The Captain's Lady (21 page)

Abby's mouth watered at the tantalizing smells of roast beef, potatoes, and broccoli. Huge portions of each. She was aware that the officers had to pay for their meals, unlike the enlisted, whose meals were free. Her eyes took a quick sweep around the room, in awe of the rich furnishings and overwhelmed by the eighteen officers seated around the mahogany table. She was quick to see the couch and chairs situated around the TV and knew this was where the officers gathered when not on duty. Her mind wandered while she enjoyed the delicious dinner. The chuckle beside her hooked her back into the moment.

"Slow down or you'll give yourself indigestion. Didn't Doc feed you down in sickbay?"

With a sheepish glance up at him, she peered self-consciously around the table, to see if anyone else was watching. She put her fork down and met the captain's eyes, with the twinkle of amusement sparkling in them. “Sorry, I didn't realize how hungry I was. I've been so hungry lately; frankly I'm surprised I'm not 300 pounds.” Patting her stomach she felt the warmth creep up her neck, then she averted her eyes back to her plate.

In the next instant, he squeezed her hand. “You're absolutely beautiful when you blush. Don't try and hide it. Now, back to your dinner, but eat slower."

Smiling now, she met his eyes. “Yes, Sir.” She picked up her fork again and continued to eat. Now and then Abby stole a glance up at him. Every time, he was watching her with a longing in his eyes that appeared to be closer to loss than pleasure.

Her eyes connected for an instant with Joe, sitting across from Eric. In that moment she knew that he was aware of the magic connecting her to Eric. But then, the same sadness she saw earlier in Eric's eyes appeared in Joe's. Uncertainty tightened in her stomach and tingled up her chest. Had he picked up on her feelings for Eric, or was it something more? Self-conscious, Abby offered him a tight smile and then lowered her eyes back to her plate.

After the meal, she felt a distinct distance between them that appeared to be filled with a cool sadness. He ushered her out and returned her to sickbay, then helped her settle on the edge of the bed, his hand guiding her with a strong possessiveness.

His poise and professional distance, as he leaned back beside her, seemed to have increased. Something was up. Probably he was about to break some bad news, something like
I don't think things could work out between us
. Not that there'd been that kind of talk, but she'd seen the way he looked at her.

Eric took in a breath and let it out slowly. She'd come to realize this meant he was thinking, and was not happy about those thoughts. Then he said, “Abby, I've made a decision. The end of the week you'll be going to the Navy Hospital in Bahrain."

She hadn't expected that. If she had been sucker-punched it would have hurt less. Lowering her head before he could see the tears, she sucked in a breath to help control her emotions. This all too familiar and unwelcome wrenching in her stomach reminded her of all the painful rejections she suffered repeatedly growing up.

He cursed softly under his breath then moved off the bed and squatted down in front of her. He reached out and grasped both her hands in a tender secure hold. “Abby, please look at me.” There was tenderness in his words as he moved closer to her.

She gave him a weak, teary-eyed smile, though she was still unable to speak as the despair rose up, choking off her words.

"I'll make sure you're protected; you'll be safe, I promise you, but in the meantime, please don't despair. I need to get you off this ship, and not just for your own safety and the baby's. There's stuff going on right now that wouldn't be good for you to be around."

Knitting her brows together, a surge of warmth climbed in her face. “What aren't you telling me? Please, whatever it is just tell me; it can't be worse than what I'm imagining. Not knowing is driving me crazy. Eric, please tell me what's going on."

He held her hands and massaged them with his thumbs in slow firm circles, seeking out those shimmering, vivid blue eyes. “You need to focus on you and the baby right now. What's going on here is nothing for you to worry about."

A cold ache bubbled inside. Why wouldn't he tell her? She allowed the question to float through her mind, and then questioned him with her eyes, trying to read his body language ... anything ... in a desperate attempt to pick up any clue. It was in that moment she vowed to herself that she would find out. The end of the week was not for three more days and whether he liked it or not, she was going to find out what was going on.

