Nodding, Eric said, “I understand, Doc. Is she okay otherwise? Any more labor?”
“No, she’s fine. She is concerned and is questioning the situation with Gail and the on-board conflict. She picked up on something.” Larry glanced down at his watch. “I’m going to go and get her dinner.”
Eric let the doctor pass. He didn’t move, keeping his arms crossed as he tried to figure out what he was going to say. Was she mad at him? She’d be furious and would look at him like a monster, the same look she carried in her eyes for Seyed, and if she knew what Gail was accusing him of, well, he just couldn’t stand that.
“Captain, I hope you got some rest?” she asked.
He inclined his head and took a step toward her. Every time he was around her, she did something to him that made him want to be a better man, but he also wanted to protect her so that nothing bad could ever touch her again. He wanted to smooth away those worry lines that creased her brows, and he wanted to be the one who put that easy, carefree smile on her face and had it lighting up every time he walked in. “I did.”
“Has Gail Carruthers done something to cause discord or trouble on this ship, to you or to the doctor?”
Eric could not help smiling at the fire that was in those deep blue eyes, which saw far more than he had first realized. Bending down, he ruffled her blond mass of hair before ignoring the chair and sitting on the bed beside her. Her scent—my God, the way she smelled from plain old soap and water—was a perfume of her own, as if it was just for him. He wanted to sit beside her, to touch her, but he didn’t. He set his hands in his lap and then linked them together so he wouldn’t be tempted to reach out and take hers. “Abby, there’s nothing for you to worry about. I’ll handle it. I didn’t get to where I am, commanding my own ship, without encountering a few problems here and there.” Softening his tone, he leaned forward, meeting her steady gaze. “I’m touched by your concern, but it’s nothing, really.”
She watched him, and he could see she was thinking, but for the life of him he didn’t know of what. Then she offered a subtle tilt of her head. “Understood,” she said.
The door jerked open and Larry stepped in, carrying a blue plastic tray with several covered dishes. He gave only a passing glance at Eric sitting so close to Abby. “Here’s your dinner, Abby.”
Eric slid off the bed, and Larry slid the tray on the bedside table, the utensils clanking as he slid the table in front of Abby.
“I’ll make sure she eats,” Eric said.
“Well, I have things to check, so I’ll leave you and be back later to check on you. Lieutenant Lynn will be in in about an hour to check your vitals again.”
After the door closed, Eric started pacing while she lifted the metal warmers off the plates.
“Are you hungry? I could share,” she said.
He just shook his head “No, I’ll eat later.” He watched her while she picked up the glass of apple juice and pried off the plastic lid. Sometimes she looked so childlike that he wanted to hide her in a closet so nothing would ever again hurt her.
Abby dug into the roast chicken and vegetables on the plate, cutting a bite and putting it in her mouth. She didn’t eat fast but took her time, tasting each bite and enjoying it in a way he hadn’t seen before.
“This is really good.” She pointed with her fork to the plate. “I had no idea how much I missed simple food.”
“Glad to hear, because I wanted to talk to you about something.”
She laid her fork down on the side of her plate and picked up her napkin, wiping her mouth. “Oh?”
“No, keep eating.” He motioned with his hand.
She picked up her fork, cut another piece of chicken, and put the tiny morsel in her mouth, flicking her tongue over her lower lip. Eric found himself staring at the spot, and for a moment he wanted to put his own tongue there.
“You will be staying on this ship. We can’t risk moving you right now,” he said. She nodded, such trust in her eyes. “I also wanted to talk to you about your nightmare last night.”
She gripped her fork quite hard and then set it down, lowering her gaze to her plate.
“Abby, one of my concerns is your fear that Seyed will get you back, and I’m worried that brought on your nightmare. I want you to know that you’re safe here. He can’t get you.”
