Author: Nancy
Disclaimer: JAG and characters do not belong to me. This is for
entertainment only.
Classification: PG- 13
Category: Category: Harm, Mac, Drama
Beta Reader: Carolyn
Summary: Harm becomes involved in an investigation of an alleged rape
in a small southern town. Warning some language and scenes depicted are violent.
PART 3
The Admiral and Bud left Harm's hospital room, consumed with thoughts of retribution for their friend and the young Marine. They entered the waiting area where a man, neatly dressed in a three piece suit and talking with police and FBI officials, called out to them.
"Mr. Webb?" Bud was surprised to see the 'state department' official. "What are you doing here?"
"When the FBI was notified, we picked up on it at our office. How's Rabb?" He looked from the Admiral to Bud. When he didn't receive an answer right away, his expression took on a look of shock. "He's not...dead?"
The Admiral frowned, "No, thank God, but there are worse things than death."
Webb nodded in understanding. He had reviewed the crime scene photos and other evidence with the sheriff's department and FBI. "Well, let's go."
"Go where?" The Admiral raised his eyebrows.
"Let's go see the SOB's who did this. They have been taken to the jail." Webb responded tersely.
"Are the FBI coming?" Bud looked around at the other suited men in the waiting area.
"Hell, no!" The Admiral and Webb replied simultaneously. "Those guys don't know if they're washing or hanging out." The Admiral muttered under his breath.
**************
A young pregnant girl peaked into the hospital room catching Mac's eye. "Can I help you?"
"I just wanted to check on Commander Rabb. He ate at the cafe where I work. He was real nice to me." She frowned sadly as she saw the handsome naval officer in the bed. "Miss Ruth sent him some cookies she made...Is he going to be all right?"
"Yes, he's just sleeping." Mac smiled at the concern the girl had for Harm. Mac knew that Harm always treated anyone whom he considered to be an underdog with compassion and understanding. He, no doubt, had made a friend while he was here.
"I told him about Carly Sue. He was going to find out who killed her. It wasn't that Marine." Patti said firmly.
"Patti, do you know who killed Carly Sue?" Mac felt that the girl wanted to share more.
"No, I wish I did. I would have told the Commander and maybe this wouldn't have happened." She sounded remorseful.
"Patti, you think this happened because of something you said or did." Mac clarified.
"I think Earl and his boys did it because they thought that Marine hurt Carly. In his own sick way, I think Earl cared about Carly, so he took it out on that Marine and the Commander. I'm sorry the Commander got hurt by all of this. Tell him I came by." Patti slowly laid a tin of cookies on the bedside table and exited.
Harm began to stir in bed. He opened his eyes immediately, scanning the room until he found Mac and then relaxed.
"Hey sailor, someone brought you some cookies." Mac said gently pleased that he seemed calm.
"Patti?"
"Pregnant?"
"Yea, she's a waitress at the cafe. She knew Carly Sue." Harm tried to sit up only to find that he didn't have the strength.
"What do you think you're trying to do?" Mac stood up ready to intervene should he attempt to get out of bed.
"I need to get out of here. I need to find out who killed Carly Sue." He tried again to push himself up only to fall back grimacing in pain.
"Harm, the Admiral and Bud have things under control. You are going to be transferred back to Washington as soon as the Medivac arrives." Mac explained soothingly.
"No! I need to stay. I've got to find whoever did this!" Harm became agitated.
"Commander! Stand down!" The Admiral walked into the room. "You and the Colonel will be leaving for Washington very shortly. The Medivac has just arrived."
"Sir, I'll be all right. I need to find them." Harm pleaded.
"Harm...you are in no shape to complete this investigation." The Admiral spoke firmly but gently. "Let it go for now. Lt. Roberts, Webb and I will handle it from here. You can help nail their asses to the wall when they go to court. If there is anything left of them." The Admiral spoke with more conviction. Besides, the press had already begun to descend upon the town in herds. He needed to get Harm away as soon as possible.
Harm turned away, frustrated that he could do nothing. Like before, he could do nothing. Mac reached out to touch his hand only to have him jerk it away.
Her look of concern matched the Admiral's.
"The Medivac team is here. Mac and you are headed for Bethesda. I'll call and keep you informed." The Admiral responded, knowing that if he were where Harm was, he would feel the same.
