Chelsea
I can barely breathe as Jackson and I watch the report about Harding.
Congressman Calvin Harding of Arizona has been found dead in his DC apartment. A concerned neighbor prompted a welfare check by the police after hearing shouting through the walls. Upon finding the congressman unresponsive, paramedics were called. Medics declared Calvin Harding dead at the scene.
The congressman’s death has been ruled a homicide. While police have yet to name a suspect, the murder happened the same day evidence emerged of Congressman Harding’s alleged affair with an unknown woman. Also reported yesterday was that the congressman’s wife filed for divorce. We’ll bring you more details as we uncover them.
My hand shakes as I turn off the TV. Harding’s dead. His wife is in Arizona filing for divorce. That has to mean Jackson and I would be first_or only_on any list of suspects, at least for a short time.
We were out of DC before noon yesterday and were on base at Fort Story last night until about nine. It would be a stretch to think we went back just for a murder, but not impossible.
“What do you think happened?” I ask Jackson.
“Hell, if I know.” He picks up his phone and makes a call. “Sorry to call on a Sunday. Have you seen the news?”
O’Reilly’s voice is silent for a moment, and then I hear him yelling through the speaker. Jackson ends the call seconds later, and he’s on his feet. “We need to move.”
I’m already up and pulling on clean clothes. “Yeah, I got that.”
Jackson races out the door, shirt in hand and phone to his ear. When I get downstairs, he says, “I have to get Captain to Caleb. I’ll meet you at Knot Corp.”
I step toward the kitchen to get my keys, but Jackson grabs my bicep, whirling me around. His lips crash against mine for just a second, and then he’s out the door. I follow when my knees are no longer wobbling.
Knot is pacing in the lobby of his building when I make it inside. Bash, Sadie, Aaron, and Birdie are already here waiting. Commander O’Reilly arrives seconds after I do, followed by Fish and Judge.
“Where’s Bennett?” the commander barks.
“On his way,” I answer.
We wait nervously in the lobby for a grim-faced Jackson. He rushes to my side but remains silent as we follow and then cram into Knot’s office. Aaron reads his boss’s face and slams the door shut a split second before Knot initiates lockdown procedures.
“We did not anticipate this, but we fucking should have. How did we not see this coming, Stone?”
The two leaders are angry at themselves. O’Reilly shakes his head. “We couldn’t have known. Nameless troops are one thing to this guy. We would have been crazy to expect him to take out a US congressman.”
“Well, he fucking did.”
Knot finally shares his focus, his dark eyes scanning the room for Jackson and me. “We submitted cropped footage to the press. No one who saw it could ID you or your location. With Harding dead, there will be an investigation. The Willard will produce security footage of the two of you.”
“Let’s work on your alibis,” O’Reilly orders. “We have proof you left DC and arrived here. What can we present for the time after that?”
“We checked onto Little Creek just after seven and left at nine-thirty,” Jackson says.
“After that, my security cameras will show us at my house until this morning.”
Commander O’Reilly nods and snaps, “Lockmore, what should we be doing?”
The former prosecutor for Judge Advocate General grasps his chin. “Given the high-profile nature of the case, the FBI, local police, and the district attorney will hold a press conference tomorrow at the latest. I would gather proof of their alibis and written statements from you two and Admiral Jameson about their connection to Harding before then. I’ll call my cousin Jasper, a JAG defender. He and the admiral can lay it all out for the investigators.”
“And that will work?” Knot asks him.
“I believe so.”
“Good. I’ll have one of my lawyers go with them as well. O’Reilly, you get the base security logs. Birdie, get the passenger manifests from the pilot. , send me your security footage.”
I waste no time, pulling out my phone to send the logs and time-stamped video to Knot and Birdie. The message won’t go through until Knot ends the lockdown, but at least the information is queued up. “Done.”
Jackson’s brow hasn’t relaxed, though we have airtight alibis. “What do we do until Judge’s cousin meets with the investigators?”
