“Oh, God,” Ellen gasped.
Cochrane shook his head in disbelief and led her out the door and onto the lawn. “Reckon I can’t believe it myself. What photo was he talking about? Hell’s bells, the only photo we had of Susan was in our possession at all times. No one saw it. I can’t figure this out.”
Ellen halted. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she turned and faced him. “Oh, Jim, I think I know what happened. Those teddy bear pictures you’d put out on the table, remember? They were with us in the interview room the day we spoke with Hodges? Michelson about lost it when he saw them. They were facedown so he couldn’t see what was on them. He seemed mesmerized by them, so I put a red file over them. I thought he was going to grab them and flip them over, so I hid them.”
“I’ll be damned,” Jim muttered, a scowl forming on his brow. Closing his eyes for a moment, he whispered, “Michelson must have thought Hodges had brought in the pictures he’d shot of Susan.”
Blanching, Ellen reached out, her hand on his slumping shoulder. “Even worse, I told him they were evidence. And I—oh, no—I laid the Immunity envelope over them. I’ll bet Michelson thought Hodges was not only turning the photos in, but taking immunity and turning him in to us. Oh no, Jim, what did we do?”
He sighed heavily. “I guess Michelson got nervous about our maneuvering with Hodges yesterday. He thought he was being betrayed by Hodges, and snapped. He couldn’t take the shame it would bring on his family. Not to mention torpedo his father’s Navy career along with his own. By taking his own life, he left his father’s career safe and sound, as well as his family’s honor intact.”
Cochrane shook his head. “The bartender witnessed the whole thing. Michelson told Hodges that he was going to pay for turning in his fellow officers, that he’d broken the code of silence. According to one of the paramedics who worked on him, Bassett is in critical condition but will probably live. Hodges and Michelson are DOA. I reckon the doctor will officially pronounce them dead at the dispensary.”
“How horrible,” Ellen choked out. “What about Brad Kane?”
“He’s not being charged with anything.” Cochrane grimaced. “But the stain on his soul may be deeper than the blood on his uniform.” He let out a shaky breath. “Talk about twists and turns.” Gazing down at her, Cochrane rested his hands on her shoulders. “How are you doing, gal?”
“Not very good. I’m in shock, Jim. How could all of this have happened? Did I cause it?” Ellen couldn’t stand the thought.
Cochrane watched the chaotic activity at the O Club entrance and then devoted his attention to her. “Of course you didn’t. Don’t even go there. I told Captain Allison that my duties of investigating all four officers involved in the Susan Kane case would prevent me from objectively assisting him in this multiple death investigation. The captain will evaluate the information in regards to this tragedy.” Cochrane looked up as several officers gestured for him to come over. “He’ll contact Dornier and it will be assigned to another JAG officer, not to us.”
Jim squeezed her shoulders gently. “I’ll be right back, Ellen. I need to talk with Captain Allison. He’s waving in my direction. It may take a while. Do you want to be driven back to Ops or wait here?”
“No. No, I’ll wait, Jim.”
He allowed his hands to slip from her shoulders, and turned toward the awaiting officers.
THOUGH IT SEEMED LIKE an eternity, it was only twenty minutes later when Jim rejoined her. Ellen had found a chair and sat down near the sidewalk. As he approached, she asked, “How did it go?”
“The captain wanted to know how I handled the investigation with Hodges and Michelson, and I told him what we think happened with those bear photos. We’re not in any legal hot water over it.” He tried to smile but failed. “The captain said Susan was the only decent person in this whole mess and deserved not to have her name tarnished in any way by Hodges’s or Michelson’s deaths. We’ll be going over to his office tomorrow morning to wrap up the official end of the Kane investigation with NCIS. Their PR spokesperson will put out a final media report that will protect Susan and hide this fiasco from civilian eyes. JAG and the CNO will know the whole truth about our investigation.”
“I’m so glad they’re going to keep Susan’s name out of it,” Ellen said.
Cochrane pulled her to her feet. To hell with it; he didn’t care who was looking. He smoothed her hair with his hand. “I’m sure Captain Allison will be good at his word.”
