I walked up to my door, noting the two gossips had apparently gone back to bed. I glanced at my watch. It was nearly five in the morning. I groaned. It was almost time to get up and go in as I had PT that morning. The door flung open before I even placed my hand on the knob. I found myself being patted on the back by Stephen while Jeannie squeezed the life out of me, both saying over and over, “You’re back. I knew they’d have to let you go,” and so on.
“Okay, guys,” I wheezed. “Can’t breathe.”
“Oh!” Jeannie cried out, letting me go.
Stephen stopped thumping the air from my lungs at the same time. ‘Sorry, didn’t realize I was being that hard.”
“It’s okay,” I told them both, stepping past them to get inside. “I am so tired.”
“You should head to bed. General Peterson called and said he was aware that you were being released and that I was here supporting your girlfriend while they held you. I guess the guy from JAG told him. Anyway, he said for us to get some shut eye then report to him this afternoon, at four. I’ll, ah, come pick you up since they have your car.”
I nodded, grateful. I certainly could use the sleep. “I don’t want to leave Jeannie here, though, on her own. In case the neighborhood gossips or the press appear.”
“She could ride in with us and wait in the outer office,” Stephen suggested.
I nodded. That would work.
“I’m going to the base with you tomorrow?” Jeannie asked.
“Yes, but don’t worry. You’ll just be sitting while waiting for us to come out after we speak to the general.”
“Okay,” she said.
“See you in a bit,” Stephen said, giving a small wave before going out the door. I locked it behind him.
“It’s a good thing I sleep in pajamas,’ I joked. “Imagine if I was one of those guys who slept in their underwear or naked.”
Jeannie stared at me, then began laughing. “That would have been even worse. You’d have gone to the police station like that!”
I waggled my eyebrows and she laughed harder only for it to turn into ragged sobs.
“Come on,” I said, reaching for her. “Let’s go to bed.” I led her to my bedroom and climbed in beside her, wrapping my arms around her. Just to comfort her, mind. It worked, too. She turned to face me, snuggling against my chest, her sobs easing. She finally fell asleep and didn’t have the heart to disturb her by getting into bed even though my pajama shirt was now damp from her tears. I did my best to ignore that and the delicious way she smelled and the way she felt against me. Admittedly, it was a struggle. I’m a man, after all, and she is a very attractive woman, even if she is an alien who can turn into a duffle bag or a chair or ball of silly putty-like goo. Exhaustion won out in the end and I fell into a deep sleep, but not until I managed to pick up my alarm clock without waking her and reset it for noon.
Noon came all too quickly. Jeannie became distraught again when she discovered she had n’t reset the timer on her coffee maker and the coffee it had made was now stone cold, the keep warm function having shut off after an hour. I poured the coffee down the sink and discovered that the coffee filter sample size had been limited to two filters, so made coffee in my trusty percolator using my Maxwell House.
“Look,” I said, showing her the can. “It even says it’s good to the last drop.”
She looked at thee can, interested. “It’s a mountain grown special blend, too? Just like Folger’s? Or do they grow it on the side of a volcano, like Kona?”
“I don’t know,” I told her honestly. “I’m sure we can find out, though. The important thing, though, is the taste.”
Jeannie nodded. “Yes, it has to be a good quality coffee and made right. That’s the important thing.”
“Yes,” I agreed. “Okay, I’m not very hungry this morning, so I’m just going to have a yogurt,” I said, pulling one out of the fridge. “Or maybe not,” I amended as I read the date on it. “These are past their date. Damn.” I took the rest of the yogurts out and tossed them into the trash. “Okay, cereal it is.”
“I’ll get it,” Jeannie said, reaching in the cabinet and pulling out the corn flakes we’d purchased the evening before. It seemed so long ago now, aside effect of all that had happened in between, I supposed.
I took down two bowls and watched as Jeannie poured cereal into them, then handed her the milk after remembering to take it out of the fridge. I was still too shaken to think as clearly as I should, I realized. It was a good thing Stephen was coming to drive us to the base. I wasn’t myself one hundred percent and I didn’t like the idea of driving while distracted. That was a definite no no in my book.
Jeannie took out two spoons and handed one to me, keeping the other and dipping it into one of the bowls of cereal. I took the second bowl and began eating, not bothering to go sit down first. She took a taste and I watched as a curious expression crossed her face.
“We should have gotten some bananas,” I told her. “They add a bit of sweet to this.”
She nodded. Looked like I was picking up coffee filters and bananas and yogurt after my chat with the general. I took another bite of my own then, reflecting how extraordinary things can happen to us but life’s mundanities just keep marching right along in juxtaposition. It was rather disconcerting, actually.
Chapter 20
Jeannie
I sat in the outer office looking around. It was a pretty bland looking workspace, with an eye towards functionality rather than trying to impress anyone or go out of the way for comfort.
“Hi, I hope you don’t mind, but I saw you come in with the majors. I’m Master Sergeant Walters. I saw them come in together after being absent all day.”
