Every Secret Thing

by Rebecca Hartt

  “Isn’t it obvious?” Monica directed her jewel-like gaze at Dwyer and smiled thinly. “He’s lying.”

  A murmur of surprise rippled through the courtroom. Recognizing Monica’s determined smile, Lucas realized, with a twinge of concern, she was ready to do battle.

  Carew had to raise her voice for her next question to be heard. “Miss Trembley, it sounds as if you speak from experience. Has Commander Dwyer ever asked anything else of you that was possibly unethical?”

  “Objection,” O’Rourke droned, looking bored. “The witness is not an ethics expert, and her testimony to such a question is an impermissible form of character evidence.”

  “Sustained,” Englert agreed. “Need I remind you, Counselor, who is on trial here?”

  “No, Your Honor.” Carew, having been denied her line of questioning, yielded the floor reluctantly to the prosecutor. “No further questions, Your Honor.”

  Drumming his long, thin fingers on the table, O’Rourke took his time getting up.

  “Ms. Trembley,” he said as he finally approached her, “tell the court, if you would, your current position within Spec Ops. Do you still work as Commander Dwyer’s civilian secretary?”

  Monica’s chagrin was apparent for all to see. “No, I do not. I work in the administration building across the street.”

  “Is that a promotion?” O’Rourke asked with a guileless manner.

  Monica glared at him. “No.”

  O’Rourke gestured to where Dwyer was sitting. “Are you upset with Commander Dwyer for transferring you?”

  Monica kept quiet, no doubt sensing a trap.

  “Is that why you’ve testified against him?” O’Rourke pressed. “Is it because you detest your new position?”

  Monica’s eyes flashed with indignation. “Yes,” she agreed, answering the prosecutor’s question.

  Shifting to the edge of her seat, she gripped the railing in front of her so fiercely that her knuckles turned white. “I detest my new position, and I didn’t deserve a demotion.” She turned her baleful gaze on the CO. “You.” Her voice shook with sudden fury. “You punished me for doing exactly what you asked me to do. You want to get nasty, Daniel?” Her eyes narrowed to glittering slits. “Well, two can play that game.”

  Lucas’s stomach gave an unpleasant lurch at the realization that Monica had just called Dwyer by his first name.

  She stood up suddenly, drawing a look of outrage from Captain Englert. “The truth is Daniel Dwyer and I were lovers.”

  Lucas had realized the truth a split second before she confessed it. All the same, a sound of dismay escaped him, causing Charlotte to reach out and squeeze his hand consolingly.

  Monica was just warming up. “Not only did he take advantage of his position to exploit me, but he used me to help him bug a conversation between Lieutenant Mills and his teammates, so he could find out what Mills was starting to remember. Moreover, when he discovered I was going to testify today, he sent some minion to my house to try and kill me. If you think I’m making that up, Your Honor, just call the local police.”

  “Calm down, Miss Trembley,” Englert ordered her. “Counselor O’Rourke, are you done cross-examining?”

  “Not quite, Your Honor.” O’Rourke gave one last stab at trying to paint Monica as a vindictive secretary of questionable character, but Dwyer’s reputation, now linked with hers, remained sullied. Seeing he wasn’t gaining any traction, the lawyer sat down, and Englert dismissed the witness.

  With a polite nod at the panel members, Monica descended the raised platform with unhurried elegance.

  Carew sat back in her seat looking as shocked as everyone else, though not exactly displeased. At last, one of her witnesses had managed to impugn Dwyer’s character.

  Dwyer himself was shaking his head in denial, but the expressions on the panel members faces—not to mention Captain Englert’s—suggested they believed Monica’s story.

  She added to her credibility by mouthing Sorry to Lucas as she headed toward the exit, her back rigid, her head high.

  The courtroom buzzed with speculation. Englert had to beat his bench with the gavel.

  “Order. Order now! As we’ve concluded all cross-examination, I will hear your closing arguments,” he said to the lawyers.

  O’Rourke, who had remained standing, proceeded to give an award-worthy monologue in which he ridiculed the defense’s witnesses and their paltry attempt to sully the word of a renowned military leader. He then dismissed Monica’s testimony as a dramatic, last-ditch effort.

