Darkside (2002), page 39
“Ev?”
“What?”
“I was kidding, Ev.”
“Oh, good,” he said without thinking. He heard her laughing again. Now he felt like an idiot. A teenage idiot at that.
“I’m so damned frustrated,” he said. “With all this…stuff going on with Julie. Cops in Bancroft Hall. Having to pretend that either the mids or I give a shit about classes at this point in the year. The dant taking me aside to make threats.”
“I did talk to Jim Hall. He confirms that they can hold up a commission. He says it’s usually done with football players who can’t pass the commissioning physical, but they can do it to anyone.”
“Great,” he groaned. “And where the hell’s Julie?”
“She’s got her head down. Exams are imminent. I’d suggest we leave her alone until something definitive happens. You’re letting your imagination wear you down.”
“That’s for damned sure,” he said, running his fingers through his thinning hair. “It’s just that I feel I’m supposed to be doing something. Not just sitting here.”
“Actually,” she said, “the less you do, the safer Julie probably is. Call me tonight.”
“I will. If I don’t shoot myself first.”
“Go row your boat again. But only half as hard this time.”
It was 4:30 by the time Jim got to the marina. He saw Branner’s Bronco in the marina parking lot and he pulled in next to it. Branner was sitting out in the cockpit, letting the last of the afternoon sun warm her face. She was slouched into one of the deck chairs, hands down on the chair rails and her head thrown back. Her eyes were closed. In repose, her face looked much more feminine and a lot less severe. She sat up when she felt the boat stir as he came aboard.
“So what do you figure?” he said. “If they can’t call you, they can’t shut you down?”
“That’s an order I didn’t want to hear until I talked to you. So speak to me.”
He sat down and told her what Hays had told him about Dyle Booth and his own near miss with electrocution.
“Judas Priest! And this guy’s a midshipman?” she asked, echoing his own question.
“Remember our discussion about Boy Scouts, and how this whole place operates on trust? How they assume, going in, that they’re dealing with basically good guys?”
“But they must have tests,” she said. “Plus, there’s all this class-to-class supervision and mentoring. How can a guy like what you’re describing—”
“Hays says the mids know he’s weird, but he apparently goes around at full military throttle. You know the type: fills out the uniform, everything polished and spit-shined to the max, twenty-four-seven military bearing. ‘Gonna be a gung ho Marine, sir, yes, sir!’”
A passing seagull veered away when Jim raised his voice. “But what’s the connection to Dell?” she asked.
“Julie Markham. Remember, Hays is her ex-boyfriend. Apparently, they broke up because Julie Markham stepped out.”
“Oh shit. With this Booth dude?”
“Apparently. Some swim team trip, an away meet. I don’t have details, but the thrust of what he said was that, whatever happened, she regretted it. A lot. She subsequently shut Booth down. Booth’s not pleased.”
“And Dell?”
“Well, that’s the interesting bit. Hays said Julie Markham kind of had Dell under her wing.”
Branner’s eyes narrowed. “But she said—”
“Yeah, right. Not so, according to Mr. Hays. But Hays is running scared now, after that attempt to kill him. Plus the fact that Captain Rogers told them to shut down. And graduate.”
“Anybody ordered you to shut down?” she asked.
“I called in to see if the dant was back. His admin puke told me they’re stuck out on Route Fifty somewhere.” He looked at his watch. “They’ll be back soon, though, so whatever we’re going to do, like talk to Markham, we have to do it now.”
“They’re scared,” she said. “Yesterday, they were threatening to delay Markham’s commission if she didn’t talk. Today, they’re telling the Honor Committee they won’t graduate if they do talk?”
“The Academy is under the SecNav’s thumb. An order is an order. And I think they’ll still burn Markham, just to say that they burned somebody.”
She got up and stretched. Jim admired the view, then asked if she wanted a beer. She said no, but he went below to get himself one. Jupiter swore at Jim amiably for not letting him out of the cage. Jim banged the bottom of his cage, provoking more bad language.
