Danger Deception Devotion The Firsts

by Lorhainne Eckhart

  Eric was still holding the baby, feeling so much like a proud papa. He realized it was impossible not to bond with something so innocent and trusting. This was where it all began, and he wanted to protect her in a way that he had never been protected. He cleared his throat when he felt himself swimming into a mood that was too melancholy. “So, how’s the investigation coming?”

  “Well, Joan, I mean the commander, has been doing some checking into Gail’s past allegations. Actually, it’s quite interesting. It seems she filed similar charges against three former commanding officers.”

  “Really, why wouldn’t I know about that before she came aboard my ship?”

  Joe frowned and crossed his arms, his face showing his annoyance. “Well, when Joan spoke with them, none of the three were too happy about hearing her name. From what Joan said, no formal charges were ever laid at all, but the damage was done to these officers by the implied implication. She apparently made a lot of noise, telling everyone who would listen, you know, like the squeaky wheel, to the point that it appears everything was made to go away. But what did she get out of it?”

  Joe gestured helplessly and continued. “We know she was given a transfer with a slight promotion after each incident, mainly to appease her and shut her up.” Joe leaned forward, then lowered his voice. “It does appear she was questioned quite thoroughly. Although there were no witnesses to support any of her allegations, she refused to go away or be bullied by anyone.”

  Eric faced the closed bedroom door and breathed in the news, wondering why this bitch was trying to destroy him. “She’s really fucking with my career and my good name. She’s going to get away with it, isn’t she?”

  Joe paused for a moment, his hands loosely on his hips. “We’ll beat this. She has created so many lies that this time, we’re going to trip her up. She won’t get away with it. Remember what Petty Officer Hampton said about her planning something, only she left the room before hearing it?”

  Eric looked up from where he watched Rachel and stared into something that shone in Joe’s face. His expression was hard, and he was trying to figure out a puzzle. “That’s right, and weren’t there two others who stayed in there with her?” Eric asked.

  “Actually, there were three women. Mary-Jo Johnson left before Jennifer did, and from what I understand, she gave Gail quite the upbraiding. There was a Cassie Hodges and a Brandy Sanford who also stayed. Those were the names Jennifer wrote on the paper she slipped to me. Joan has spoken with both Hodges and Sanford and reviewed their statements. She’s meeting with Mary-Jo this morning.”

  Eric shut his eyes as he rocked Rachel in his arms. Did he dare hope for this whole mess to be cleared up? Bracing his elbows on the desk, he leaned forward to support himself. “That’s good news.”

  Joe smiled at his friend’s relief. He leaned back and crossed his arms. “You know, Eric, I’m watching your back. Anything you need to know, I’ll tell you.”

  “I know. But I also know your back is to the wall, too. There is a fine line. As captain and the accused, I’m under investigation, and I know you haven’t told me all the details. But I also know you will keep me in the loop so I’m not blindsided.”

  Their eyes met, and they shared a mutual understanding they’d developed over the years like two brothers. At times, Eric swore they could read each other’s thoughts.

  Joe cleared his throat. “Joan wants to talk to Abby.”

  Eric felt the something almost blind him, and Rachel started squirming in his arms. “No,” he said through gritted teeth. “Keep her away from Abby. She just had a baby, and I don’t want anyone questioning her right now, understand?”

  “No one’s going to upset her,” Joe said softly. “I understand what you’re saying, but Joan needs to talk to her. I’ll be there to make sure no lines are crossed and that Abby’s not upset.”

  Sighing, Eric leaned forward again. He couldn’t explain it, but he didn’t want the details discussed with Abby, even though she knew. It was so dirty, and he didn’t want any part of this sordid nightmare to touch her.

  Joe shook his head, standing his ground. “Eric, this is going to happen whether you want it to or not. Joan has an investigation to conduct. She’s been given free rein by the admiral to talk to everyone and anyone.”