  When it was her turn, Carew reminded the court that too many inconsistencies existed for Commander Dwyer’s testimony to be accepted at face value. Truth beyond a reasonable doubt was the standard demanded by law, and the prosecution had failed in any way to demonstrate that Lieutenant Mills was the least bit guilty of the charges leveled at him. One man’s word against another should never lead to conviction. As for the supposed Article 128 violation, the prosecution had failed to prove Lieutenant Mills had, in fact, assaulted his superior officer. If anything, Commander Dwyer had assaulted his lieutenant first, for refusing to perform duties unfitting to an officer of the United States Navy. The panel clearly had no choice but to declare Lieutenant Mills innocent.

  Englert wrapped up the trial with one last address to the panel on their duties to weigh the evidence. If they were unable to find that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt, they were required to bring in a verdict of not guilty.

  “The reading of the verdict will take place tomorrow morning at 0900 hours.” Beating his gavel one last time, Englert brought an end to the hearing and pushed to his feet, compelling the bailiff to yell, “All rise!”

  Lucas watched the panel members follow the judge out of the room. Dwyer and his supportive peers departed immediately after them.

  Just like that, Jaguar’s court-martial was over without Jaguar ever taking the stand himself.

  Standing respectfully where they had sat, Jaguar’s troop members watched him take leave of his family, then surrender himself to the MPs, who cuffed him and led him away. Watching him disappear, Lucas could only imagine Jaguar’s hopefulness that he would spend only one more night in the brig. However, a guilty verdict tomorrow might lead to several more years of incarceration.

  Charlotte tugged at Lucas’s arm, recapturing his attention.

  “Did you know Monica was going to do that?” she asked. Pity and concern shone in her wide eyes.

  “No.” He had to laugh at his mixed disgust and relief. Monica and Dwyer! Thank God he’d broken off their engagement when he had.

  “You’re not upset?” she queried, searching his face.

  “Not really.” While he’d never suspected Monica of being in cahoots with Dwyer, it made perfect sense, in retrospect. Not only had she helped Dwyer bug his house, but she’d gone back for the vase at Dwyer’s request, exactly as he’d suspected.

  “Are you still planning to protect her?”

  “What for?” he asked, scanning the uncertain faces of his teammates. “She’s already admitted the truth to everyone. If something happened to her now, Dwyer would be the first man arrested. Excuse me a second,” he added, raising his voice to address the other troop members. “Hey, who wants to go to Rascal Jack’s to blow off some steam? First drink is on me. You can buy your own food.”

  “Hooyah, sir,” many of them responded, including Theo and Bambino.

  Lucas turned back to Charlotte. “Rascal Jack’s is a bar and pool hall. I know you play pool,” he added, inviting her with his smile.

  She propped her hands on her hips. “How do you know that?”

  “You just confirmed it,” he pointed out. “Come on. Let’s go tell the Gallstones where we’re going next.”

  Chapter 18

  Charlotte sat at the edge of the L-shaped bar, between Saul and Lucas, polishing off her burger. Eating in silence, they devoured an early dinner while members of Alpha Troop enjoyed a free first round of drinks.
Several men played pool in the area behind them. The clatter of billiards and the music coming from an authentic jukebox made talking unnecessary, but Charlotte was full of questions.

  She put down her half-eaten burger, licking a drop of ketchup off one finger. Eyeing first Saul’s thoughtful scowl, then Lucas’s self-absorbed expression as he chewed the end of a french fry, she asked him, “Are you guys okay? You’re awfully quiet.”

  Lucas’s gray gaze snapped up to meet hers. He slowly dropped the rest of the fry onto his plate. “Sure. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you.”

  “I don’t care if you ignore me. I care if you’re feeling bad. I’m sure you had no idea about Monica and Dwyer…you know.”

  He made a face and shrugged casually. “No, I didn’t know but—” He glanced at Saul “Now I know why none of my friends liked her.”

  Saul shook his head in denial. “We weren’t sure, sir. Otherwise we would’ve said something.”

