Saved (22 page)

“It’s okay, Abby. Don’t worry about me. I’ve spent more nights sleeping in my chair than I can count.”

A knock shook his cabin door.

“Enter,” Eric called out as he got up, striding through the bedroom door to his office. Petey opened it, juggling a tray.

“Thanks, Petey. Just set it on the desk.”

“Will there be anything else, Captain?”

“No, that’ll be all. I’ll let you know if we need anything.”

Eric didn’t wait for Petey to leave. He carried the breakfast tray in to Abby, and she looked up with an expression that lit the entire room. If he had concerns before of how she’d feel about this baby, just watching her with Rachel erased all doubts. He’d never seen such love, which seemed as if it magically connected her, in an invisible cloud, to this baby.

Eric set her tray on the nightstand and waited for Rachel to finish nursing. “I’ll hold her while you eat,” he said. He cradled the tiny baby in his arm and he sat in the chair. He couldn’t get over how she wasn’t even the length of his wrist to his elbow. He glanced up as Abby lifted the tray to her lap and dug in to the plate of eggs. She ate her breakfast like a starving man, shoving the eggs in her mouth as if she hadn’t eaten in a week.

A knock on his door again had him call out, “It’s open.”

Larry strode in with Joe, who had a smug expression and was carrying something in his arms. Eric carried the baby out into his main cabin, and Joe stepped up and pulled back the towel to peek at her face.

“Ah, she’s beautiful,” he said.

“How is she this morning?” Larry asked as he walked past the captain.

“She’s awake and fine, eating right now.”

“I need to examine her, so I’ll be a minute.” Larry closed the door behind him.

“What did you bring?” Eric gestured to the bundle Joe had set in one of the chairs.

“Diapers Abby can use for the baby until we can get some supplies.” Joe held up a cloth square resembling a dishtowel. Then he flashed a smile. “My wife always used cloth. Thankfully, I didn’t have to change too many diapers.”

Eric was still holding the baby, feeling so much like a proud papa. He realized it was impossible not to bond with something so innocent and trusting. This was where it all began, and he wanted to protect her in a way that he had never been protected. He cleared his throat when he felt himself swimming into a mood that was too melancholy. “So, how’s the investigation coming?”

“Well, Joan, I
mean the commander, has been doing some checking into Gail’s past allegations. Actually, it’s quite interesting. It seems she filed similar charges against three former commanding officers.”

“Really, why wouldn’t I know about that before she came aboard my ship?”

Joe frowned and crossed his arms, his face showing his annoyance. “Well, when Joan spoke with them, none of the three were too happy about hearing her name. From what Joan said, no formal charges were ever laid at all, but the damage was done to these officers by the implied implication. She apparently made a lot of noise, telling everyone who would listen, you know, like the squeaky wheel, to the point that it appears everything was made to go away. But what did she get out of it?”

Joe gestured helplessly and continued. “We know happened she was given a transfer with a slight promotion after each incident, mainly to appease her and shut her up.” Joe leaned forward,
then lowered his voice. “It does appear she was questioned quite thoroughly. Although there were no witnesses to support any of her allegations, she refused to go away or be bullied by anyone.”

Eric faced the closed bedroom door and breathed in the news, wondering why this bitch was trying to destroy him. “She’s really fucking with my career and my good name. She’s going to get away with it, isn’t she?”

Joe paused for a moment, his hands loosely on his hips. “We’ll beat this. She has created so many lies that this time, we’re going to trip her up. She won’t get away with it. Remember what Petty Officer Hampton said about her planning something, only she left the room before hearing it?”

Eric looked up from where he watched Rachel and stared into something that shone in Joe’s face. His expression was hard, and he was trying to figure out a puzzle. “That’s right, and weren’t there two others who stayed in there with her?” Eric asked.

“Actually, there were three women. Mary-Jo Johnson left before Jennifer did, and from what I understand, she gave Gail quite the upbraiding. There was a Cassie Hodges and a Brandy Sanford who also stayed. Those were the names Jennifer wrote on the paper she slipped to me. Joan has spoken with both Hodges and Sanford and reviewed their statements. She’s meeting with Mary-Jo this morning.”