When he came back topside, Branner was sitting down again. “How’s about we call that lawyer?” she said. “Markham’s not going to talk to either of us without her anyway. Get her to set up a meeting. While we still can.”
“Markham probably doesn’t understand that she’s still in danger even if they do shut the investigation down. If not from the dant, then from Booth. Because there’s more. You remember that graffiti down in the tunnels? That shark thing?”
“Yes?”
“That’s what they call this Booth guy, on the swim team. Or actually, what he calls himself. The Shark.”
She gave him a long, level look. “He’s our runner? The vampire wanna-be who likes to set traps and beat people up?”
He nodded. “They ever find that missing Goth girl?”
“Not that I know of,” she said, looking grim. “And he got Bagger, too, most likely.”
“And tried to fry Hays. Literally, this time.”
She looked across the water toward Bancroft Hall. “Man!” she said. “What kind of a monster did they let into that place?”
“A real one, if this is all true,” he said quietly. “And I’m thinking that we do have a way to make Markham talk to us after all.”
“How?”
“Dell was in her batt but not her company. She broke the chain of command if she was mentoring him outside his own company system. They could claim that if she hadn’t interfered, whatever happened to Dell might have been avoided. Indirect responsibility, but enough to negate everything she’s worked for here.”
“That’s pretty thin. You think they’d do that?”
“I think this commandant would. He’s a surface a Navy guy. Surface guys always have to blame somebody. And remember, their system is not—repeat, not—at fault here.”
“Much,” she said, shaking her head.
“Okay, so we explain this to Markham. Now she has everything to lose by keeping quiet. And maybe something to gain by coming clean to somebody—namely, us.”
She thought for a moment. “How are we going to send for either of them if the Academy is shutting down the investigation?”
“Because so far, no one’s told us that officially.”
She shook her head. “I hate these frigging games.”
“Then let’s get moving, before they do, Markham first, then Booth. And quickly.”
Ev was home, preparing to go out on the water again, when Julie finally called. “Something’s happening,” she said without preamble.
“Whoa, start at the beginning, Julie. What do you mean, ‘Something’s happening’?”
“Tommy Hays went to talk to that security officer, Mr. Hall. He told him…some stuff.”
“What stuff?”
Julie didn’t reply for a moment. He realized she had put her hand over the mouthpiece of her phone. Then she was back. “Tommy’s here with me right now. We’re down in Mitscher Hall, behind the mess hall. Tommy says he’s going to stay close to me until he hears from Mr. Hall.”
Ev shook his head. “I’m not following, Julie. What’s going on?”
“Mr. Hall told Tommy that the Academy is probably going to close down the NCIS investigation, but that they’re going to blame me for what happened to Brian—Midshipman Dell.”
Ev, bewildered, dropped into a kitchen chair. “Slow down, Julie, and let’s not do this on the phone. Can you get loose?”
“Dad, I think I should go to see Liz DeWinter.”
Well, about goddamn time, he thought. “I heartily agree,” he said. “Let me find her, tell her what’s happening. She’s probably still at the office. Call me back in five.”
He hung up and phoned Liz, who was still in the office. Keeping the explanation very short, he asked if Julie could meet with her there. Liz said fine. Ev called Julie’s cell phone and relayed the news.
“Can Tommy go with me?”
“Uh, hell, I don’t know. I guess so.”
“Because—oh shit, wait one, Dad.” He heard the phone hit the table, and then he heard Julie say, “Yes?” He waited again while she talked to someone else. He heard what sounded like some intense conversation, then Julie came back on the cell phone.
“That was the OOD’s mate. The front office says I’m to report to the commandant’s office to meet with the NCIS in thirty minutes.”
“Don’t go,” he said. “Go to Liz’s office instead.”
“But Dad—”
“Go to Liz’s office. Then get Liz to call the dant’s office and tell them you’ll meet with NCIS, but only in her office. If they insist, Liz can go back there with you, but this’ll give you time to talk to Liz, tell her what the hell’s happening.”
