Read Online In the Dark by Marliss Melton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marliss Melton
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outside forces. Gabe had been accused of succumbing to paranoia and killing two innocent sailors. But Helen had been there when the incident aboard the Nor'easier came to a frightening and potentially tragic end. There was nothing innocent about the way the third sailor had wrestled an anti-tank round on his shoulder, intending to fire it into the belly of the boat.
Helen had shot him, using the gun Gabe had left at home. That shot had only slowed him down. If Gabe hadn't shot him two more times, the result would have been an inferno out at sea with massive casualties.
He deserved a medal of honor, not this.
"Listen to me. Both of you," he urged, cupping their faces to regard them one at a time. "Nothing bad is going to happen to me. This will all be over soon. It's just a big misunderstanding, and my men are working it. I'll be home before you know it."
There had once been a time when Helen preferred Gabe gone. But that was before his captivity, back when being a platoon leader was more important to him than being a husband, and he'd been more machine than man. Seeing him now, with gentle encouragement beaming in his gold-green eyes, his features taut with determination, she'd give anything to have him safely home again.
"I have a meeting with my lawyer this morning," he added. "The guys are all behind me. There's nothing to worry about."
With several more optimistic comments, he managed to summon smiles from both of them. He joked about the food being even worse than Helen's cooking. He kissed Helen lingeringly, right there with Mallory watching. Helen had just started to feel like it would all work out when two security personnel stormed angrily into the room.
"This man has not been cleared for visitation," the younger one barked, pointing an accusing finger at Dr. Shafer.
"Oh, really? I didn't know that," the doctor mildly replied.
"Out," barked the guard at Helen and Mallory.
"Jesus, Leonard, give 'em a second," the old man growled, as Helen stepped reluctantly from the circle of Gabe's arms.
She and Mallory made their way to the door, and Gabe's reassuring look was the only thing that kept their tears from gushing a second time.
"Love you, girls," he called, blowing them both a kiss.
Helen held fast to hers, clasping it close to her heart. Mallory took her hand, and together they headed back to the lonely house they'd come from.
Oceana Naval Air Base Trial Services Building
22 September ~ 08:10 EST
Jaguar's defense counsel turned out to be a lieutenant commander in her late twenties with little experience as a Judge Advocate General, or JAG. Lieutenant Commander Curew wore her brown hair in a fraying bun and had a harried look on her face that did nothing to hearten Luther or any of his teammates.
Afternoon sunshine pierced the lowered blinds in the window of the counsel chamber, making the room as warm as it was stuffy. Six SEALs edged one side of a long table, with Commander Curew sitting in the center, opposite. Hannah occupied a chair at the end, to Luther's left.
Jaguar sat immediately across from his lawyer, flanked by platoon members. Wearing his dress-white uniform, he looked nothing like the deranged POW Lovitt had made him out to be. The rows of pins above his left breast pocket indicated the vast number of missions he'd taken part in since enlisting in the Navy, eight years before becoming an officer. The resolve in Jaguar's gold-green eyes and the strain etched in his sharp-featured face sent Luther's admiration for the man up another notch.
Commander Curew worried her lower lip as she gathered her thoughts. "Don't get me wrong, gentlemen," she began, her hazel eyes troubled. "There is benefit to the fact that your testimonies are nearly identical. All of you state that the two remaining seamen jumped overboard to keep from being arrested, but without information regarding their motives, it comes down to your word against Commander Lovitt's, and frankly that's not going to be enough to win
Helen had shot him, using the gun Gabe had left at home. That shot had only slowed him down. If Gabe hadn't shot him two more times, the result would have been an inferno out at sea with massive casualties.
He deserved a medal of honor, not this.
"Listen to me. Both of you," he urged, cupping their faces to regard them one at a time. "Nothing bad is going to happen to me. This will all be over soon. It's just a big misunderstanding, and my men are working it. I'll be home before you know it."
There had once been a time when Helen preferred Gabe gone. But that was before his captivity, back when being a platoon leader was more important to him than being a husband, and he'd been more machine than man. Seeing him now, with gentle encouragement beaming in his gold-green eyes, his features taut with determination, she'd give anything to have him safely home again.
"I have a meeting with my lawyer this morning," he added. "The guys are all behind me. There's nothing to worry about."
With several more optimistic comments, he managed to summon smiles from both of them. He joked about the food being even worse than Helen's cooking. He kissed Helen lingeringly, right there with Mallory watching. Helen had just started to feel like it would all work out when two security personnel stormed angrily into the room.
"This man has not been cleared for visitation," the younger one barked, pointing an accusing finger at Dr. Shafer.
"Oh, really? I didn't know that," the doctor mildly replied.
"Out," barked the guard at Helen and Mallory.
"Jesus, Leonard, give 'em a second," the old man growled, as Helen stepped reluctantly from the circle of Gabe's arms.
She and Mallory made their way to the door, and Gabe's reassuring look was the only thing that kept their tears from gushing a second time.
"Love you, girls," he called, blowing them both a kiss.
Helen held fast to hers, clasping it close to her heart. Mallory took her hand, and together they headed back to the lonely house they'd come from.
Oceana Naval Air Base Trial Services Building
22 September ~ 08:10 EST
Jaguar's defense counsel turned out to be a lieutenant commander in her late twenties with little experience as a Judge Advocate General, or JAG. Lieutenant Commander Curew wore her brown hair in a fraying bun and had a harried look on her face that did nothing to hearten Luther or any of his teammates.
Afternoon sunshine pierced the lowered blinds in the window of the counsel chamber, making the room as warm as it was stuffy. Six SEALs edged one side of a long table, with Commander Curew sitting in the center, opposite. Hannah occupied a chair at the end, to Luther's left.
Jaguar sat immediately across from his lawyer, flanked by platoon members. Wearing his dress-white uniform, he looked nothing like the deranged POW Lovitt had made him out to be. The rows of pins above his left breast pocket indicated the vast number of missions he'd taken part in since enlisting in the Navy, eight years before becoming an officer. The resolve in Jaguar's gold-green eyes and the strain etched in his sharp-featured face sent Luther's admiration for the man up another notch.
Commander Curew worried her lower lip as she gathered her thoughts. "Don't get me wrong, gentlemen," she began, her hazel eyes troubled. "There is benefit to the fact that your testimonies are nearly identical. All of you state that the two remaining seamen jumped overboard to keep from being arrested, but without information regarding their motives, it comes down to your word against Commander Lovitt's, and frankly that's not going to be enough to win
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