“Yea, that Batiste guy, and a few of his buddies, kidnapped that cop who worked over Peace,” Doc continued. “They and two other guys outside the cop’s house were mysteriously executed. Imagine that.”
“Yea,” Tracer Robards added, looking directly at Peace. “Imagine that.”
“Gee, Peace, that really works out swell for you, doesn’t it?” Doc grinned.
Dan and Bull burst into laughter again as Peace heaved a big sigh and turned towards his locker.
__
Peace stood at attention in front of Commander Jessup, who sat at his desk, glowering up at Peace. Dan, who stood just behind Peace, shifted uneasily at Jessup’s stare. Detective Mobry sat in a chair off to the right of Jessup’s desk, smiling at the two Seals.
“Petty Officer Peacenik reporting as ordered, Sir,” Peace snapped.
Seal Team Six had just completed their morning schedule, when Dan received word to bring Peace to Commander Jessup’s office. Dan and Peace showered, and dressed in uniform, before reporting. Both men stayed silent, while the rest of the team watched them prepare, grimly wondering what new circumstance had presented itself.
“At ease, Peacenik, Detective Mobry here would like to say something to you.”
Peace assumed an at ease posture, looking quizzically at Mobry.
“Have you heard the news?” Mobry asked.
“Some of it, but not first hand,” Peace answered truthfully.
“Batiste and some of his men, who we think actually worked for his Father, kidnapped Detective Lewiston, thinking he had discovered something about them. In reality, my partner was trying to catch you.”
“What?” Peace exclaimed, doing a very convincing facial shift from attentive to confused.
“He believed you would try and kill Batiste,” Mobry explained, as Commander Jessup leaned back in his chair, watching Peace and Mobry closely. “He inadvertently triggered a series of events, which ended in the deaths of Batiste, his men, and the arrest of our Captain. We believe now, Captain Brills was a mole in our Department, on the payroll of Batiste’s Father.”
“Who killed Batiste and his men,” Peace asked, again with a credible display of interest.
“The investigation is ongoing,” Mobry replied. “We know it was one shooter; but at this time, that’s all we know. I’m here on behalf of Detective Lewiston. He wanted me to express his sincere apology for his actions toward you. He was tortured, and still remains in the hospital, along with his family, who we have in protective custody.”
“Tell him I accept, and I hope he heals fast. I wish him and his family the best. I guess I owe him a debt of gratitude for his tenacity in this.”
Mobry laughed, nodding his head in agreement. “Yea, he’s tenacious alright. It damn near got him and his family killed. In any case, I’ll tell him what you said. You’re in the clear, and I hope there won’t be any hard feelings over this with the Navy.”
“I’m glad this ended well for your Department, Detective,” Jessup answered. “I’ll let JAG know we have resolved this issue.”
“May I visit your partner in the hospital?” Peace asked, surprising Mobry. “I’d like to thank him.”
Mobry took out a notebook and jotted down a short note, signing it at the bottom. He handed it to Peace with his business card. “Show this to the guys on duty. I’ve written the hospital and room number down for you. They’ll let you in to see him. That’s damn decent of you, Peacenik.”
“I know I’d still be up to my eyeballs in this if not for him.”
“Yea, I guess you would be,” Mobry said, standing, and offering Peace his hand. “Thanks for your understanding.”
Peace shook his hand eagerly. “No problem, Sir. Thanks for coming to tell me.”
Mobry shook hands with Commander Jessup, and then left the room with a nod to Dan on his way out.
“Well, Petty Officer Peacenik,” Jessup said, pushing himself up from his desk. “It seems you are in the clear with SDPD. Your performance was inspiring.”
“Performance, Sir?”
Jessup put his hands behind his back, and walked around the desk, stopping in front of Peacenik with a look Peace took as a cue to snap to attention, which he did. “I’ve been looking into your record, young man.
Your service has been exemplary.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“After hearing a detailed summary of this latest event, I’m having trouble arriving at the same conclusions as Detective Mobry.”
“Sir?”