  Eric let out a long breath from his lungs and glanced down at the tiny fragile Rachel. He couldn’t explain why, but he wanted to wrap both Abby and Rachel in a cocoon and protect them. He didn’t want anyone but himself to talk to Abby. After everything she’d been through, he couldn’t trust anyone not to get curious and start asking her about Seyed, which might start her nightmares and fears up again.

  “Nobody talks to her for a couple of days. The end of the week is soon enough, and I want to be there to make sure no one goes off topic and gets curious about where Abby’s been.” Eric shook his head when Joe opened his mouth to argue his point. “I won’t budge on this. Those are my terms, so work with them. I’m not flexible on this point at all.”

  “Okay, I’ll talk to Joan. We’ll speak with Abby on Saturday,” Joe said. Even though they had compromised, neither was happy about the outcome. “So how is she?”

  “She’s good. Abby named this little girl Rachel, and she’s beautiful.”

  Joe inclined his head and took another glance at the baby. “Hmmm. I don’t remember you ever holding my kids.”

  At that moment, the bedroom door opened. “Captain, can I see the baby? I want to take a quick look at her, as well,” Larry said.

  Eric walked over and slipped the baby in Larry’s arms, and he didn’t miss Abby watching him from where she was nestled in the middle of his bed. “Everything okay with Abby?”

  Larry set the baby on the end of the bed, and she started crying when he pressed a stethoscope to her heart and lungs. He rubbed the metal again. “Oh, I know it’s cold. Sorry, baby.” He rubbed it in his hand and listened again. “She sounds good. Abby’s doing fine, too. We should get them moved back to sickbay, though.”

  Eric leaned in the doorway, watching Abby and her odd expression as she gazed down at Rachel and something hardened in her face. “No, leave them both here for now,” he said. Something subtly relaxed in her. Her shoulders drooped, and her face softened. “The end of the week is soon enough. Leave them be for now… unless there’s a medical reason they need to be down there,” Eric continued.

  “No, they’re fine. I’ll come back later to check on them. Actually, it would be best to leave them here for now.” Larry settled a cleaned-up Rachel in Abby’s arms, then packed up his medical gear and slung the bag over his shoulder. “Call me if you need me,” he said, and he left.

  “I’ll be right back,” Eric said to Abby, and he pulled the bedroom door closed as he strode across the room to where Joe lingered, waiting to talk to him. “Spit it out, whatever it is.”

  “So what about Abby?” Joe said. “When are you going to move her off the ship? And do you know where to move her yet?”

  Eric let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I know I need to move her soon, but not until I get some things figured out first. Do you think Mary-Margaret would be willing to help get her set up? I need to get her someplace secure where she and the baby will be safe.”

  “I think you know my wife well enough to know that if you didn’t ask, she’d have your hide. Just give me the word, and I’ll put a call through to her. She’ll have Abby and the baby under her wing quicker than you can say ‘jackrabbit.’ You know my wife has a soft spot for you, but she is going to wonder about Abby. What am I supposed to tell her? Who is she to you?”

  “Joe…” Eric shook his head. “I got a lot hanging over my head. I need to do this for Abby so she feels safe. I promised her. That’s all you can say.”

  Joe didn’t say a word as he started to turn away. “Oh, I meant to tell you that Joan’s meeting with Mary-Jo in an hour.”

  “Let me know how it goes.”

  “Listen, Eric, for what it’s worth, this is a great thing
you’re doing for Abby.”

  Long after he left, Eric watched the bedroom door, looking in to where Abby and Rachel were sheltered, protected. It was the safest place for them to be, under his care, his watch, and where no one could get to them.

  Chapter Twenty Four

  “So, what time are you meeting with Mary-Jo?” Joe asked.

  Joan lowered her coffee back to the table in the wardroom with a soft thud. She watched as Joe walked over to the thermos of coffee and poured himself one, turning to her with a careful, concealed expectation in his eyes. She was aware of a lot of things about Joe. First, there was the fact that he was the sexiest man—next to the captain, that is—that she’d ever seen. He was well-muscled, tall, and ruggedly handsome, with a boyish mischievous grin and smile that knocked her on her ass and did all kinds of fluttery things in her heart. She loved talking to him, being around him, and she enjoyed the banter that went back and forth between them.