She closed her eyes for a moment. His touch was unexpected, but so desperately needed. When Ellen looked up, she saw darkness in his gaze. “How are you doing?”
He settled his hands on her upper arms. “This ranks up there with my all-time worst day. This is too much for anyone to bear, and then go back to work. We’re no longer needed here. I’m going to call Commander Dornier, explain what happened and tell him we’ll make our reports tomorrow morning. I know he’ll grant it to us under the circumstances.”
“Jim, I—I don’t want to be alone just now. C-could you—”
“How about if we go the beach? It’s a place that always calms me down.”
The tender look in his eyes was Ellen’s undoing. His face blurred before her eyes as hot tears scalded her cheeks. “That dinner can wait for another night. I’d like to go to the beach with you, too,” she whispered unsteadily.
“Stay here, gal. Don’t move.”
Sniffing, she rubbed her eyes. “I won’t.” As Ellen sat there and watched Jim move back toward the crowd of investigators, she felt numb and devastated. Susan’s death had been avenged in a way she would never have anticipated. Feeling guilty over their plan to make Hodges come clean with the truth might have had an indirect bearing on what happened. Ellen hoped her feelings of guilt would go away as she got a more rational view of what had just taken place. Right now, she was too emotionally involved to do much of anything except work through the feelings she was experiencing.
Were the chains lifted from Susan’s soul? The bear had certainly done its work on her behalf. “You can rest now,” Ellen said softly. “Just rest, Susan. We spoke up for you, and everyone knows the truth. You can rest in peace.”
Ellen looked up. Overhead, two Super Hornet combat jets flew very low, roaring above Giddings. Their thunderous passing shook and vibrated everything and everyone. Was this a synchronistic and unofficial protest roaring out against the injustice known as the code of silence? Ellen wasn’t sure, but she had to believe that it was.
CHAPTER TWENTY
ELLEN SIGHED SOFTLY. The waves came and went from a deserted part of the curving La Jolla coastline. Their movement began to soothe her. Jim had stopped off at both of their apartments to get the proper clothing for their impromptu visit to the beach. He’d placed a faded rainbow-colored quilt his mother had made for him in the car. Near La Jolla, situated north of San Diego, they stopped at a liquor store and bought a bottle of white wine. At a 7-Eleven, Ellen bought some sharp cheddar cheese, pears and crackers. Sooner or later, they’d get a tad hungry, and she didn’t want to be starving to death as they lay on their blanket watching the sunset.
Lying on her stomach, Ellen cupped her chin in her hands and watched the white-and-gray gulls skim the dark blue waters beyond the breakers. The sun was setting, the sky a pale, diluted blue above turning to light salmon and then a thin red streak where the last rays had dipped below the mighty Pacific Ocean. The sunset looked like a layer cake composed of breath-stealing colors.
Jim lay inches away from her, eyes closed, his head resting on his crossed arms. Looking at the line of his mouth, she knew he was still thinking about what had happened earlier today.
The haunting cry of the seagulls made Ellen keenly aware of the sadness she knew they both continued to feel. Turning on her side, she lifted her hand and gently smoothed the short strands of his dark hair against his skull. His lashes fluttered slightly. His mouth relaxed. Ellen continued her ministrations, understanding that right now they needed a little tende
rness and care from one another. She noticed how his navy T-shirt outlined his well-shaped chest. Jim wasn’t heavily muscled, but built like a sleek long-distance runner. On days when he could, she knew he jogged at least two or three miles, as well as worked out at a fencing salle once a week. He practiced épée, using the same type of blade as the Three Musketeers. In some ways, Jim was a throwback to the past, a hero in her eyes. There was a lean, quiet strength emanating from him, carefully hidden but powerful.
The roaring breakers spilled their foaming, bubbling life on the sloping golden sand. The salty breeze whispered across her skin. All these sounds conspired to make Ellen feel a subdued joy despite the heaviness in her heart. Sitting up, she poured the last of the Echo Canyon Vineyard chardonnay into their plastic glasses. Looking at the label of a cowboy silhouetted against the wall of a red sandstone canyon, Ellen smiled wryly. Who would have thought anyone could raise grapes in Arizona?