**********
Over the next few hours TV and other media camped out in the streets of Boliver. Speculation about the murders flurried. Carly Sue's murder by a black Marine led to a racial retaliation by the Klan. This was going to be the O.J. murder trial of the year. The Admiral turned off the TV in the sheriff's office. 'Thank God, I got Harm away from all of this. It was a damn circus.' He thought and then sighed. "So far all the evidence seems to imply that Williams did attack the girl."
"But Sir, the Commander was adamant that Williams was innocent." Bud replied.
"Bud, I know Earl Rayborn is not my ideal of a witness, but the girl identified Williams to the sheriff and there was her blood on his clothes. Williams isn't here to give us his side. I'm afraid the best we can do is go after Rayborn and the scum that murdered Williams and assaulted the Commander." The Admiral responded.
"But the Commander..." Bud started.
"The Commander is going to need to let this go and get well!" The Admiral snapped. Deep inside he knew that Harm would not let it go, and he was going to have to deal with a very upset officer.
The sheriff walked in hearing the last of the conversation added, "People like Earl Rayborn and his bunch live and feed off hate. It's time to get his kind out of this town and make him pay for what he did."
Webb followed the sheriff, noting the tension in the room, hesitantly he began to give his report, "The autopsy report is back on Carly Sue Speed. She was pregnant, probably around three to four months. Tissue samples have ruled out that Rayborn is the father."
"That's one less piece of hell that girl had to endure." The Admiral muttered. "Any ideas who the father was?"
"We questioned her friends. No one knows." The sheriff replied.
"By the way, it wasn't Williams either." Webb added.
Deputies Lewis and Smith arrived with two FBI agents, "We found this in the woods behind Rayborn's house." Before them were a blooded white robe and a hood, as well as a shotgun. The butt of the shot gun also had blood on it.
"We're taking this straight to the FBI lab in Atlanta to have it analyzed. But no doubt it's Rabb's blood and Rayborn's fingerprints will be all over it." One of the agents explained.
Webb, the Admiral and Bud exchanged angry looks after being reminded of the magnitude of the offense.
"The District Attorney from Jackson plans to prosecute." Webb added.
"With this they should be ready for trial soon." The Admiral commented. "Let's go back to DC"
**********
Bethesda Naval Hospital
"Commander Rabb, I'm Captain Al Milsaps. I just wanted to talk with you. Do you mind if I sit?" The older officer, wearing medical insignias, reached out to shake Harm's hand.
"You're the shrink, right?" Harm pulled himself to a sitting position grimacing in pain.
"If that's what you want to call me. I prefer to be called Al." He smiled and observed the increase in anxiety of the officer. "I'm not here to label you, if that's what concerns you."
"Well, then, why are you here?" Harm sounded perturbed.
"Whenever a sailor or soldier experiences any traumatic event that lands him here, then it's my job to help him deal with it. You've experienced a trauma no one should have to go through Commander." Al's voice was low and soothing, while at the same time he constantly observed the officer's behaviors.
"I'm in the military. I'm expected to deal with trauma. I've survived trauma, as you put it, before. I'm sure you've read my records! I don't need you!" Harm felt anger bubbling up and was not sure why.
"Yes, I read where you've had more than your share. As a pilot you knew crashing was a possibility. But as a JAG officer, did you expect to see a young marine lynched while you were bound and unable to help him?" Al spoke evenly, not allowing Harm to evade the issue.
Harm laid back into the bed and looked out the window at nothing in particular, "I'm tired, would you please leave."
"I'll stop by tomorrow." Al thought about how the wounds you can see heal much more quickly than the ones you can't. As he left the room, he almost ran into an attractive Marine Colonel. He noticed how she had appeared worried and distracted, but stopped at the door and took a deep breath and then smiled before entering the room. 'I need to talk with this Colonel.' Before leaving the unit, he asked one of the nurses to have the Colonel stop by his office before she left.
"Hey Flyboy, how are you feeling today?" Mac tried to sound upbeat.
"I'm ready to get out of here." Harm responded impatiently.
Knowing the doctors had no intention of releasing him for 4 or 5 more days, Mac elected to change the subject. "The Admiral called. They found evidence linking Rayborn to William's murder and your assault. He and Bud will be returning later this evening."