I turned to look at the woman who’d approached me. She wore a uniform similar to the one my guys wore, her rank insignia being different. At that moment, I understood that I really needed to learn to recognize the various uniforms and how to read ranks. She seemed legitimate, though, and we were right here on base, and in this office. Surely if anything was amiss, the sergeant at the desk would have said something.
“Well, yes. They’re best friends as well as work colleagues, so spend a lot of time together,” I said. ‘They had today off but had to come in for a meeting with the general. We’re having dinner together afterwards.”
“Indeed. And you are?”
“I’m his girlfriend,” I replied, deliberately not indicating which of the two males I was referring to.
“Okay, girlfriend with no name, can you maybe tell me if he’s okay? I know he was charged on suspicion of murder late last night, then bailed.”
I scrutinized this woman closer. “Just who are you?”
“I told you my name and see, it’s here on my name tag.”
“Not your name. What exactly is it you do for the Air Force?”
“I’m part of the press corps. I write for the Stars and Stripes.”
A journalist, then. On the ride over, Darren had warned me of these. We had them where I came from, as well. Always looking for a story, they were.
“So you’re after something to write up for an article.”
Her face softened. “While I’d love that, I genuinely wanted to find out if they were going to drop the charges and actually do some real investigation instead of just going for him. I’ve already spoken to the witnesses. The guy was alive when you two drove off and the major’s car has no front end damage. Factor in that the major refused to fight and actually called to try to prevent him from driving drunk again, it seems far fetched to think the major’s our guy.”
“Because he isn’t,” I told her earnestly. At last! Someone who saw the truth and was in a position to get the word out so this nonsense could come to an end. “Darren and I left the diner and went home. He hung up the blinds we’d gone out to buy after setting up our new coffee maker. I made s some coffee which we drank after he hung the blinds. We had it with some Boston Cream Pie from the diner, have you had it? It really was divine.”
“I haven’t, no. I keep passing by the diner and thinking it might be nice to eat there sometime, but I’ve never actually stopped.”
I glanced at the door as an idea formed. “Do you know where Darren lives?”
The master sergeant shook her head no. “I know where Major Stephen Healey lives, though. I rent a condo a few floors down.”
“Okay, that won’t work then,” I muttered.
“I need to go, I’m supposed to be attending a press briefing about the Mars colony in a few minutes.” She reached into a pocket and took out a small card. “Call me on the second number if you think of anything. I want to help. The major’s a good guy and while Major China was by all counts a bit of a jerk, he didn't deserve to die like that. No one does. The real killer needs to be found and they won’t find them until they stop trying to pin it on someone else for the sake of convenience.” She pressed the card in my hand before hurrying off.
I looked at it. The second number, I mused, placing the card in my pocket. I knew if either Darren or Stephen saw it, they’d think she was trying to trick me and take it away. They would be wrong. I could feel in my soul that she was part of the key to proving Darren’s innocence. Now, if I could just figure a way to meet her without any prying eyes causing me trouble or the guys finding me out.
Chapter 21
Darren
As the office door closed behind me, I stiffened. I knew this was a meeting that I’d rather not have but just how serious it was became quickly apparent. Not only was my commander, Colonel Billings, present but so was my lawyer from JAG as well as a man I didn’t recognize.
“Please sit down, majors. I know you’re familiar with everyone here, except possibly for Agent McIntyre here from OSI.”
Agent McIntyre gave a curt nod and began speaking. “I’m lead on the investigation team looking into Major China’s death. A few things of note came up immediately which have us butting heads with the local DA’s office. Notably that eyewitnesses place China as being alive when you left the parking lot and the lack of any front end damage to your car which would have had to occur if you’d struck him. The local PD’s report backs up our findings but the DA is determined to run counter to advice. It’s an election year and he seems bent on binding you over for trial, even knowing the odds are greatly in favor of you being found not guilty.”
My heart sank. That was insane. I was going to be grounded and thus made ineligible to go on the Mars colony list of consideration because some man with political ambitions wanted a high profile case to grandstand with? Even worse, each day that went by was another day that the person who did kill Major China was walking around free. What if it hadn’t been an accident? What if they’d waited around, looking for an opportunity? And even if it had been an accident, for the interest of public safety, it was a bad idea to let someone drive around carelessly and hit pedestrians.
Oh my God. Then there’s Jeannie. The press would be given a field day with a story like this and all eyes would be on my house. I looked at Stephen, panic in my eyes.
“Jeannie,” he said in a soft voice.
I nodded.
“She can move into my place for a while until this is over,” he offered. “I have a second bedroom.”
“Thanks, man,” I replied.
“Jeannie? Is that the woman you were with that evening? I need to speak to her, get her version of events,” Agent McIntyre said.
I closed my eyes briefly. Damn it. Of course, he did. The police really should have gotten a witness statement from her as well, but didn’t. I’d held out hope that it meant the charges would be dropped. After all, even the officers who brought me in thought the warrant was a bunch of nonsense.
“She’s waiting for us just outside.”
“I can take her statement right after this.”
General Peterson spoke up. “I’m glad that part’s settled. Now, I know you gave the police a statement already, but I’d like you to tell me everything that’s happened. Start with the day China drove into your picket fence and every moment afterward that you encountered him. Finish with what happened the night you visited the diner, including what occurred at the police station.”