“Let me put it to you this way, Peacenik,” Jessup continued. “Reading between the lines of your service record, and reports concerning details of your missions, I’m betting it was a good thing the police are showing no interest in your whereabouts last night.”
“I’m not sure I understand what you mean, Sir,” Peace replied, his eyes focused on a spot on Jessup’s wall, straight ahead.
“Yea, I’ll bet,” Jessup sighed. “I hope I won’t be reading your name in any more reports, other than descriptions of excellence in the field.”
“Hoo-ya!”
Jessup grinned. “Dismissed.”
“That was a classy move, offering to see Detective Lewiston in the hospital, Peace,” Dan offered, when they were out in the hallway together.
“Thanks.”
“Now, what the hell have you got planned with Lewiston?”
“Huh?”
“I know you aren’t seeing him out of gratitude, or any of the other myriad lamo reasons I’m sure you have flitting around in that devious mind of yours,” Dan replied. “You two have something brewing, and I want to know what it is.”
“I’m just going to say thanks,” Peace insisted. “If you want, you can come along.”
Dan stayed silent for a moment as the two continued walking. “Okay, Pauley, but Bull and I better be in on any future excursions of yours as Secret Agent Man.”
“No can do, Lieutenant Dan.”
“Don’t make me have to hurt you.”
Peace stopped, and turned to face his friend, lowering his voice. “You are the finest friend, man, and Naval Officer I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. I learned how to be a man from your example. Don’t threaten me, Dan. I learned your lessons well. You and Bull will not have a part in this under any circumstance. If that bothers you, Lieutenant, too bad. If you want, we’ll take this outside to the sand, and you and Bull can take turns on me. It won’t do either of you a damn bit of good. I’d die with a smile on my face at your command. I will not, however, involve you in this.”
Lieutenant Righter looked into Peace’s eyes, seeing the determination and resolve, and realizing the futility of trying to force his friend to accept help. “Friends accept help from friends.”
“They also know when to wait to be asked. Besides, like I told you before, we’re brothers, not friends. My face is healed up okay. Why don’t you invite me over for dinner tonight? We’ll play some ball with Danny, and Becky can pump me for what little I know about my relationship with Jill.”
Dan laughed. “It’s a deal, but don’t you have to work at Ed’s tonight?”
“Yea, but I don’t have to be over there before seven. I’ll bring the steaks, okay?”
“Tired of spaghetti, huh?”
“Yea, and you are too. I’m single, without a care in the world. I’ll splurge on the finest beef I can find, and you can show me the secrets of a family barbeque.”
“Okay,” Dan agreed. “Buy an extra steak, and I’ll invite the Chief too.”
“You ain’t setting me up for another session, are you?”
“No more talk of this,” Dan promised. “You’re on your own.”
“Good, then if the Chief is coming, I better get two extra steaks, or he’ll be eating off my plate all through the meal.”
“When will you see Lewiston?”
“Right after we’re through for the day, and then I’ll be over with the steaks around five-thirty, okay?”
Dan held ou
t his hand, and Peace shook it. “Sounds good. I’ll have to have the whole team together for a picnic sometime when Jill’s visiting, so they don’t think I’m playing favorites.”
“Yea,” Peace laughed, “I’m sure they spend a lot of time thinking about dinner slights. We already have dinner together on computer night Tuesdays. One night a week is probably all they can stand, during off duty hours, with you and Bull.”
“Oh, and they love you so much, they just can’t get enough of you, right?” Dan laughed.
“I thought that was obvious.”
__
Lewiston was reading in his hospital bed when Peace walked in past his guards.
“Hey, Detective, I hear you’re a hero,” Peace said. “Where’s your family? Your partner told me they were sequestered with you.”
Lewiston looked up from his book and grinned at Peace. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t my favorite serviceman.”
Peace offered his hand, and Lewiston shook it.
“My wife and daughter are down in the cafeteria having dinner. You just missed them. I guess we need to talk first anyway. I told you I’d get out of apologizing in person, didn’t I?”