“I dreamed of when I was taken. I could smell the sandalwood burning. I could feel the rope burns. I wore a blindfold, and it was knotted so tightly that it pulled into the back of my head. I couldn’t get it off. I wasn’t the only one; there were others. I couldn’t see, and the sound of metal doors closing shot me through with a fear I have never felt before. There were rough hands that grabbed me, dragged, stuck me in a room, barefoot and chained up like an animal. There were other girl’s whimpering, crying. I remember when the door opened, the chill I felt wasn’t from cold but an icy dread. I didn’t know the hell I was in or what would happen to me, if they would hurt me, kill me. It was a fear of the unknown. Then this man grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up, and I remember him saying—I thought at first his accent was English, but then I realized, no, it was Australian, and I could smell the tobacco on his breath as he pressed his lips to my cheek and ran his tongue over my ear. And he said what a pretty price I would fetch and how much they liked the towheads.” When she glanced up, her eyes were red rimmed and filled with sadness. She refused to shed one tear, though. “I didn’t know then what would happen to me. I got away, but what about the other girls? There were so many.”
Eric swallowed, but the lump that jammed his throat felt so much like dry gravel that he couldn’t speak.
“I am so ashamed of what happened,” she said.
He started to jump in, to try to make her believe she had nothing to be ashamed of, but she held up her hand. It was trembling, and he could see the strength in her as she fought to steady it.
“I know I did nothing wrong. But you’re not a woman. To have someone own you, tell you when to eat, when to sleep, what to wear, when to speak, to be beaten and taken violently, to be chained like an animal…” She touched her belly, and Eric wondered then if she’d want to get rid of the baby, if it would be an ugly reminder of what she’d survived.
“If I could make it all not have happened to you, I would.” He wasn’t sure if he should sit beside her, but the way she watched him was as if there was a cord pulling him down beside her, so he sat with her on the bed and slid the table over.
“I know you would.” She stared at him so intently that for a minute, he wondered what she’d do if he leaned down and touched her lips. Then he reminded himself of what she’d been through. The last thing she needed was some man, any man, pawing at her. He rested his hand on her belly and smoothed it over the swell. She raised her hand as if welcoming his touch.
“Are you okay with the baby and whose it is?”
She furrowed her brows, and her eyes snapped with something resembling fire. “Whose it is?” she repeated. “This baby’s mine, and no one will take it from me. When I was floating on the dinghy before you found me, I was so afraid he’d find me. It was just a matter of time. I wondered if I’d have the strength to drown myself and the baby, because it would be better than any life with that monster. A boy would have everything, but a girl… she would have no future.”
“He won’t get you. You’ll stay here. I’ll protect you and your baby. This is my ship, and nobody comes on board without my knowing.”
She stared at him and then frowned as if she had just realized something. “Is Seyed trying to get me back? Is that it? He could find a way to get on board. You can’t put anything past him.”
“Abby, we don’t know anything about him, really. My ship is so secure that an army couldn’t get on if it wanted to. As soon as the doctor says you can get up and move around, I’ll take you around the ship and show you how secure you really are.”
“You never really answered me. Is there some reason I should be worried about Seyed?” she asked agai
n, and she stared at him with such big, imploring eyes that he couldn’t lie to her, but he didn’t want to scare her, either.
“Our sources have confirmed that someone fitting his description returned to Kish Island a few days ago.” Eric watched her face pale, and she let out a gasp as she turned away. He cupped her chin in one hand and looked down into the distress in her face. “I will protect you. He will never get his hands on you again.”
Her eyes were swimming with tears when she looked up at him. “I want to believe you. And I do trust you… it’s just--”
“I know, Abby.” Eric slid his arm around her shoulder, and this time she leaned into him. He rested his chin on top of her head, realizing how much this woman needed him. For the first time ever, a fragile woman had somehow found a way in a tiny corner of his heart. For the life of him, he didn’t know how she had managed to sneak in and hold parts of him he never believed could feel anything in her tiny hand, and he needed her, too.
Eric didn’t know how long he held her, but she relaxed so much that he could feel her breathing even out. When he looked down, he realized she’d fallen asleep. Just as he eased her head down on the pillow, he took in her image, which was so much that of an angel.
