Fleet Hospital. Anne Duquette Marie

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      “I already secured the area, ma’am. Captain McLowery’s off the compound.”

      “Where is he?”

      “In Solana Beach at a funeral. I had him paged, ma’am.”

      Damn, damn, damn! He better not shovel goat shit into my hut! “Get me the Executive Officer, then!”

      “The XO’s on leave, but I notified the Officer of the Deck. The OOD said the Captain’s on his way. There’s a problem, ma’am.”

      “A problem besides a dead body that shouldn’t be dead?” Puripong asked with heavy sarcasm.

      “The deceased is the Captain’s cousin, ma’am. And he doesn’t know yet. Someone’s got to tell him.” The guard’s tone said exactly whose responsibility that unpleasant task would be. “Shall I take you to the victim, ma’am?”

      Commander Puripong spoke through clenched teeth. “Lead the way.”

      CHAPTER FOUR

      Naval Fleet Hospital, Secured Compound, Expectant Area

       Day 1, early afternoon

      DANIEL PRESTON stared at the dead woman on the cot, the woman identified as the CO’s cousin. Young sailors—kids, really, pretending to be other dying patients—talked and gawked, unsure of what to do. Hell, he didn’t know what to do! He’d prayed over the dead woman, saying the Protestant prayers appropriate to the religious classification on her dog tags.

      The only person who seemed to know what actions to take was the photographer in tight jeans—Jo Marche. She’d roped off the area with a length of fresh film, using it like yellow police tape to keep away the shocked and the curious. She’d quickly taken pictures of the scene, the people present and the body itself without moving or touching anything. In the meantime, he sat there like an idiot, trying to decide how to tell the commanding officer that his cousin was dead.

      “Who’s in charge here?” Daniel heard Jo Marche ask. “Where’re the MPs? Somebody with rank?”

      “That would be me,” Daniel said. “I’ve sent for help. I hope you won’t mind giving up your film. I doubt you’ll be able to keep it.”

      “I won’t mind,” she said. To her credit, she spoke in a low hushed voice. “That’s the least of my worries. She doesn’t look much older than I am. How could anyone do this?”

      “I can’t answer that. But I will have to tell the CO his cousin is dead.”

      “She’s his cousin?” Compassion flooded her face. “That poor man!” Jo bent over and studied the small bullet hole through the vital heart area. “At least you can say she didn’t suffer. It isn’t much consolation, but it’s something.”

      To Daniel’s surprise, her hand gently brushed back a lock of hair on Selena’s cheek, then pulled away as a Filipina officer marched into the room, accompanied by a Master-at-Arms, Second Class, and a Master-at-Arms, Third Class. The officer immediately took charge.

      “I want everyone out of this room. Witnesses will muster outside the guard shack.” Puripong’s eyes took in the cordoned-off area, the photographer and the chaplain.

      “MA2, no one is to enter this room until I say otherwise. Touch nothing.”

      “Yes, ma’am,” both MAs chorused as they took their positions, rifles at the ready.

      “You two—” she gestured at Daniel and Jo “—follow me. I want your statements and I want them now!”

      However, the three weren’t able to leave the Expectant area, for Michael McLowery burst through the open canvas door, then stopped, momentarily frozen at the sight of the armed sailors beside Selena’s body. He started to approach the bed, but Jo and Daniel quickly grabbed his arms.

      “She’s…not dead, is she?”

      Daniel felt ice-cold prickles descend his spine at the question—the same question he’d heard years earlier from Michael in Hawaii, over Anna’s body. That time, he’d been unable to answer. This time, he couldn’t, either, despite Puripong’s glare that urged him to do his job. She obviously wasn’t about to tell him.

      “Yes, she is,” Jo said quietly. “I’m so sorry.”

      Michael staggered, then stared at her, his eyes wide, shocked, agonized.

      “Dear God, what happened?” he asked.

      Daniel managed to find his voice. “She was playing the part of a dying patient. I was told to enter the Expectant area, counsel her and keep her company until she…pretended to die. I came in and found her pretty much as you see her now.”

      Michael blinked again. “Who? Why?”

      “We don’t know, sir,” Puripong answered. “We haven’t gone far with our investigation yet. I’ve provided the guards with real ammunition and ordered an armed lockdown of the hospital compound. The other patients in this area are outside being questioned. And I’ve instructed the press woman here—what’s your name?”

      “Jo Marche. With an ‘e,’” Jo answered.

      Puripong whipped out her clipboard and located her name on the roster. “Yes. I ordered Ms. Marche here from the Associated Press to act as our medical photographer. The crime scene integrity must be preserved, sir. As I said, all other Expectant patients are outside being questioned by the guards. Once they’re finished interviewing witnesses, I’ve ordered the guards to dust the area for prints. They’ll be here soon, but they told me not to expect anything in this heat. As the deceased is your family, you shouldn’t be in charge of the investigation, sir, but the XO is out of town. Would you like me to head this up in your place?”

      The four of them stood in silence, Jo and Daniel still supporting Michael. Finally he straightened, stood alone and took his gaze off Selena to focus on the others.

      “Puripong, isn’t it?” Michael asked.

      “Yes, sir.”

      “I’m in charge of the investigation. You will take command of inquiries inside the compound—and report directly to me. No one, including yourself, is to leave the compound until a suspect or suspects are apprehended. You, Chaplain, will assist. You, Ms. Marche, will document.”

      “Yes, sir,” Puripong said briskly. “An autopsy will be required. We’ll need the permission of the next of kin. May I prepare the paperwork for your signature, sir?”

      Michael nodded, his face a chalky white.

      “Chaplain, he’s all yours,” Puripong ordered.

      Daniel reached awkwardly for Michael’s shoulder. “Would you like to pray with me and then say goodbye?” he asked, using words from his counseling textbooks.

      “Since she’s dead, that would be pointless, now wouldn’t it?”

      Daniel winced at the harshness in the other man’s voice.

      “You СКАЧАТЬ