Eric shut his eyes as he rocked Rachel in his arms. Did he dare hope for this whole mess to
be cleared up? Bracing his elbows on the desk, he leaned forward to support himself. “That’s good news.”

Joe smiled at his friend’s relief. He leaned back and crossed his arms. “You know, Eric, I’m watching your back. Anything you need to know, I will tell you.”

“I know. But I also know your back is to the wall, too. There is a fine line. As captain and the accused, I’m under investigation, and I know you haven’t told me all the details. But I also know you will keep me in the loop so I’m not blindsided.”

Their eyes met, and they shared a mutual understanding they’d developed over the years like two brothers. At times, Eric swore they could read each other’s thoughts.

Joe cleared his throat. “Joan wants to talk to Abby.”

Eric felt the something almost blind him, and Rachel started squirming in his arms. “No,” he said through gritted teeth. “Keep her away from Abby. She just had a baby, and I don’t want anyone questioning her right now, understand?”

“No one’s going to upset her,” Joe said softly. “I understand what you’re saying, but Joan needs to talk to her. I’ll be there to make sure no lines are crossed and that Abby’s not upset.”

Sighing, Eric leaned forward again. He couldn’t explain it, but he didn’t want the details discussed with Abby, even though she knew. It was so dirty, and he didn’t want any part of this sordid nightmare to touch her.

Joe shook his head, standing his ground. “Eric, this is going to happen whether you want it to or not. Joan has an investigation to conduct. She’s been given free rein by the admiral to talk to everyone and anyone.”

Eric let out a long breath from his lungs and glanced down at Rachel. He couldn’t explain why, but he wanted to wrap both Abby and Rachel in a cocoon and protect them. He didn’t want anyone but himself to talk to Abby. After everything she’d been through, he couldn’t trust
anyone not to get curious and start asking her about Seyed, which might start her nightmares and fears up again.

“Nobody talks to her for a couple of days. The end of the week is soon enough, and I want to be there to make sure no one goes off topic and gets curious about where Abby’s been.” Eric shook his head when Joe opened his mouth to argue his point. “I won’t budge on this. Those are my terms, so work with them. I’m not flexible on this point at all.”

“Okay, I’ll talk to Joan. We’ll speak with Abby on Saturday,” Joe said. Even though they had compromised, neither was happy about the outcome. “So how is she?”

“She’s good. Abby named this little girl Rachel, and she’s beautiful.”

Joe inclined his head and took another glance at the baby. “I don’t remember you ever holding my kids.”

At that moment, the bedroom door opened. “Captain, can I see the baby? I want to take a quick look at her, as well,” Larry said.

Eric walked over and slipped the baby in Larry’s arms, and he didn’t miss Abby watching him from where she was nestled in the middle of his bed. “Everything okay with Abby?”

Larry set the baby on the end of the bed, and she started crying when he pressed a stethoscope to her heart and lungs. He rubbed the metal again. “Oh, I know it’s cold. Sorry, baby.” He rubbed it in his hand and listened again. “She sounds good. Abby’s doing fine, too. We should get them moved back to sickbay, though.”

Eric leaned in the doorway, watching Abby and her odd expression as she gazed down at Rachel and something hardened in her face. “No, leave them both here for now,” he said. Something subtly relaxed in her. Her shoulders drooped, and her face softened. “The end of the week is soon enough. Leave them be for now…unless there’s a medical reason they need to be down there,” Eric continued.

“No, they’re fine. I’ll come back later to check on them. Actually, it would be best to leave them here for now.” Larry settled a cleaned-up Rachel in Abby’s arms, then packed up his medical gear and slung the bag over his shoulder. “Call me if you need me,” he said, and he left.

“I’ll be right back,” Eric said to Abby, and he pulled the bedroom door closed as he strode across the room to where Joe lingered, waiting to talk to him. “Spit it out, whatever it is.”

“So what about Abby?”
Joe said. “When are you going to move her off the ship, and do you know where to move her yet?”