  Lucas forced a smile. “I’m not blaming you, Chief.” He reached for the lemon on the lip of his club soda and squeezed it.

  “Thanks,” Saul muttered. Then he went back to eating.

  Charlotte sighed, took another bite of her burger, then tried again. “I, for one, didn’t see that coming. I thought she wanted to testify so she could win you back.”

  A seed flew out of Lucas’s lemon wedge. “Who said I wanted to get back together with her?”

  Charlotte sent him an approving smile. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t,” she admitted. “And I’m glad Monica made Dwyer look like the scum he is. No one else managed to do that. Thanks to her, I think Jaguar has a shot of beating his charges, don’t you? She’s the only witness O’Rourke didn’t manage to eviscerate.”

  Lucas gave a hopeful grunt. Saul took another bite of his burger.

  “Speaking of O’Rourke,” Charlotte continued, turning her attention to Saul, “why was Blake LeMere’s widow sitting with the prosecution? Her husband died because of Lowery, and Dwyer likely ordered Lowery to kill him.”

  Saul put his burger down as if he’d suddenly lost his appetite. “Her brother asked her to come sit near him.”

  “Her brother?” Charlotte repeated.

  “O’Rourke. He wanted her to see how Dwyer, even though he may be lying through his teeth, will still get off.”

  “Wait.” Charlotte had too much to process at once. “First off, O’Rourke the Stork can’t be Mrs. LeMere’s brother. They look nothing alike.”

  Saul’s eyebrows pulled together. “Maybe Rachel’s adopted,” he suggested.

  Charlotte shrugged while taking note of the woman’s first name. “Secondly, why would O’Rourke represent Dwyer if his sister lost her husband because of the man?”

  “I asked her that,” Saul answered, staring into the amber depths of his beer. “She told me her brother doesn’t care what’s right or wrong. He only cares about winning.”

  “Wow.” Charlotte shared a look with Lucas. “Nice brother she’s got there.

  “Yeah.” Avoiding eye contact, Saul picked up his glass and drained it. “She lives with him,” he added, putting the glass down with a thud.

  “Lives with him? Why?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Charlotte cocked her head, thinking. “Why would anyone live with their brother as an adult?” She realized what she was saying and added, “I mean, I live with my brother, but that’s because he’s helpless. I’m sure her brother knows how to clean up after himself.”

  “Probably for financial reasons,” Lucas suggested.

  “Plus, she has a son,” Saul pointed out.

  Charlotte winced as the tragedy of Blake LeMere’s death confronted her again. “How old?”

  Saul looked at Lucas and guessed, “Nine?”

  “At least ten now,” Lucas said.

  Having lost her parents at twenty-two, Charlotte could only imagine how LeMere’s death had affected his young son. “That’s awful.”

  It suddenly occurred to her that Dwyer was responsible for that child’s heartache, for his mother’s emaciation. In her rising agitation, Charlotte slapped a hand on the bar and stood up.

  “I swear if Jaguar is found guilty tomorrow, I’m going to lose it.”

  Lucas shared a dark look with Saul. “Well,” he said, “we don’t have Fitz to do damage control, so let’s pray that the panel members have enough doubts about Dwyer to find Jaguar innocent.”

  Charlotte wasn’t finished. “When I think of how many people’s lives have been ruined by that man…I just—I just want to hurt him,” she growled.

  Lucas heaved a heavy sigh and reached for his Perrier.

  Saul demolished another french fry.

  “I need to hit something,” Charlotte declared, looking around. “Who’ll play pool with me? Lucas?”

  Lucas pointed wordlessly at Saul, who froze with a fry sticking out of his mouth.

  “Are you good?” Charlotte asked him. “I need a challenge right now.”

  “He’s the best,” Lucas answered for him. “The reigning champ in all of DEVGRU.”

  “Hmph. We’ll see about that. Come on.” She urged Saul off his stool.

  He gestured at his fancy attire. “I can’t play in this monkey suit.”

  Charlotte lifted a foot in the air. “If I can play in these heels, you can play in your uniform. Come on. The table’s free.”