Everyone turns to stare at Judge, who would be the only one with any clue. “Do what you normally do, but make sure it’s on camera. Guilty people hide. Make sure you’re seen acting like your normal selves.”
Great. I’m fucked. But that doesn’t mean Jackson has to be. “Sirs, would it be better if Jackson and I aren’t seen together?”
The man in question whips his head around to glare at me. I stubbornly ignore him, waiting for one of the big bosses to answer. Unfortunately, O’Reilly defers to Judge, who is hardly an unbiased party. “I don’t think it’s necessary to avoid one another. I only advise spending as much time in the public arena as possible until Jasper can meet with the investigators. Speaking of which, I better excuse myself to call him.”
Judge asks permission from Knot, who nods and ends the lockdown. “Okay, here’s what I want. , you stay here or go somewhere with your team. Bennett, you either return to Little Creek or go somewhere with yours.”
“Sir, can a combination of our groups meet up later?” Jackson asks through clenched teeth.
O’Reilly purses his lips, then, “I don’t have a problem with it. Warden?”
Knot shakes his head and dismisses all of us while he and O’Reilly stick around to call Admiral Jameson.
I scurry from the room but not to hide. I wait in the hallway near the elevator and grab Jackson as he clears the corner.
“What the_!”
I trap him against the wall with my hand over his mouth. “Before you say anything, I’m not offering myself up for the good of the team. I’m being logical. My face is the one on all the cameras with Harding. Birdie checked and found no cameras in the private dining rooms, but anyone who looks deep enough will see us leaving the Willard together. If we flaunt our relationship, it’ll cast doubt on our account of the situation.”
Jackson didn’t struggle while I spoke and isn’t demanding to be released. Sensing we have an audience, I remove my hand and back away slowly. “Okay?”
My lover clears his throat and glances at his chuckling teammates. “I was just going to say your idea makes sense.”
My cheeks heat for overreacting. “Oh. Um. Well then.”
The gathered group is full-on laughing now. Cheeks still blazing, I turn toward them in time for Fish to elbow Bash. “What do you think, Laurent? Should we meet up later so these two don’t go through withdrawals?”
Bash covers his mouth to hide his smile. “I think we’d better. The usual place?”
“Sounds good.”
The current and former SEALs bump fists and head for the door. Fish grabs Jackson’s shirt on the way out, forcing him to leave, though it’s clear Jackson isn’t finished with me.
Birdie tucks her arm in mine and does the same. “Since our boss doesn’t want you going home, we’re going out.”
I groan at the thought of going shopping, so Birdie teases, “Unless you would rather stay here.”
The three of us kill the entire day, walking around and visiting the little shops near Bastien’s house, having lunch at his local deli, and shopping at the closest mall. By three, I’m ready to tap out and go back to Knot Corp.
My life is in the twilight zone right now. I mean, how else could I go from having mind-blowing sex to a national crisis to slurping a smoothie in just a matter of hours? The dichotomy is melting my brain.
Bash picks up on my glitch and suggests a change. “How about a movie?”
I laugh at the idea but ultimately agree. “Why not?”
At least in a theatre, I don’t have to be nice to anyone. I can sit and stew quietly in the dark. By the end of the action thriller, it’s almost time to meet at the SEAL bar. Birdie suggests running by her house to freshen up and put on our new outfits.
Mine is a flowy romper with a plunging halter neckline. It’s a dusty slate blue with gathered ankles and has pockets.
“Ooh, that’s pretty,” Birdie gushes when I enter the living room.
“Hmm. I like that it shows off my fit top half while hiding my hips, but I’m a little nervous at how much it emphasizes my ass.”
“Girl, that’s the best part.”
Bash keeps his opinion to himself, thankfully.
I take my car to the Taphouse, planning to spend the night in the staff dorm at Knot Corp. tonight. As I drive toward Virginia Beach, I realize for the first time I have zero anxiety about going to a social event. It’s a stunning revelation, and I have Jackson to thank. I wonder if we can find a private place where I can thank him improperly.