Without another word he stood up and gave a final squeeze of her hands before wishing her a good night. As he kissed her on the cheek, Abby felt her pain lessen as the anger began to melt away.

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Chapter Twenty-Five

"Captain Hamilton, I've heard great things about you.” The young JAG officer assigned to investigate the accusation stood before him with a vivid smile and a beautiful set of white teeth.

Joe and Eric were both stunned speechless. For some reason, they'd expected a man, and Eric could honestly say that the fact they sent a woman to investigate the accusation against him bothered him more than he could fathom.

"Commander Joan Foxworth, from Langley, Virginia."

"You don't look old enough to be a commander."

Joe rolled his eyes at Eric's inappropriate remark.

Smiling in good humor, she replied, “Thank you, Sir, I'll take that as a compliment, but I assure you, I am old enough."

Her reply brought a wry smile and a shake of his head. “Have a seat.” With a motion of his hand, he indicated the empty chair across the desk, beside Joe.

"Thank you, Sir."

"Enough with the formality. I presume Joe has filled you in on what he's come up with."

Looking over at Joe, she nodded with a chaste smile pasted on her face. “Yes, but I would like to get your official statement, sir, if you don't mind."

The professionalism in her tone surprised Eric. He gave a subtle tilt of his head in a nod of acquiescence.

Pulling a file out of the black leather briefcase, she opened it and rifled through the pages while balancing it on her lap. “I have reviewed Gail Carruthers’ statement, along with the statements of the three women: a Petty Officer Jennifer Hampton, Seaman Apprentice Brandy Sanford, and Seaman Cassie Hodges. I've also read your statement, Sir, and I have to say that there does appear to be malice on the part of Gail Carruthers. Can you tell me why you believe she would accuse you of such a thing?"

For the first time he found himself at a loss for words. He clasped his hands together, and then, leaning forward on his desk, said, “Commander, frankly I'm baffled as to why anyone would stoop to something so conniving and downright dishonest. There was always something about her that bothered me, but I can tell you I've never behaved inappropriately to her or any of the female crew on my ship. Let me be candid with you, Commander; my feelings regarding women in the military are simple: they don't belong. Especially on a navy ship. And this incident by Carruthers only convinces me further."

Joe openly groaned at the blatant, politically incorrect words. He covered his head with his hands.

Joan offered a polite smile. “Captain, I understand your feelings and I can assure you I will be conducting a thorough and fair investigation. First, I would like to get settled. Then, if possible, I'd like to speak to Carruthers tonight.” Standing and turning to Joe, she waited for him to escort her out.

Joe looked directly at Eric, shaking his head. Eric was no fool. The unspoken words were just an incredulous spark in his friend's eyes as he stood beside Joan. Eric would not apologize to anyone for his behavior and Joe should know it.

"I'll keep you informed, Sir.” Her reply was courteous and professional, betraying no resentment.

"I'll take you to get settled, and then to see Gail Carruthers, Commander.” Joe stood gesturing to the door, leveling a hard look once again at Eric.

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Chapter Twenty-Six

Joan sat on the couch in the guest cabin reviewing her meeting with Gail from the previous evening. The woman's hostility and defensiveness was disturbing. Right from the beginning, she whined; first about the guard, then that she could not even go pee without someone watching. Three times she carried on that they were treating her like the criminal instead of the other way around.

What was surprising was how she also accused Joan of protecting the captain, and how the navy was famous for looking after their men. After all, she had uncovered a man who abused women and they were trying to punish
her
. When Joan tried to reassure the girl that no one was punishing her and asked her again about the incident, Gail had wheeled on her, snapping out the accusation, “You don't believe me. He's going to get away with what he did to me and be free to hurt someone else."

Joan was struck by the inconsistencies in the story, and very aware of Gail's nervousness. It was indicative of a person who had something to hide. On leaving, Joan had made a mental note to get a statement from the guard in the morning.