He’d just reached for the phone to call Petey when the door flew open, and Gail Carruthers stepped in and closed the door behind her. Eric just held the phone and flicked a wary glance at Abby, who was breathing deeply, her eyes closed. He did not want her disturbed or to witness whatever this unstable woman was about to unleash on him. Where the hell was the guard? He was supposed to be standing right outside the door. How had Gail gotten past him?
Gail gave him an expression as if she was goading him. At any other time, he would have lost it on her and yelled and watched her cower, but he could feel Abby’s peaceful energy behind him, and it was only that which got him to the door.
He yanked it open, startling the guard who was standing post. “Kaskin, why did you allow her in here? I personally heard the doctor order you to keep her out.”
“Sir, she said—”
“I want you to escort Carruthers out of sickbay, and until further notice, she stays out.”
“Yes, Captain.” The guard stepped inside the room, in front of the captain, and extended his arm, gesturing for Gail to precede him through the door. They both nearly tripped over the doctor, who now stood in the passageway.
“This way, please.” Seaman Kaskin gestured again when Gail wouldn’t move any further. When he grabbed her elbow to move her, she yanked it away and moved down the passageway with the doctor and captain following.
“Carruthers, you’ll take yourself and report to the XO. You will be put on report. This conduct is unacceptable, and it will not be tolerated.” The captain gritted his teeth, doing his damnedest not to lose it on Kaskin. “See that she gets there and doesn’t get lost along the way. Then return to your post. Tomorrow, I’ll deal with you for disobeying orders.”
“Yes, sir, Captain.”
Eric dismissed Kaskin and turned to Larry. “What was she doing here? I thought you assured me—”
“I ordered her to the personnel office this morning and told her sickbay was off limits.” Larry was quite defensive.
Eric narrowed his eyes on Gail Carruthers’ retreating backside, wanting nothing more than to toss her overboard. “Well, it seems that Miss Carruthers has decided to balk at all authority. Just so you know, Joe has just ordered a female guard to be with her at all times. Why she is not with her now, I will find out. I will personally see to it that these orders are followed through. No more disregard for authority on this ship by anyone. I don’t understand what the hell’s going on. It’s as if everyone has lost their minds.” Never in his experience of commanding a ship had his authority ever been questioned or orders so flagrantly disregarded. Why weren’t orders being followed? He needed to have a serious discussion with Joe. This would be addressed first thing in the daily department head meeting; he would clamp down on everyone and bring a firm reign to this ship, seeing to it that every sailor knew their role and who was in charge.
Eric let out a groan that sounded more like a growl. “Just so you know, the guard will be dogging her every move from now on.” He offered a conspiratorial wink, his lips twitching in amusement all the while. “You know, for her protection, of course.”
“Leave it to Joe to come up with something like that. Just don’t underestimate her. I think that was my first mistake,” Larry said.
Chapter Seventeen
Eric met Joe in the wardroom for a late dinner. When the last officer left, Eric threw down his napkin and pushed the plate away. “So, did Gail find her way to you?”
Joe was across from him, and he choked and coughed before leaning back and chuckling. “Oh, yeah, she found her way, escorted by the good Seaman Kaskin, who looked as if he’d have just as soon tossed her in the brig. From the glare she gave him, it appeared that he may have had to drag her along at some point.” Joe wiped his mouth with his napkin. “She’s a piece of work, that’s for sure. I spoke with her and gave her a choice between reassignment to headquarters or a female guard. She refused both, of course, so I assigned Chief Petty Officer Cindy Hawkins to her. I made her wait while I sent for Cindy.” Joe shoved his plate away with a flick of his fingers. “Don’t worry. I had a chat with Cindy, and she’ll stick to her like glue.”
“Joe, what took so long to talk to Gail? I understood when we spoke in my cabin she was your next stop.”
“Sorry, Eric. She was off duty and asleep last night after we finished speaking. She was first on my list this morning to deal with, but an emergency from home came up for one of the new recruits. It’s been handled, but it took longer than expected. Some of them are having a hard time adjusting with the extension in deployment.”
