Chapter 41

Miranda couldn't go back to sleep after that so spent the time before going into work trying to figure out how to keep the Colonel from driving until the problem could be checked out. The only thing that she could come up with was to meet the Colonel in the parking lot that morning when Mac pulled in and claim that she'd heard something funny when Mac stopped the car.

Her plan worked just fine until Mac just grinned at her warning and said that she'd had the car serviced less than two weeks ago and that everything had been fine.

Frustrated that she hadn't been able to think of a way to keep Mac from continuing to drive her car till it had been checked out, Miranda spent all of her free time that day trying to come up with another plan.

Mac's car wasn't the only thing on Miranda's mind that day, however. When she met AJ for lunch she broached the subject that was also bothering her. "AJ the rape case that we talked about before is about to be dismissed today. Is there anything that you've heard or can do to stop that?"

"You know there isn't Miranda. The Ensign has an alibi…witnesses that swear he was with them at the time it happened. There's nothing more that can be done. Why is it that you are so convinced that he is guilty against all evidence that he didn't do it?"

She thought about telling him right then and there about her abilities, but she just couldn't. She didn't want to see that look of disbelief on his face over something as important as this. There just had to be some other way to make sure that this young man did not go free to rape again! "It's just something that I know, AJ. There is nothing that I can put my finger on, but I feel it in my gut that if he goes free he will rape, if not kill, and soon."

"I hope that you are wrong, Miranda, because there is nothing that anyone can do at this point other than if the witnesses somehow recant their testimony."

"I know," she sighed sadly.

They finished their lunch and Miranda went back to trying to figure out how to keep Colonel Mackenzie from driving her car home that evening. Unfortunately the only thing that she could come up with was a small act of vandalism. She headed out a little early and waited until the guards at the gate were busy letting a car out, and then Miranda bent down and let the air out of two of Mac's tires. She figured that if she only did one, that Mac or one of the guards could just put on the spare, but with two flats she would have to call the auto club. She waited near the door like she had just gotten there and as Mac approached, fell into step with her.

She was standing next to Mac when she saw the flats and heard her frustrated sigh. Giving her a sympathetic look, Miranda said, "Colonel why don't I give you a ride home and you can call the auto club on the way?"

"Oh I couldn't impose Judge," Mac told her. "I can just call a cab."

"Nonsense! I don't mind at all. My car is right over here and I'd be happy to be of help."

"Well thank you, that's very kind of you Judge Love."

"Please call me Miranda, when we aren't in the courtroom titles sound so formal. Do you have plans for dinner this evening? I was thinking of stopping somewhere for a bite and I hate to eat alone…"

"I'm afraid that I have to take a rain check on dinner," Mac told her as the two of them got into Miranda's car. "I have some case notes that I just have to go over tonight, but I would love to some other night. I hate to eat alone too."

"Then we'll do it soon!" Miranda said cheerfully. She liked the bright young Colonel and was glad that she could save her from the fate she had seen in her dream the night before. Now if she could only find some way to convince AJ that his trip to Italy was a bad idea. Miranda hadn't had a clear vision of why like she had about Mac's brakes, but she knew that AJ should not leave town this weekend!

To Be Continued….