Chapter 13

"What do you mean?" AJ questioned.

"Do realize that those emails pertain to this case as well? Or at least the one sent to you," Bud asked.

"No, I hadn't. I hadn't even thought of that!"

"That's why I can't talk with you about it any longer, I'm sorry Sir," Bud told him.

With a resigned sigh AJ said, "Alright Lieutenant, if there's nothing else you need, I guess we're done."

Sadly Bud replied, "Yes Sir, and once again I'm sorry about all this."

Getting to his feet and showing Bud to the door, AJ answered him, "There's nothing to be sorry for, you're just doing your job."

Once Bud had gone AJ picked up the phone to call Commander Turner, when he came on the line AJ said, "Commander it seems I'm in need of a good attorney."

"I've been in court all morning Sir, but I know that the office has been a buzz about something. Why don't you fill me in on what's going on."

After explaining the situation AJ asked, "So would you be willing to take on my defense?"

"Yes of course Sir. I can't believe these charges are true and we should have no trouble proving your innocence. Why don't I drop over after work today and we can discuss things?"

"That sounds like a good plan. If you don't have any plans for dinner I could make us something here and we can eat while we work."

"There's no need for that Sir. I can always pick up something on the way home when we're done."

"I enjoy cooking and since we both have to eat, and there's no more effort in cooking for two than one, I would be glad to do it."

"Alright then, thank you Sir. I'll see you at 1830."

"See you then Commander."

While the conversation between Sturgis and the Admiral was going on, Harm had finally gotten the details of what was happening and had called Mac into his temporary office. Coates showed Mac in when she arrived and closed the door behind her as she left at Harm's request. "Mac why didn't you come to me when this happened? I would have protected you!"

"Protected me from what, Harm?" Mac demanded to know.

"You know very well what! There's no need to deny it to me, I believe that the Admiral did this to you, after all Brumby was right when he said that every male in this office is a little in love with you!"

"Will you stop and think about what you're saying!? The Admiral would never hurt any of us!"

"There's no need to keep protesting about this! Mac we have an eye witness!" Harm assured her.

"Then your eye witness needs glasses! He never laid a hand on me!"

"Then why would someone say that he had? That just doesn't make sense Mac!"

"None of this makes any sense, its all absurd!" Mac insisted.

"Well, I'll help Bud get to the bottom of this! You can go now Mac."

That afternoon Sturgis and Bud wanted to get together with Mac and hear her side of the matter. They agreed to meet in the conference room at 1400, but Bud was held up by a phone call. As they sat there waiting for him to arrive, Sturgis said to Mac, "That was a really lucky bit of detective work that you pulled off to find the Manx footprint."

The door to the room opened and Bud walked in as Mac answered Sturgis, "I really can't take all the credit for it, someone sent me an anonymous email suggesting that it had fallen off the shelf and I just called down to the evidence room to have them look."

"You say you got an email, Colonel?" Bud asked as he sat down at the table.

"Yes, why?" she responded.

"Because, both the Admiral and I have gotten anonymous emails about cases too."

"Wow, I wonder who this all-seeing assistant could be?" Mac wondered out loud.

"I don't know, but I'm working on finding out," Bud replied. "Maybe we should get back to the case at hand though?"

"Good idea," Sturgis replied. "Now Colonel, why don't you tell us what really happened in the supply closet with Admiral Chegwidden?"

"Absolutely nothing! We were never in the supply closet together," Mac insisted.

"Then how do you explain the eye witness account of him harassing you?" Bud asked.

To Be Continued….