"That's what we're here for." Ava used the same soothing voice she'd used before, but there were a couple of things that bothered her about this case. The air force wouldn't be happy to have a civilian organization looking over their shoulder. Even the prosecutors she'd be trying to assist would probably stonewall her. Maybe that wouldn't be so much of a problem if she knew how the military worked or had any contacts there, but she didn't. And neither did the others at TLS. She had to be careful where she allocated the charity's assets, had to make sure that she didn't waste any of the money they so painstakingly raised. There were far more people needing help than they had the resources to cover. With the economic downturn, she and Skye and Sheridan had decided they could get involved only in instances of dire need or potential threat. Otherwise, they'd put themselves out of business and wouldn't be able to do anything for anyone.
But this case was a classic David versus Goliath. Always a sucker for the underdog, Ava felt tempted to accept the assignment. Maybe it was the sight of this woman wearing battle fatigues--knowing she had to compete in a uniquely male world. Or maybe it was the memory of Bella Fitzgerald, her very first client, which haunted Ava to this day....
"So you'l help me?" Kalyna clarified.
Kalyna's situation qualified under both the need and threat tenets. But Ava stil wasn't convinced The Last Stand could make a difference. Would it merely drain her time and TLS funds, resulting in no better outcome than if she hadn't jumped in? She had to be sensible, couldn't let what'd happened to Bella provoke her into taking every rape case, regardless of practical considerations.
After removing some pictures from her purse, Kalyna shoved them across the desk. "Look what he did to me."
The photographs showed Kalyna beneath harsh white lights, wearing a hospital gown. Several bruises darkened her face, her eye was swollen almost shut and she had a fat lip. At that moment, Ava saw Bella, not Kalyna--Bella in a similar environment, lying pale and lifeless beneath a sheet.
"How did you get these?"
"There are several of each in my file. I insisted the E.R. doctor give me a set. She leaned forward. "Wil you help me? Please, help me."
Ava swore, but only to herself. She couldn't say no, refused to risk letting another woman die the way Bella had. "I'l do what I can," she promised, then spoke up to counter Kalyna's immediate relief. "But you have to understand that I've never worked with anyone in the military before. I have no idea what we might encounter, but I'm sure the rules are different than I've dealt with in the past. The military is a whole other world."
"Just knowing you've got my back should keep them honest," Kalyna said. "You're always in the paper, and they're afraid of the media."
"That's how you found us?" Ava asked. "You read about us in the paper?"
"And I've heard you mentioned on the news."
That explained it. Sacramento had shut down its two air force bases years ago, and Travis was an hour's drive to the west, in Fairfield. Although Ava rarely even saw an airman, at least in uniform, she and her partners had worked some pretty high-profile cases. The publicity increased donations, as well as notoriety. But, if the air force intended to protect their captain, they'd be a formidable foe, especially if the civilian police declined to get involved.
It would all depend on the evidence, Ava decided. If she could gather enough evidence--a witness who saw Luke leave just before Kalyna called for help, proof of injuries on him that Kalyna had inflicted while defending herself, a past history of date rape or other problems-- no one could save Luke Trussell.
"Give me the spelling of his last name and anything else you know about him," she said, "right down to the color of his underwear."
Chapter 2
It wasn't a mistake. After three weeks of spending long hours being interrogated by the police or meeting with the defense attorney he'd hired--
the best civilian attorney he could find--Luke had come to the realization that the trouble Kalyna Harter had caused him wasn't going to go away without a bitter, drawn-out fight. It didn't matter that he was innocent. The Office of Special Investigations planned to prosecute, which meant he'd actually sit in a court-martial accused of raping a woman. It was so unreal, he couldn't believe it.
And he stil hadn't told his family.
Determined to get off the couch, where he'd been busy kicking himself for going home with Kalyna in the first place, he prowled around his apartment. As much as he preferred to keep his folks ignorant of his predicament, he had to call them before they heard the news from someone else. So far, he hadn't seen a report of his "crime" in the paper, but his father was retired military, and military circles were tight-knit. It was only a matter of time. Judging by the number of questions and comments he was getting on base, word was spreading fast.
With a sigh, Luke checked the clock hanging on the wall. It was after eleven on a Monday night. Too late; his parents would be in bed. But suddenly he couldn't put off contacting them any longer. He needed their support--even more than he loathed admitting that he'd gone home with Kalyna Harter. That he'd made what she was doing possible.
He wished he could speak to them face-to-face. His folks lived in San Diego--only a seven-hour drive away. He could be there by morning. But he wasn't allowed to leave town. He was lucky E. Golnick hadn't locked him up in the Solano County jail. If not for his commanding officer, she would've tried. As it was, Luke had been grounded from flying, pending resolution of the case. He currently had a desk job, which he hated.
A phone call was the best he could do. And he needed to make that call sooner rather than later. He'd put it off too long already.
Taking a deep breath, he picked up the phone and dialed.
His mother answered almost immediately. "Hello?"
"Hey, Mom."
"Luke?"
"Yeah, it's me."
"You scared me. Getting a call at this hour, I thought your sister might've caused another fender bender."
"What's Jenny doing out so late on a weeknight?"
"It's not her curfew yet. Besides, it's summer and she only went to the movies. How are you?"
His mother's genuine concern made him choke up. Frustrated by his weakness, he swiped impatiently at his watery eyes. "I've been better. Is Dad around?"
"He's here with me, watching TV. Why? Is everything okay?"
Luke swallowed hard. "Any chance you could get him on the extension? I need to speak to both of you."
He felt his mother's trepidation. "You haven't been hurt...."