  “Soon. I presume you’d like to be present?” Joan asked, smiling as she took another sip of coffee.

  Grinning, he lifted his coffee to take a quick sip, swallowing. “Yeah, if you don’t mind, I know this is your investigation, but I’d kind of like to be there.”

  “Sure, that’s fine. Just let me lead the questions, and please don’t interrupt,” she muttered, unable to contain the smile that pulled at the corner of her mouth.

  Quirking his brows, he winked, and she wondered if he was flirting with her. “Okay, thanks.” He sat right across from her.

  Pushing away from the table, Joan walked over to the thermos to refill her own coffee. With her back to him, she struggled to suppress the way her body seemed to have a mind of its own, with the physical attraction she felt toward him. From the moment they met, the attraction, the chemistry had been there. He was handsome in a softer way, with a charm and charisma surrounding him, though not ruggedly, like the captain.

  Her hand was shaking when she picked up her mug, took a sip, and then walked around the other side, catching a whiff of his scent. Damn, the man didn’t even have to wear cologne to drive her half wild. She felt her cheeks heat, and then she glanced over at him as he appeared lost in thought, scribbling notes on a piece of paper. Then he slid his chair back and picked up the phone behind him. She didn’t have a clue who he was calling.

  “Listen, I need to get a call out to my wife. Can you set it up, Chief?” he asked.

  Joan’s heart plummeted right down to her toes, and her stomach felt as if it was full of lead. So Joe was married after all. She wondered now if she had imagined the whole thing. Maybe he was just being nice to pathetic old Joan, rather than flirting. Hell, the last time she’d had a date was a few years ago, so she was definitely rusty. She sat like an old lady in the chair across from him and lowered her head, staring down at the page of notes, but she couldn’t read a damn thing.

  “That would be great. I’m down in the wardroom right now. Great, thanks, Chief.” He hung up the phone and scooted his chair back over.

  Married, he was married. It kept running through her mind, and she couldn’t look at him because she’d almost done something stupid, and she wasn’t ever going down that road again, chasing a married man.

  “We didn’t have a chance to talk about the statement you got from the other two ladies. Did anything come from them?” Joe leaned on the table, and she could feel him watching her. She didn’t look up at him as she shook her head. Instead, she pretended to read. “Commander, is everything okay?” Joe asked, and he really did sound concerned.

  Don’t let him see you’re upset. The warning raced through her mind, so she pasted the best smile she could on her face and looked across the table at his puzzled expression. “Sorry, Joe, just preoccupied with this. You know, one thing is that when I talked to the two ladies, Mary-Jo and Jennifer both said they left before Gail started speaking of a plan to get back at the captain. And, just for the record, they both used the term ‘get back at him.’ ”

  Joe had this look about him, as he gave her all of his attention, that had her wondering what it would be like to be married and have someone give all of himself to her.

  “She never came right out and said she was filing this accusation against him, but the conversation in their quarters supposedly took place after the incident. Gail brought up the name of a lady commander whom she wanted to replace the captain on this ship.” Joan took her pen and tapped the file folder. “According to both their statements, Gail asked for their support if she filed a grievance against him. She even went so far as to ask them to simply agree with what she put in the statement. Now, for the record, both Cassie and Brandy said they told her they would never do anything so malicious. At the time, that had been the end of it.”

  An abrupt knock at the door startled them both. “Enter,” Joe responded, swiveling his chair toward the door.

  Mary-Jo appeared unruffled and in control. “Petty Officer Mary-Jo Johnson, sir, ma’am.”

  “At ease, sailor. Sit down,” said Joan as she directed Mary-Jo to a chair at the head of the table, between both her and Joe. As Mary-Jo sat, she remained at attention. “At ease. I presume you know why I summoned you here,” Joan said.

  It was not a question, but Mary-Jo gave a stern nod and then glanced at Joe, who gestured toward the commander. She faced the commander. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I understand that on Friday, June nineteenth, at about twenty-one hundred hours, in your bunkroom, a conversation was initiated by Gail Carruthers.”