“You did,” Peace acknowledged. “How’s the leg?”
“They say I’ll be just like new, but I can forget about going through any metal detectors. What’s on the agenda now?”
“I thought while you’re off recuperating from your injury, you’d want to do some fishing off the coast. You will, of course, need someone to give you a hand with the boat. I can see us having a great time over the next few weeks laying the groundwork for something I have in mind.”
“Gee, I can hardly wait,” Lewiston replied, making a show of his distaste for the idea.
“Does your wife usually go out with you on the boat?”
“She hates it. That’s what makes it so much fun.”
“Married life not exactly all it’s cracked up to be?” Peace asked.
“It has its ups and downs.”
“I’m engaged,” Peace told him.
“My condolences.”
Peace laughed. “You talk just like my friend who owns the restaurant. He’s been married a long time. We were catering a ten-year high school reunion, and one of the people asked us if they could congratulate a friend on their seventh wedding anniversary. Ed hands them the intercom transmitter, and the guy has his friends stand up to take a bow.”
“All the while, Ed’s doing a side of the mouth monologue to me about the pitfalls of marriage. When the guy finished, Ed just shrugged at me, and finished with, ‘Cripes, seven years, hell they ain’t even got the training wheels off yet’. You sound just like him.”
Lewiston nodded knowingly. “You’ll see, Mr. Know-It-All, you’ll see. Listen, they’re holding back the info on how the guard you killed outside had his throat crushed. If anyone asks, they were all killed by the same gun, just like the news says.”
“Thanks, I’ll…”
Lewiston’s wife Tina, and his daughter Tara walked into the room, looking at Peace curiously. The little girl walked right over to her Father, and gripped his hand.
“The food here is awful, Dad.”
Lewiston laughed, hugging her to him. “Tina, this is the Mr. Peacenik, you’ve heard me talk about. Peace, this is my wife Tina, and my daughter Tara.”
Peace extended his hand to Tina, who took it strongly in her own.
“I’m sorry my husband lost control the other day. You could have had him fired, and he’d of deserved it. Thank you,” Tina said quietly.
“His perseverance in this case really took the heat off me,” Peace smiled. “I owe him for all he’s gone through.”
“He could have gotten himself killed, and what he needed to do was pay attention to his own business,” Tina replied, glaring at Lewiston, who shrugged.
“It all came out in the end, right Peace?” Lewiston said, as Peace shook hands carefully with Tara.
“Yep, that’s what counts, the bad guys get it in the end,” Peace agreed. “Listen, I better get going. I have to help Ed over at the restaurant. When you get out of here, I want you three to come over to Ed’s, my treat.”
“That’s real white of you, Peace,” Lewiston quipped, receiving a quick smack on the side of his head for the trouble from Tina, who had moved too quickly for him to duck out of the way.
“Don’t pay no attention to him,” Tina said, as Peace and her daughter laughed. “Are you married, Peace?”
“Not yet, Ma’am, I just asked my girlfriend to marry me though.”
“Good, why not bring her over to our house for dinner, I…”
“Now Dear,” Lewiston interrupted, “I’m sure Peace has…”
“Butt out,” Tina cut him off abruptly, bringing another laugh from Tara. “How about it Peace?”
“Well, as soon as my fiancé, Jill, gets down to see me from LA, I’ll let your husband know. We could get together then,” Peace offered, grinning at Lewiston, whose mouth tightened.
“Great, it will be good to get together with some people who have nothing to do with police for a change,” Tina replied.
Peace started for the door, and then turned around to hand Tina one of Ed’s business cards. “Don’t forget about coming to dinner at the restaurant. You’ll love it.”
“We will, Peace, thank you,” Tina agreed.
Peace waved at Lewiston, who had his arms crossed over his chest with a sour look on his face. “See you later, Dave. Nice meeting you, Tara.”
“‘Bye, Peace,” Tara waved.
“Yea, thanks for coming by,” Lewiston growled, as Peace laughed and went through the door.
“I like him, Dad,” Tara said. “He’s kind of funny looking.”
