, adjusting his glasses.

"I'm here to inform you of the upcoming arrest of Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce, Colonel," Floyd said gravely. "He's now being charged with helping Major Houlihan with the murder of Nurse Curtis and for the disappearance of Sergeant Church."

"Captain Pierce, a murderer? Come now, Major, you can't be serious." Colonel Potter folded his hands on the desk. "Pierce is a Regular Army prankster, not some outlaw at the OK Corral."

"Major Houlihan confessed to the crime and named Pierce as her companion," Floyd replied. "We don't know who the mastermind is behind the plan or what the motive was, but we're getting down to the bottom of the barrel. There are more conspirators out there. I can assure you that."

Colonel Potter said nothing, thinking about what to tell Floyd. His brain was full of ideas, but none of them workable. However, there had to be a way to delay everything. He knew that.

"Furthermore," Floyd continued, "if we have Captain Pierce in custody, we can get down to the conclusion of this case and finish it off in Seoul with the both of them, or more, doing a lifetime of hard labor in Leavenworth Prison or facing a death sentence for a brutal murder. Now, where can I find this person you called a 'Regular Army prankster'?"

Wanting to laugh and keeping a straight face, Colonel Potter looked up at the major. "I'm afraid that you won't find him here, Major."

"What do you mean that I can't find him here, Colonel? I'm here to arrest a murderer!"

"Major, Pierce is usually at Rosie's Bar down the road, the Officers' Club in the camp or in his quarters, the Swamp, drinking and fraternizing with the whole camp on his free time. However, a medical conference came up in Tokyo and I cut him loose because it was essential to the medical unit. It was important and I couldn't afford to send anyone else. Pierce is our Chief Surgeon, so it was logical for me to send him along."

"What do you mean, you 'cut him loose'? Colonel, this is a serious investigation into the murder of one of our nurses. You just let a prisoner escape. You can't be serious about what you did!"

Colonel Potter stood up. "Oh, I am, Major. Now, if you hold your horses, I can put myself on the horn to Tokyo and find out where exactly where Captain Pierce is so that you can have him as your prisoner. Or you can wait until he returns and question him then. Either way, without him suspecting a thing, he won't have the opportunity to run away from you."

"No, no, Colonel," Floyd finally blurted, stunned. "My men and I will look for him. Now, do you know exactly where Pierce might be?"

"If you find a Lebanese man in women's clothes, holding an umbrella and a rifle, you're on the right track," Colonel Potter only replied, grinning as he did.