Jennifer was sitting in an interview room in the base stockade across the table from her was Lt. Chad Smith the Military defense lawyer and J. Johnson a civilian defense attorney. They were waiting for Sargent Charles Macklin who was accused of beating a female soldier almost to death.
The door opened and a young man of about 23 walked in in handcuffs. The guards sat him down next to his attorneys. Jennifer took care of the preliminaries, and started the questioning. She was working from a set of notes that one of the other attorneys took during another interview.
"You claim that you and Corporal Jasmine Ali had sex and that you went out to get some drinks, and when you got back your room was trashed and the Corporal was on the couch nearly beaten to death.
"Yes Ma'am, I left and went to the PX to get some sodas and snacks and a movie. When I got back I found my room trashed and Corporal Ali on the floor. I called for help, and suddenly I was in cuffs and under arrest," said the Sargent.
"Sargent, we found your sperm in Corporal Ali and your skin cells under her fingernails. You didn't think about using a condom Sargent? You and her have an active love life, really get after it when you have sex?" asked Jennifer.
The interview went back and forth for another hour with the Sargent's attorneys objecting. Jennifer finally called an end. Guard came in and escorted the Sargent back to his cell. Jennifer knew that she had a weak case because there was surveillance footage of him at the PX confirming that part of his story. She told the two defense attorneys that she would have the investigators look for other fingerprints.
Jennifer walked out of the stockade and got in her car. Pulled her phone and called her office. Her assistant Corporal Matthews answered the phone. She assured her that everything was quiet, but Major Johnson called, didn't leave a message. Jennifer ended the call and touched Chip's number.
"I'll be home late tonight," said Chip.
After some conversation with Jennifer expressing her displeasure.
"Chip the marathon is in two days you're an important part in my attempt. I need you home."
She listened to his explanation and signed off. Jennifer would have headed for the O-club and knock a few back; but the training and the sessions with the therapist gave her other coping methods.
She started the car and headed for the convention center to pickup her race packet. The race organizers setup a drive through system to pick up her runner pack and Jennifer was in and out in just a few minutes. She headed for the townhouse, and parked in the garage. She quietly entered thinking that Chip was planning something. But he was not there. She dropped her stuff in the living room and opened the bag that the race organizers were issuing. She dumped out the contents and found the route map and studied it. Her phone started to buss in her purse. She pulled it out and touched answer.
"Major Connolly, this is Sargent Carson I am at the hospital and Corporal Ali is awake. The Doc's say that we can ask her a few questions, ma'am."
"Don't let anyone but hospital personnel in before I get there, Sargent. And you need to look at their IDs. Do you understand?"
"Yes ma'am.
Jennifer found her shoes and grabbed her purse and keys and headed back out to the car. She looked around her car and found her spare beret so she had a cover if some superior officer gave her the stink eye. She flew through the gate barely stopping and pulled up to the hospital. On the way up to the Corporal's room she remembered Colonel Barns imploring her to let her people take care of some of the duties. "I don't need another burnout case, Major" the Colonel said to her the other day.
The elevator doors opened and she walked briskly to the Corporal's room. She held her ID badge up to the soldier standing guard. He opened the door allowing her to walk in.
The Scene was grizzly; the corporal had tubes coming out of her arms and a catheter collecting waste. The Corporal's face looked like she went in the cage with Ronda Rousey. There were all kinds of electronic monitors connected to the Corporal; most of the sound was turned off. Jennifer approached the Corporal's bedside. The Corporal did not look at her; she only stared up at the celling. Jennifer knew that she was not in condition to answer questions.
"I'll come back in the morning Corporal," said Jennifer, realizing that the Corporal did not understand her.
Jennifer walked out and spoke to the guard.
"Carson, I know that the Docs will take good care of her but I want you to be her advocate. If she wants anything within reason make sure that she get's it. I need to reemphasize; no one but hospital personnel and JAG people are allowed in the room even if the family shows up. You can call me anytime if you think you need to. Make sure that you have fresh trusted people watching around the clock, said Jennifer.
"Yes Ma'am"
After checking in at the nurse's station Jennifer left and headed home. He phone buzzed and she dug it out of her purse. "Donde Esta Chica"
"Leaving the hospital" Jennifer texted back. "That will get a rise from him," she thought.
"Explain!!" flashed on the display.
She texted back "Later when I get home,"
Jennifer pulled into the garage. She went inside and Chip was in the kitchen waiting; "Where are you injured?" asked Chip.
"I was at the hospital to interview another domestic violence victim, that is the second one in three weeks. I am fine. Sometimes I think that I can't do the job. You should have seen the young girl she was beaten to a pulp. I went there to interview her but I knew that it was a mistake," said Jennifer.
Chip pulled her into an embrace and kissed her. They went to the living room and sat among the material from the race packet. Jennifer found her numbers and the chip that she would put on her shoe.
She lay back on the couch and looked at her husband.
"You don't think I can finish," said Jennifer trying to get a rise from Chip.
Chip skipped right to exasperated, "Did you finish Law school? Did you pass the Bar? You finish whatever you want to finish. You will also do this job because you know it is important. If you talk like that you will not finish. Are you ready to be on the road for five hours?" said Chip.
"Yes, now come here and kiss me," said Jennifer.
"No, Darling I need to know that the time you spent training was not wasted," said Chip.
"I hate it when you call my bluff. Yes the time we spent training was not wasted, and I say we because you were highly involved," said Jennifer.
Chip stood and brought his wife to her feet and kissed her. "You smell great,"
"And you are weird," said Jennifer.
Jennifer wriggled out of Chip's embrace; "Are you hungry I have not had anything to eat."