She was hungry to know more of Jim’s world. He’d taught her so much in just a few short weeks. Ellen hoped that some of her knowledge had transferred to him, as well.
“More wine?” she asked, setting the cup near his hands. He opened his eyes, which looked sleepy. He had to be worn-out, down to his soul. So was she. “It’s a great chardonnay. I really like it.”
Groaning, Cochrane rolled onto his side and took the proffered wine. He smiled up at her, raised the plastic cup and said, “To the purtiest gal in San Diego County…in California…why, in the whole U.S. of A….” He drank.
Ellen smiled at his toast. Running her tongue across her lower lip, she said, “This stuff is really good. How did you come to know wines so well?”
With a lazy look, Cochrane eased upward and crossed his legs, their bare feet barely touching. “My pa always made moonshine, but my ma, well, she liked the grapes. We had a patch of ’em out back. Every year she’d make about a hundred bottles of red and white wines. Everyone in the county came to her door, let me tell you. She never sold it. She gave it away to people she knew who really loved good-tasting wine. I guess I inherited her curiosity about types of grapes, the way a bottle was shaped, wine tasting and things like that.”
“You’re a man of immense curiosity,” she said, finishing the contents of her cup. Ellen put it back into the old, dilapidated picnic basket that Jim had said was given to him by his grandmother when he left for the Navy.
Shrugging, feeling the wind riffling pleasantly through his hair, Cochrane looked overhead. The sky was turning a darker blue. His mouth stretched faintly as he lowered his chin and met Ellen’s gaze. “What I’m looking at is incredible. You. I’m curious about you, too. You know so much about things I don’t.” He lifted his cup for a sip.
“I think we complement one another in an oddball but positive way,” Ellen agreed with a soft smile. The breeze blew several curls into her eyes, and she pushed them away. The sun had set, leaving the horizon striated with red and purple.
“That’s a fact. You don’t have to be a lawyer to know that.” Cochrane chuckled dryly over his own joke.
Warming to his teasing, Ellen watched as he finished his wine and placed the cup back in the basket. “I’m so glad we came here. I keep thinking that this was what Susan loved to do—come sit by the ocean and let the cares of the world slide off her shoulders, if only for a minute.”
“She needed something to lift that unbearable load she’d carried from the day she was born.” Cochrane held out his arms. “Come here, gal. Let me hold you while we watch the sky turn colors.”
Nothing had ever felt so right to Ellen. She was no longer afraid. No ripples of anxiety coursed through her. Perhaps because of the intensity of the investigation, the pressure and stress to get it solved, perhaps because of the horrible killings at the O Club, she wanted Jim’s nearness. Snuggling into his arms, her spine against his chest, she leaned back on his shoulder and closed her eyes.
“Mmm, this is perfect, Jim. Thanks for suggesting it.”
He wrapped his arms around her, and she grasped his forearms. They were thickly haired and she explored them slowly, feeling the leap of muscles wherever she touched. Quiet strength. Yes, that was what Jim Cochrane was all about. He never showed off or bragged about the power of his hands, the knowledge in his head. Ellen like that about him.
“I was just thinking to myself how quiet and strong you are,” she said. “I never did like braggarts. Neanderthals like Hodges and Michelson.”
Leaning down, Jim pressed a kiss to her curly hair. It tickled his lips and cheek. With a slight chuckle, he rested his chin lightly against her shoulder. “My ma always said I held my cards close to my chest.”
“I like your ma a lot. She’s a woman with common sense.”
“She’d like you.” He inhaled Ellen’s special fragrance—a sweet, womanly scent that made him yearn to taste her.
“Hill people are unique,” Ellen said, snuggling against him. She could feel the sandpapery texture of his cheek. Her heart fluttered with desire, and her pulse bounded erratically as he pressed a series of soft kisses from her cheek to her jawline. Then she felt him pull away and wait.
Understanding that he would do no more unless she gave him the go-ahead, Ellen sighed. “Jim?”
“What is it, gal?”
Lifting her chin, she opened her eyes. He was so close. So male. So sexy. Those dark gray eyes studied her intensely. The crashing waves seemed to muffle all other sounds, and she felt as if they were the only two people in the world.