“Tara!” Tina exclaimed in surprise at her daughter’s words.
Lewiston laughed, shaking his head at his daughter. “One thing I know about Mr. Peacenik, Tara: nothing about him is funny.”
Chapter Nineteen
Overload
“Peace,” Ed called out from the bar, “it’s Jill.”
Peace bussed the table a couple had just left from. He hurried over to the bar, and Ed took the tray of dirty glasses from him as Peace picked up the portable.
“Hi Jill,” Peace greeted her cheerfully.
“My Dad said don’t bother calling, he’s heard the news about Batiste. You sound happy.”
“I’m always happy talking to you. Tell your Dad thanks, and yes things worked out pretty well. Detective Lewiston is recuperating from his ordeal; but other than that, he’s okay. I went to see him in the hospital, and met his wife and daughter. They even asked us to dinner when we’re all in the area and he’s out of the hospital.”
“You mean the guy who punched you?” Jill asked incredulously.
“Yep. He and I are going to be best of friends.”
“Wow, how the heck… oh never mind. Listen, I miss you. Can you come up this weekend?”
“I have the duty this weekend, Jill, sorry.”
“Is it voluntary?”
“No,” Peace laughed. “This is my weekend on base. In fact, when I get off work, I’m going to the base.”
“I’m coming down there.”
“I’ll come up to see you next weekend,” Peace offered.
“I need you,” Jill insisted huskily.
For the first time in his Naval career, Peace considered going AWOL. “Don’t talk like that, babe. Your voice drives me crazy. Come on down if you want, but I can only get off for a few hours at a time.”
“I’ll get a motel room within a few minutes of the base. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Let me call you on your cell phone about eleven tomorrow morning.”
“Perfect. I’ll have the room by then,” Jill promised.
“I love you.”
Ed had come over to stand next to Peace, drumming his fingers on the bar.
“I love you too,” Jill replied wistfully. “I wish you were here right now. I’m alone in my
room with…”
“Whoa there,” Peace said quickly. “Ed’s here, getting ready to beat me back to work. I have to go. Talk to you tomorrow.”
In answer, Jill moaned, her breathing coming in short gasps. Peace hung up the phone as if it were burning his hand.
“Jesus,” Peace whispered to himself, as he looked vacantly out over the bar.
“What the hell?” Ed exclaimed, looking into Peace’s face. “Uh oh, you got it real bad, kid.”
Peace looked at him for a moment as if he were just seeing Ed for the first time. Polasky started laughing.
“At least close your mouth, Peace,” Ed ordered, shoving an empty tray into his hands. “You look like a guppy on the hook.”
“Jesus,” Peace whispered again, walking around the bar to wait on the tables.
Ed watched Peace forget where he was for a moment, and what he had walked out from behind the bar to do, until a lady at the table next to him tugged on his apron. Peace looked down at her, and then at the tray in his hand. He finally leaned down with a smile, and took her order. By the time Peace returned to the bar, he looked back to normal. He smiled, shaking his head at Ed, before rattling off the orders he had taken.
“What the hell did she say to you?” Ed asked as he filled the orders.
“She’s coming down tomorrow to see me,” Peace said, avoiding Polasky’s question.
“I thought you had duty.”
“I do. She insisted on coming down and getting a room near the base so she can see me for a few hours this weekend.”
“Did you ever see that movie with Robert Mitchum, Rita Hayworth and Jack Lemmon called Fire Down Below?”
“Very funny,” Peace replied, placing the orders and bills on his tray, as Polasky laughed at his own movie reference. “I wonder how long it would take me to convince Jill’s Dad to let me schedule the wedding for next month.”
“The way you and Jill are acting, if I were him, I’d make it for next week.”
“I’ll see how Jill feels about it, and let her lay the groundwork,” Peace agreed.
“Have you explained to her about the long absences?” Ed asked seriously.
“No,” Peace replied, gripping the bar, and shaking his head. “Jesus, you’re right Ed. I have to explain how long we’re away sometimes, or maybe I shouldn’t.”
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