Eric let out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, I know I need to move her soon, but not until I get some things figured out first. Do you think Mary-Margaret would be willing to help get her set up? I need to get her someplace secure where she and the baby will be safe.”

“I think you know my wife well enough to know that if you didn’t ask, she’d have your hide. Just give me the word, and I’ll put a call through to her. She’ll have Abby and the baby under her wing quicker than you can say ‘jackrabbit.’ You know my wife has a soft spot for you, but she is going to wonder about Abby. What am I supposed to tell her? Who is she to you?”

“Joe…” Eric shook his head. “I got a lot hanging over my head. I need to do this for Abby so she feels safe. I promised her. That’s all you can say.”

Joe didn’t say a word as he started to turn away. “Oh, I meant to tell you that Joan’s meeting with Mary-Jo in an hour.”

“Let me know how it goes.”

“Listen, Eric, for what it’s worth, this is a great thing you’re doing for Abby.”

Long after he left, Eric watched the bedroom door, looking in to where and Abby and Rachel were sheltered, protected. It was the safest place for them to be, under his care, his watch, and no one could get to them.

“So, what time are you meeting with Mary-Jo?” Joe asked.

Joan lowered her coffee back to the table in the wardroom with a soft thud. She watched as Joe walked over to the thermos of coffee and poured himself one, turning to her with a careful, concealed expectation in his eyes. She was aware of a lot of things about Joe. First, there was the fact that he was the sexiest man—next to the captain, that is—that she’d ever seen. He was well muscled, tall, and ruggedly handsome, with a boyish mischievous grin and smile that knocked her on her ass and did all kinds of fluttery things to her heart. She loved talking to him, being around him, and she enjoyed the banter that went back and forth between them.

“Soon.
I presume you’d like to be present?” Joan asked, smiling as she took another sip of coffee.

Grinning, he lifted his coffee to take a quick sip, swallowing. “Yeah, if you don’t mind, I know this is your investigation, but I’d kind of like to be there.”

“Sure, that’s fine. Just let me lead the questions, and please don’t interrupt,” she muttered, unable to contain the smile that pulled at the corner of her mouth.

Quirking his brows, he winked, and she wondered if he was flirting with her. “Okay, thanks.” He sat right across from her.

Pushing away from the table, Joan walked over to the thermos to refill her own coffee. With her back to him, she struggled to suppress the way her body seemed to have a mind of its own, with the physical attraction she felt toward him. From the moment they met, the attraction, the chemistry had been there. He was handsome in a softer way, with a charm and charisma surrounding him, though not ruggedly, so like the captain.

Her hand was shaking when she picked up her mug, took a sip, and then walked around the other side, catching a whiff of his scent. Damn, the man didn’t even have to wear cologne to drive her half wild. She felt her cheeks heat, and then she glanced over at
him as he appeared lost in thought, scribbling notes on a piece of paper. Then he slid his chair back and picked up the phone behind him. She didn’t have a clue who he was calling.

“Listen, I need to get a call out to my wife. Can you set it up, Chief?” he asked.

Her heart plummeted right down to her toes, and her stomach felt as if it was full of lead. So he was married after all. She wondered now if she had imagined the whole thing. Maybe he was just being nice to pathetic old Joan instead of flirting. Hell, the last time she’d had a date was a few years ago, so she was definitely rusty. She sat like an old lady in the chair across from him and lowered her head, staring down at the page of notes, but she couldn’t read a damn thing.

“That would be great. I’m down in the wardroom right now. Great, thanks, Chief.” He hung up the phone and scooted his chair back over.

Married, he was married. It kept running through her mind, and she couldn’t look at him because she’d almost done something stupid, and she wasn’t ever going down that road again, chasing a married man.

“We didn’t have a chance to talk about the statement you got from the other two ladies. Did anything come from them?” Joe leaned on the table, and she could feel him watching her. She didn’t look up at him as she shook her head. Instead, she pretended to read. “Commander, is everything okay?” Joe asked, and he really did sound concerned.