"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive.” She whispered the words aloud while scrutinizing the paperwork. There was deception, no doubt about that. Yet she was unable to shake the feeling that what was at play here was nothing more than a cowardly act to get back at the captain for some, as yet unknown, slight. It was disturbing and Joan felt herself grimacing at the repercussions to everyone involved.

She grabbed a quick breakfast in the mess hall with the enlisted, trying to pick up on any of the feelings from the crew. One thing was clear: many of them did not like Gail. It was mainly the men. A few labeled her a troublemaker. Many were eager to gossip about the charges against the captain.

Joan ordered Gail's full record delivered to her room. She was troubled to find three other accusations of sexual misconduct against other CO's. There seemed to be a pattern here. The more Joan read, the more unnerved she became. How had something like this been overlooked? Shouldn't someone in headquarters have questioned what was going on by now?

Joan had no tolerance for this kind of behavior. She firmly believed consequences needed to be stiff for anyone found guilty of such an offence. She vowed that if, in fact, the charges against the captain turned out to be false, she would use whatever influence she had to make sure Gail's punishment was severe. Let this be an example to others.

"Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself. There's still an investigation to complete.” She said the words aloud as a reminder to remain impartial, however difficult it was becoming.

Gail's file revealed several reports of her own misconduct, and for some reason Joan had an inkling that, should she ask in depth, she'd learn of many unreported cases. She locked all the files into her briefcase and headed out to meet up with Joe and Eric. She'd scheduled a meeting with a Petty Officer Johnson and wanted to get permission to interview a woman named Abby—no rank given—who was rumored to be in sickbay when the incident occurred. She smiled, amazed at all the gossip you could pick up from the crew. They were worse than a bunch of women at a tea party.

Joan met up with Joe and the captain in the passageway outside the wardroom. After exchanging polite and required greetings, Joan followed them, making small talk and pleasantries with Joe. The captain remained elusive, as he had last night. Joe inquired if she had everything she needed. Nodding at this charming, pleasant man, she told him how much she appreciated all the cooperation the crew was giving her.

Suddenly Eric stopped. Joan nearly tripped over him and landed on her face. What the hell was going on? Everything looked normal enough. Two crewmen were scrubbing the floor.

Well, everything looked normal until one sat back on her haunches, tossing a blonde ponytail back over her shoulder. The blonde woman was very pregnant; she swiped at a lock of hair that had escaped from the elastic holding her hair back.

The captain stiffened. A nervous laugh squeezed from Joe's mouth. Joan didn't see anything funny. What was funny about a pregnant woman? More importantly, what was a pregnant woman doing on the ship? The woman shifted the scrub brush to her left hand and reached the right around to massage her lower back.

"Commander,” Joe said, garnering only half Joan's attention, “why don't we continue on?” Edging past the captain, Joe gestured for Joan to move ahead.

Eric did not turn to acknowledge them passing, but instead kept his gaze locked on Abby. There was anger in his tone when he said, “I'll meet you in my office, Commander, Lieutenant Commander."

Eric just stood there glaring at Abby. It was only then that he caught a slight motion out of the corner of his eye. Seaman Recruit Jeff Taylor had gotten to his feet. Still holding his brush, he stood at attention. Eric leveled a stern warning at the seaman, “Report to my office in one hour."

Then he focused his energy on Abby. In no mood for negotiation, he extended his hand to help her up. Smiling broadly, she placed her hand in his. “You come with me.” He tucked her hand under his arm and locked it there securely with his free hand.

Abby didn't speak a word as he took her into the now-vacant wardroom and closed the door. Directing her to a chair, he allowed her no choice as he pushed her with gentle, loving control down into it. Bending over to lock her in the chair, he leaned within inches of hers. “Just what the hell do you think you were doing?"

Not giving her a chance to reply, he continued. “Do you know that if you weren't pregnant right now, I wouldn't hesitate to put you over my knee and give your lovely bottom a couple of good whacks? For God sakes, Abby, you're about to have a baby. What are you doing scrubbing the floor, of all things, on my ship?” He was unable to suppress his growing frustration. “Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Crossing her arms and glaring right back at him, she said quite haughtily. “I was trying to help you."