Oh boy. We were going to be sitting here for a while. I knew they wanted to know all of this so there would be no surprises and to look at it from all angles so they could best discern how to help me. They wanted this to go away as much as I did. So, I started at the very beginning, starting with the day he plowed into my picket fence.
“It was a nice Sunday morning and I got up and had breakfast by my pool. I heard the sounds of the crash and my neighbor, Agnes O’Malley, shouting at the occupant of the car. I got up and walked through my house to go see what was going on and discovered Major China’s car partly in my yard with the remains of part of my fence under it. He was getting out of the car and Agnes was gleefully shouting that one fake spaceman was going down. She then went back inside her house while I made sure the major didn’t need medical attention. Agnes’ husband Tim came out and informed us the police were on their way. They breathalyzed him and took him in. A tow truck came later and took his car away. A few days after that, the major’s wife came over and paid for the damage to my grass as well as the fence and I had a landscaper come fix it. Two days after that, I received the call that the major’s team had been bumped from the mission and Stephen and I were a go.”
“Yeah, we didn’t see him about really after that. Um, I think we bumped into him once outside HQ and he called Darren a conniving snitch, said he only reported him because he wanted the mission hours. The guys he was with pulled him away and told him to not be stupid,” Stephen added.
I nodded in agreement.”That’s right. I didn’t see him again until the diner. I’d met a wonderful girl and had a whirlwind romance. So much so that she came to stay with me as soon as my leave was over. Amanda Bombay and Agnes O’Malley are close friends and they’d spotted me bringing a woman home, so they kinda took advantage of the fact that my house has a large picture window out front to get fodder for their speculation as to who she might be. When we discovered this, we decided to go buy a set of blinds for the window and picked up a few other things, including the ingredients for a get together with Stephen the next night. We stopped at The Starlight Diner on the way home as we hadn’t had our dinner yet. When we came out, the major confronted me, said that I’d made his wife leave him and then rushed towards me. I was helping my girlfriend get into the car with the pie we were taking home. I blocked him by putting my hands out and he fell on his butt. I left him sitting there and walked around the back end of my car to get in. He was still sat by the front end of my car so I had to wait for him to get up. He did once I started the engine and I drove away with him stood by one of the cars parked next to mine. It was once I got home that I realized I should have made sure he wasn’t driving as he’d absolutely reeked of alcohol. So, I called the diner. He’d already gone, so I called the CQ. Then I hung the blinds and we had coffee and ate the pie we brought back before going to bed. The next thing I knew, someone was banging on my door and I was being arrested. First, they said I was wanted for questioning, but then they admitted they had a warrant for my arrest.”
“That jibes perfectly with the police report and the various witness statements,” the OSI agent observed.
“What a mess,” Colonel Billings said.
“It is,” the general agreed.
“I’m doing all I can to get the charges dismissed.,” Lt. Colonel Martin, my lawyer from JAG, said. “This is absolutely ridiculous. Of course, this would be gone in an instant if the actual perpetrator turned themselves in.”
“As if,” I muttered.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to show up in front of the judge. With any luck, he’ll toss the case.” Martin said.
“And without any luck?” I asked.
“We don’t want to think about that,” he replied glumly. “But, worst case scenario, the trial will go forward, he’ll revoke bail, an
d you’ll sit in jail at least until the trial is over.”
I knew that could be months.
“And I’m sorry, but you’re on casual duty until this is cleared up,” Colonel Billings added. “I’ve put you in charge of overseeing some routine maintenance. Sergeant Carter will have the list of things that need to be done and will assign you the necessary manpower to get it done.”
“Thank you, sir.” I meant it, too. He could have really saddled me with something truly tedious, like paperwork or actually doing the inventory of every single piece of equipment our flight group owned. From every pillowcase issued to airmen in the barracks to the number of pens in the desk drawers to the number of packets of photocopier paper in the supply room. It didn’t even bear thinking about.
Agent McIntyre stood up.”I’ll see myself out and go get a statement from your girlfriend.”
It was only as he went out the door that I realized something. We’d never settled on getting Jeannie a last name. That was a big oops. I just hoped it didn’t cost us.
Please, universe, if anyone is listening, don’t let it bite us on the butt. Jeannie doesn't deserve it.
* * *
Chapter 22
Jeannie
Imagine my surprise when the office door opened and a strange man stepped out. I tried to peer into the room behind him but he slipped out the door and shut it firmly behind him as he did so. I sighed. I didn’t know who he was, but he wasn’t the general, surely? He wasn’t wearing one of those uniforms and both Darren and Stephen were still inside. He must have been called to the meeting as well for some reason. I settled back into my chair. I just had to be patient. It wasn’t my strong suit, not at all. Hedgie was always telling me that patience was its own reward. Well, if I had been any more patient, I’d not have ended up here, now would I? And my poor, sweet Darren would be facing this horrible time all alone, well, except for Stephen, but I bet he wouldn't make Darren a special blend mountain grown coffee brewed to perfection using patented drip technology and the authentic, special acid-free paper filters.
A Saucerful of Death (Starlight Cozy Mystery Book 1) Page 8