“Got it. I’ll call you when we get there.”
Ev hung up, thought about driving over to Liz’s office, then went to find the scotch instead.
Jim and Branner were getting into her Bronco when her cell phone rang. She looked at Jim, who gestured for her to hand it over. He clicked it open and answered. It was Liz DeWinter.
“Mr. Hall. Did I misdial? I was looking for Agent Branner.”
“Stand by one,” was all he said, and then moved closer to Branner so that she could talk and he could listen in.
“Yes, Ms. DeWinter,” Branner said.
“Julie Markham’s on her way to my office. I understand you want to talk to her?”
“Yes, we do. But we’re supposed to meet with her in Bancroft Hall. I was just going to call you.”
“Sure you were. Well, look, Agent Branner, why not make this easy for everyone—you come over here to my office.”
Jim nodded forcefully. “Okay,” she said. “That works. Mr. Hall and I will be right over.”
“Why Mr. Hall? What’s he got to do with this?”
“Is Midshipman Markham still your client?” Branner asked.
“Yes, of course. She never stopped being my client. And now I hear the Academy may not let her graduate.”
Jim motioned for Branner to give him the phone. “Liz?” he said. “Jim Hall. Let’s not do this on the phone. We need to talk to Markham, and time is of the essence. Is she there yet?”
“No, but she’s on her way over right now. Her ex-boyfriend is with her.”
“Hays? Good. And may I ask a favor? Don’t take any more phone calls, okay? And when Markham gets there, tell her we’re coming in to talk about Dyle Booth.”
“About what?”
“He’s a mid. We think he may have killed Brian Dell.”
“Whoa,” Liz said. “WTF?”
“Hold that thought, and, remember, don’t take any more calls. We’re on our way.”
Branner drove her Bronco, but Jim decided to take his truck. Both of them had turned off their cell phones to avoid inconvenient messages, but Jim had failed to turn off the police radio in his truck. The chief’s voice came up on the net as they rounded State Circle and turned down toward Liz’s office.
“Shit,” Jim murmured, picking up the mike.
“Hey, boss, the dant’s office is looking for you. And Special Agent Branner, too, apparently.”
“What’s the message, Chief?”
“ET call home?” Bustamente said.
“Got it, Chief, thanks. I take it the dant’s back in the Yard?”
“His admin guy didn’t say, but he did say the Man wants to see you, and now’d be really nice.”
“Roger that,” Jim said. “If anyone asks, you’re still looking for me.”
“Whassup?” the chief asked.
“What you don’t know right now can’t hurt you, Chief.”
“Heard that. Standing by.”
Jim thought about what to do while he waited for Branner to park. When the commandant wanted to see someone, he meant it literally, as in standing tall in his office. He suddenly didn’t feel right about having asked the chief to lie for him, so he fired up his cell phone and called the commandant’s office. He told them he was stuck out on Route 50, but that he’d had a message to call in. He was put on hold. He pulled in behind Branner, who came over to the window.
“I’m on disciplinary hold with the dant’s office,” Jim whispered after a minute had passed. Branner rolled her eyes and used her cell phone to check her voice mail.
“Mr. Hall,” came the commandant’s voice.
“Yes, sir,” Jim replied, straightening in his seat out of habit. Branner closed her phone and leaned in to listen.
“Where is Special Agent Branner?”
“Don’t know, sir,” Jim said. “I’ve been trying to raise her myself.”
“We have some new guidance in that matter you’ve been investigating. I won’t go into details over an open line, other than to say we have a SecNav determination in the matter. Branner’s people have also been informed.”
“Yes, sir, copy that. Do you have new instructions for me, sir?”
“Exactly, Mr. Hall. Back out, write up a report, print a single copy, and give that to me and the source file to Pren. Tonight, if you please.”
“I can do that, sir,” Jim said. “I’ve been keeping a running file. Are there any accountability issues remaining?”