  Nodding to the commander, Mary-Jo retained the annoyance in her composure.

  “I would like you to tell me the details of the conversation.” Joan kept her voice even and steady. Even a fool could pick up the anger that flickered in Mary-Jo’s eyes just at the mention of Gail’s name.

  “She was mouthing off,” Mary-Jo began. “She’s trouble, that one. She was pissed off with the captain over something, and she ran off at the mouth about the way he treated her, saying the only reason he did it was because she was a woman.”

  “Treated what way, Johnson?” Joan reined in her curiosity so as not to lead Mary-Jo in her questioning. Doing her best to appear neutral, she needed to keep the conversation on track and gather facts.

  “I’m not sure of everything. She didn’t really say, but something happened that pissed her off. She did say she wanted to knock him off his high horse. Then she reminded us of his hatred of women.”

  Joan directed a questioning look at Joe. He waved his hand and said, “Later.” Mary-Jo’s eyes danced with a hint of smile from that remark, Joan noted.

  “Can you tell me anything about the plan she was hinting at?” she asked.

  “She said she wanted to file a discrimination suit against him and wanted our help. She also spoke of some lady commander she would like to have here on the ship in his place.”

  Joan nodded as she scribbled notes on a piece of paper under Mary-Jo’s name, making note of the date and time of this interview. “What did she mean about a discrimination suit?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t give her a chance to talk about it. I lit into that girl and told her to drop it. Then I left. I never heard another word until I heard about her charges against the cap’n.” Pausing briefly, she licked her lips, leaned forward, and hesitatingly asked, “Ma’am, sir, may I speak freely?”

  Both Joe and Joan nodded and gestured with open hands. “Please go ahead,” Joan said, and she put down her pen, clasped her hands, and leaned forward on the table, giving the girl her full attention.

  “That girl is trouble, and I knew it from the first time we met. I don’t know the captain well, just what I heard of him and some sharp remarks he made to me when I first came on board. But from what I do know, there’s no way this is true. That girl made the story up as sure as I’m sittin’ here. She’s a schemer. I know her type. I don’t know what else I can say to help, but I hope it’s enough to get the cap’n off the hook. She’s poison just to have around, and she’s good at getti
ng people to do what she wants. She oughtta be, practicin’ at it all the time. We all know it. Everyone on board does. We just avoid her—when we can.”

  The more she spoke, the more pronounced her southern accent became. Joan noticed the accent was something the girl had worked on.

  “Thank you for your statement, Mary-Jo. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t discuss it with anyone, and I may want to talk to you again.”

  She stood up and offered a quick salute, acknowledging both Joe and Joan before taking her leave. After Mary-Jo pulled the door closed behind her, Joan just stared at Joe.

  “Well, well, well, it isn’t looking too good for Miss Carruthers. If anything, let’s just suppose it to say that it appears to be a personal vendetta, which can be motive enough for her to create this story. The statements we have so far corroborate that she was looking to get back at him, from this alone. This goes a long way to poke holes in her story. He’s a decorated officer. She has trouble even fitting in. We could probably make this go away, but I think we owe it to the man to try to get his name cleared.”

  Rising from her chair, Joan shone a broad smile, which widened as she paced the floor, back and forth in front of the table. “I also would like to bring charges against this lady for filing a false report. You know, Lieutenant, it’s not okay for any woman or a man to lie and bring a false charge. All this is going to do is hurt a lot of women in the military now who are being brutalized and assaulted. No, she has to be held accountable, but I’ll need more concrete evidence before I can do that. I would also like to talk to this Abby today, if possible.”

  Shaking his head, Joe held up his hand, palm forward, to stop her. “I’m sure you heard Abby just had her baby last night.”

  Joan leaned against the table and crossed her arms “Actually, no, I didn’t. I’m afraid I haven’t talked to anyone this morning yet.”

  “Late last night, she had a baby girl. She’s resting in the captain’s cabin.”

  Joan’s brows rose, but she said nothing, instead giving Joe her full attention.