  Eager to vent her frustrations, she strode toward the open pool table. Like Moses parting the Red Sea, the throng of Navy SEALs stepped aside, making way for her. Maybe after trouncing Saul at a game of pool, she’d feel better.

  Following Charlotte and Saul with his gaze, Lucas found himself shaking his head and smiling wryly. She stood at least as tall or taller than any man in the room, incandescent in her yellow pantsuit. Everyone watched as she produced a quarter from her purse. Calling heads, she flipped it to see who would go first, her or Saul.

  Lucas could tell by her flashing grin that she won the coin toss. While Saul racked the balls, she selected precisely the stick she wanted, rubbed chalk on the tip, then leaned over the table and prepared to break.

  With a dozen pairs of eyes admiring her long, athletic frame, Lucas felt a prick of jealousy, but mostly admiration. He doubted he would ever again meet a woman as complex and fun as Charlotte Patterson.

  She might be the antithesis of the uncomplicated woman Lucas was looking for, but he loved her just the way she was.

  I love her. The recognition of his feelings took his breath away.

  With a powerful jab, Charlotte struck the clustered balls so forcefully that the crack and subsequent clatter sounded clearly over the cheering of her audience. Lucas stood up so he could see better. Not one—but two—balls dropped into opposite pockets. Charlotte claimed solids.

  On her second turn, she sank a third ball.

  Every SEAL in the place, besides himself, went ballistic. Pulling a twenty-dollar bill from his pocket, Theo caught Bambino’s eye as he fluttered it in the air, then pointed to Charlotte. With a loyal glance at Saul, Bambino nodded and the bet was on.

  As Charlotte orbited the pool table considering her options, her bright hair bounced and shifted. The recollection of its silkiness slipped through Lucas’s memory, making him yearn to run his fingers through her hair and kiss her again. Taking her fourth then fifth turns, she sent two more solids cleanly into the pockets she designated. Lucas glimpsed a flash of gold on her finger and realized, with a rush of warmth, that she was still wearing the ring he’d bought for her in Sabena—in fact, wearing it proudly on her left hand, like it was a wedding band.

  As the realization lifted his hopes, Charlotte sent the cue ball ricocheting like a bullet off the far side of the table and striking a solid purple, sending it in the general direction of the middle pocket, but not quite cleanly enough to drop in.

  An outburst of lament came from Charlotte’s supporters. Bambino offered Saul a high five.

  Saul now had his opening.

  Takin
g over, Saul started sinking balls, one ball after the next, much the way Charlotte had. His supporters cheered him on. Lucas watched Bambino lick one end of the twenty-dollar bill he’d produced and stick it to his forehead. It was only at such times Lucas remembered how young the junior SEAL was.

  Shifting his attention back to Charlotte, Lucas could tell from her wry expression she had to suspect Saul might beat her. That didn’t seem to bother her. Her equanimity, like everything else about her, impressed him.

  She’s the one for me.

  The thought came out of nowhere, prompting Lucas to put his glass down before he dropped it. No, no. She couldn’t be. He had just prayed that she would give up her career in order to stay with him.

  But what if that prayer had been a selfish one?

  He sank back onto the stool, thinking. The reason he loved Charlotte was exactly because of her complexity. She amazed him! What right did he have to expect her to change her plans for him—she shouldn’t have to. She was meant to do incredible things with her life, to channel her energy into making the world a better place, in precisely the way he had been called to do.

  As the one who loved her, his job was to support her in every way possible. Could he do that? Could he cope with having a girlfriend whom he saw only a few times a year? He was a Navy SEAL—of course, he could. The sacrifice would be well worth it if they could be a couple—if not always physically together, then emotionally and spiritually.

  A unison sound of lament drew his gaze back to the table where Saul had just flubbed up, giving Charlotte the opportunity to still beat him. Bambino took the twenty-dollar bill off his forehead. Glimpsing the table, Lucas saw that Saul and Charlotte had two balls left apiece.

  Charlotte stepped back up to the table with a determined grin. Indicating the far-left pocket, she leaned way over the table and banked a red solid off the long side, sending it smoothly on its journey into the corner pocket.

  “Ho, ho, ho!” Theo celebrated his impending victory.