Eric could tell by the frown on Joe’s face that the deployment was more of a problem with the crew than he was letting on. He knew that taking care of the sailors was such a vital part of Joe, something he lived and breathed, because he really cared for these sailors. Life at sea wasn’t easy, especially for new recruits, and Joe was always pushing his way into whatever personal conflicts popped up.
“We’re a team here, Joe. We bond together or we all die. I know you’re the one to keep the peace here. This is no place for dissension and petty conflicts, so you look after everyone. Just make sure you look after you, too, my friend.”
Joe laughed and then wiped his hand roughly over his face.
“Larry lost it on her, you know,” Eric said. “He confronted her about her accusation and tried to get her to confess. Then he sent her off for reassignment, banning her from sickbay. Joe, from now on, I want a daily report of her actions. Keep it unofficial, though, so it can’t be used against me.”
Joe pushed away from the table and walked across the room to the coffee urn. “You want one?” he asked as he poured a cup and stirred in some powdered cream.
“Sure.”
Joe poured a second cup into a large white mug and set it on the table in front of Eric. Joe took a swallow as he walked around the table. “I checked, and Gail never arrived in the personnel office when Larry ordered her there.” Joe continued, “I did make sure her behavior and misconduct has been written up, and she’s been put on report.” Taking another sip of coffee, he appeared lost in thought as he frowned. “You know, Eric, there’s one thing I’ve wondered about. I did a little checking this morning. Gail had help getting that report off this ship without anyone finding out.”
“I forgot to tell you, and it slipped my mind, too. When I spoke with the admiral, he told me it was filed by Petty Officer Jennifer Hampton. Isn’t she in the administration department?”
“She is, a nice girl. Quiet, never been any problem. I’m stunned.” Joe gestured with both his hands.
“Why the hell did she do it? Did you talk with her?”
Joe winced and glanced at the door and back to Eric. “You may not like hearing this, but your barbaric
views on women have earned you somewhat of a negative reputation. She said Gail convinced her that you would block this if she went through regular channels. She begged her for help.”
Leaning his head back over the plush high back of the leather chair, Eric gazed up at the mottled gray pipes, shaking his head in disbelief.
“After Master Chief Bud Hansen was through with her, I kind of felt sorry for the girl,” Joe said. “It was a bad decision on her part. You could tell she sincerely regrets what she did. She’s been put on report for her actions. Even though she has no previous record, Bud said he would like to bring charges if possible against her for misconduct, to use her as an example.”
Eric winced. “Wasn’t she due for promotion?”
Joe took on a hard look Eric had only seen a time or two before. “Yes, spotless service record, too. Stupid move on her part. Could be a career ender.”
Eric didn’t know why he did it, but he said, “I want to talk to her. Set up a meeting for tomorrow. Tell Bud to be there, too, and tell him to hold off possible charges until after the meeting.”
Joe appeared surprised but then downed his coffee and left the table. “I’ll let you know what time we’re meeting tomorrow.” Joe let go of the handle and pressed his hand against the door as he turned to face Eric. “I realized I forgot to ask: How’s Abby doing?”
“She’s doing fine, but she picked up on the problem with Gail. And she’s…” He almost told Joe about her nightmare, what she had shared with him, but it was too personal. It would feel like a betrayal of her if he shared it.
“And what?”
Eric just shrugged. “Nothing, she’s good. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He watched the back of the steel door and allowed the ship’s rumble to soothe his anxiety. Eric realized this was the first time he’d ever kept anything from Joe.
Chapter Eighteen
All the commanding officers from each department were present in the wardroom for breakfast. Although everyone was well aware of the unsavory accusation filed by Gail Carruthers, almost every man present was uncomfortable. Maybe it was the fear, so much like a poison, that it could happen to them. Eric was no fool—he sensed deep down that some of them needed to keep their distance for their own peace of mind. This was the deepest, darkest worry of every man in the military, that it could happen to them, too. It took something really bad to see who stuck by you and who’d let you get pulled down and swallowed in the quicksand.
Danger Deception Devotion The Firsts Page 60