The dant hesitated. “Just one, Mr. Hall. We’re going to address that via the Brigade Honor Committee. I understand you already approached the board regarding the individual in question.”
“Yes, sir, but that was not productive.”
“So Captain Rogers informs me. I think I can remedy that. Get me that report as soon as possible, Mr. Hall.”
“Aye aye, sir,” Jim said. “And that other matter? The tunnel matter?”
“We don’t need any more problems on our plate just now, Mr. Hall. The SecNav made that abundantly clear. In our view, the tunnel matter should go away in two weeks, right? Thank you.”
The circuit went down. A city cop appeared alongside in a cruiser and waved them out of the reserved parking spaces. Branner flashed her NCIS credentials at him and he nodded and drove off.
“Well, there it is,” he said. “We’ve been officially backed out.”
“You have,” she said. “I haven’t.”
“No messages?”
“Lots of messages,” she said. “But they all say the same thing: Call Harry Chang. No instructions, and nothing from the Academy directly.”
“Then we can still go meet with Markham.”
“I can. The question is, can you?”
He chewed on his lower lip. The Executive Department, at Branner’s request, had summoned Markham to a meeting in Bancroft Hall. Except she wasn’t going to show. Jim wondered if that fact would percolate up to the dant’s office at this hour. Was the left hand talking to the right hand? If he went with Branner, he’d be disobeying a direct order, which might cost him his job. On the other hand, the Academy appeared to be ready to come down on Markham. If Markham knew the truth about the Dell incident, this was no time to sweat the small stuff. Branner was watching him carefully.
“I’ll go. I think they’re going to railroad Markham. Not fair.”
“Unless she was indeed responsible,” Branner said. “Then you’re falling on your sword for nothing.”
“Shit happens,” he said.
She smiled at him and nodded. “Good call,” she said. “Maybe there’s hope for you after all.”
“Up yours, Branner.”
“In your dreams, cowboy.”
Hey. A little bird just whispered in my ear. Actually, it was a little E-mail intercept out of the deputy dant’s office. Someone’s been running her mouth. And now my name’s come up? The ghost of little Brian Dell getting ready to cause me trouble? I don’t think so. I think I have the cure for that shit. Everyone forgetting the video? On which you are absolutely the star? Which I can have out on the World Wide Web in a New York flash?
You think that I’ll just stand around if they corner me? Think I’ll just break down and cry, ask for forgiveness, tell them I’m a victim, too? Bullshit. I’ll take some di-rect and immediate effective action. I’ll take prisoners and I’ll execute their asses. I’ll take the high ground and tell the whole fucking Brigade what I think of them. And then, if I have to, I’ll show them all what a real man’s made of when his back’s to the wall. And I’ll do it in front of God and everybody. And you, too.
You said you wanted to go for a ride. Nobody forced you. You said you needed a rush, some thrills to make up for your oh-so-boring, so perfectly straight life. You came on to me, remember? We had a deal. So tell me you’re not going to try to stick it to me, not this late in our dark little game. Because, as we both know, I can stick it to you a whole lot worse than you can stick it to me.
Julie, baby: You bored?
They found Liz, Julie Markham, and Tommy Hays waiting for them in Liz’s darkly paneled conference room. They all sat down, and then Liz began to establish some ground rules. Branner waved her off. “We have more serious issues to talk about right now. Midshipman Markham, I’m still Special Agent Branner, and I have some questions for you about Midshipman Dyle Booth.”
At the mention of Booth’s name, Julie Markham’s face paled visibly. She looked sideways at Hays for a moment, as if to ask, How could you? Then Liz jumped in. “First, I need to know the background on all this,” she said. “They just got here, and I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Mr. Hays,” Jim said. “Tell Ms. DeWinter and Agent Branner what you told me about Dyle Booth.”
“No, don’t,” Julie told Hays. “Don’t say anything at all. We don’t have to say anything, do we, Liz?”