The rich red, purple and golden hues of sunset filled the sky. The refreshing salt breeze played with her hair. “I want to love you here, now.”
There, the words were out. Ellen’s heart seemed to stop beating momentarily as she anxiously searched his face. His black pupils became huge in the gray crescents of his irises. And then his look became hooded and intense. She’d felt his arms tighten momentarily. Had she said the wrong thing? Was it too soon? Was this some kind of crazy infatuation caused by her widowhood and grief? Ellen had no answers. She only knew what her heart wanted.
“I want the same thing, gal.”
Nodding, she licked her lower lip. Instantly his eyes focused on her mouth. “Jim, this has never happened to me before, this instant attraction to a man. I didn’t come to the West Coast to have a serious relationship. It was the furthest thing from my mind. I’ve finally come to the conclusion that I wasn’t aware I was ready to begin living again after Mark’s death.” Ellen touched her heart. “Grief takes its own time. So many people think it’s over in a year, but it never is. It’s been two years since Mark left me. Somehow, unconsciously, I’ve finally laid him and our life together to rest, here in my heart. I’ll always remember what we had.”
“Rightfully so,” Cochrane murmured, listening to her husky voice. “What you had should never be forgotten. Good marriages are hard to come by, and losing the man you love is a terrible deal.”
“Yes,” Ellen whispered, giving him a sad smile. “I’m so glad you understand. I was ready for the right man to walk into my life, but completely unconscious of the fact. And never in a thousand years did I believe I’d find someone like you, Jim. I thought I’d be a widow the rest of my life, because men like Mark don’t grow on trees.”
Her body ached for Jim’s touch. His mouth…
Cochrane looked beyond her to the sea. The water was darkening now, the colors beginning to fade. After scanning the beach, he was confident they were completely alone. Returning his attention to her, he said, “I know that. Trust me, it wasn’t on my priority list to fall for another woman, either. It just sort of…blossomed.”
“Yeah,” Ellen agreed, running her fingers along his forearms to his strong wrists and then trailing them upward once more. “Are you going to be sorry if I turn around and begin to undress you?”
Chuckling, Cochrane said, “Let’s find out….”
She met his bold grin with one of her own. It was so easy to leave his embrace, turn around and kneel between his spread
legs. The sunset cast red hues across their universe. The beach was their own. She gave him a mischievous look. “I think we’re alone—at last….” In one smooth motion, she stood up. “Come on!”
He gave her a startled look. “What?”
Ellen shimmied out of her shorts and pulled off her white tank top. Dropping them, she grinned down at him. “I’m just dying to jump into the ocean. Come with me? Let’s skinny-dip!”
With a pleased chuckle, Cochrane got to his feet. As Ellen pulled off her white silk camisole and panties, he said, “Red-haired women are notorious for their spontaneity.”
Giggling, Ellen leaped away as he reached out to grab her. “I’ll keep you on your toes, Mr. Cochrane.” She watched as he pulled off his T-shirt. Indeed, he was a man who worked out. She liked what she saw.
“Hurry!” she pleaded. He responded by pushing off his shorts and then his briefs. With a wave of her hand, she dashed down the beach. The wind tugged at her hair and caressed her skin as she ran. Oh, how wonderful it felt to be free again!
With a leap, Ellen landed knee-deep in the cooling ocean. The foamy waves flowed and surged around her. Gasping, she quickly plunged forward in a dive, closing her eyes.
The thrill of the cool water gliding across her naked body made her feel more like a dolphin than a human. Moments later she felt the water on her right surge, and she turned in that direction. Jim was only a few feet away. She laughed and pushed her streaming hair back from her face. Wiping the salt water from her eyes, she stood up in the hip-deep surf, which boiled and eddied around them.
Seeing the wicked smile on Jim’s face, Ellen lunged toward him. Opening his arms, he took her full weight. At the same instant, a wave crashed down upon them.
Swallowing water, Ellen felt herself being dragged under. Instantly, Jim released her and pushed her toward the surface. Sand and grit churned around her legs for a moment, and then the tide washed it away.
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