"What about Carly Sue's murder? Did they find out anymore?"
"Harm, there was no further evidence."
"So Williams will end up taking the blame for a murder he didn't commit."
"Harm all the evidence suggests he did attack her. I know you wanted to believe he didn't do it...especially after what happened."
Harm turned away frustrated. He would let Williams down if he didn't find the real murderer.
"Harm, talk to me." Mac stood next to him and gently held his hand.
"Not now," Harm swallowed, but did not pull away immediately.
"Okay, I'll wait. Whenever your ready, I'll be here." She knew he was refusing to admit to the guilt and agony he felt. If he would just talk to her!
A nurse entered and hung an IV medication and then checked his vital signs. Harm looked more fatigued than when Mac first arrived, so she decided to let him rest.
As she walked past the nurse's station, one of the nurse's gave her Al's message and directions to his office. Curious, Mac headed towards the elevators and Captain Milsaps' office.
She found herself sitting in an office, full of medical credentials and diplomas, before an older officer who reached out his hand in greeting. "Colonel Mackenzie, I'm Al Milsaps, and I know you are wondering why I asked you to come by. I'm seeing Commander Rabb. I believe you two work together?"
"Yes, we have worked together for over four years. What is it that I can do for you Captain?" Mac seemed a little skeptical.
"It is procedure for a psychiatrist to evaluate anyone who has experienced an injury due to a traumatic event. This is something the medical community at Bethesda has felt is necessary to assist sailors and soldiers to return to duty." He leaned forward over his desk.
"I don't know if I feel comfortable talking about Commander Rabb without his knowledge."
"Actually, I'm not here to get information but to ask for your help. Commander Rabb doesn't seem to be open to my help. But maybe he would take it from his friends."
"I see you have talked with my stubborn partner." Mac smiled. "How can I help him?"
"Commander Rabb could very easily experience post-traumatic stress disorder. It's been called shell shock, battle fatigue, accident neurosis, just to name a few. It affects hundreds of thousands of people who have been exposed to violent events, such as what the Commander experienced. In some cases the symptoms of PTSD disappear with time, while in others they persist for years. That is why early intervention is so important. The military has learned its lesson from Vietnam and other wars." Al explained earnestly.
"What symptoms are you talking about?"
"The symptoms of PTSD may at first seem to be part of a normal response to the overwhelming experience. Only if those symptoms persist beyond three months do we classify them as PTSD. The symptoms can be grouped in three categories: intrusive symptoms, avoidance symptoms, and symptoms of hyperarousal."
"Do you think Harm is experiencing these symptoms?" Mac looked worriedly at Al.
"I know the nurses have reported that he is having nightmares. When I met with him he seemed to vacillate between anger and detachment. I don't know how he is responding to his friends."
"He is very frustrated that he can't finish the investigation. He doesn't want to talk about what happened."
"It would not be unusual if he avoided close emotional ties with family, colleagues and friends. The person may feel numb and withdraw from family and friends. Much of the person's energies are spent suppressing the flood of emotions and thoughts of the event. He may appear to lack affection and act mechanically. Others like our war veterans, avoid accepting responsibility for others because they think they failed in ensuring the safety of people who did not survive the trauma."
"So Harm may be feeling guilty because of Williams' death."
"Exactly, and such guilt can deepen leading to depression."
"Harm has many friends who would more than be willing to help him in any way." Mac's anxiety was evident to the Captain.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to alarm you, but I've seen too many walk out of my office needing help. First things first, I haven't bailed out. But if his friends who are closest to him at least understand what may be happening and allow him time and space for intense grief and mourning, and not expect him to just 'snap out of it,' the sooner he can regain his sense of equilibrium in his life. He needs help in reestablishing a sense of safety and control. I'll try to help him accept what has happened to him by getting him to talk about what happened so he can deal with any feelings of guilt, self-blame, and rage. When he is released, if you notice any problems that you believe need to come to my attention, please call." He handed her one of his cards. "Harm does have several things in his favor. He has overcome trauma before successfully, and he does have a network of friends who care about him."
Mac stared down at the card before carefully placing it into her bag. 'Yes, he does have friends who would go to the ends of the earth for him because each friend knows he would gladly do the same.'
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