Decker's Dilemma (11 page)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

1540, Saturday, January 18

An intense tropical rainstorm blew through Luzon midday Saturday, and the remnants, heavy skies and a light drizzle, lingered through the late afternoon as Decker and Hack sat in Cal Jam drinking San Miguels and plotting their next course of action. After a flurry of conversation, Decker turned to gaze out the window and Hack watched the customers come and go from the bar. After a few moments, the silence was more than Hack could take. “What are you thinking about?”

“Vega. I haven't seen her since the shooting. She said she wanted to talk. I think she's avoiding me.”

“Maybe she's been busy. I'm sure her job keeps her going at all hours of the day and night. She'll touch base soon.”

Decker sipped his beer. “Maybe. I know I'll run into her eventually. This place is too small not to.” He lifted the bottle from the table and paused before taking another drink. “Did you ever ask Lee if she could print
Harvey
requisitions?”

“I mentioned it,” said Hack.

“What'd she say?”

“Nothing. She just laughed.”

“I'll take that as a no,” said Decker. “We have no choice but to go back in.”

“Back in where?” Hack's face clouded.

Decker shifted in his chair to face Hack. “We need copies of recent requisition lists.”

“I thought we were trying to find out what was written on the note Chief had when he left the library?”

“We are, but that's going to be difficult to ascertain.”

“Maybe he put it in the safe?
You
can check it this time.”

“I already did.”

“When?”

“Last night after I got off watch. It was 0400 so I had a pretty good idea no one would surprise me.”

“That's what we should've done the first time.”

“But it was more fun the way we did it.”

“Fun for
you
! You weren't the one hiding in the storeroom. Do you have any idea how close I came to getting caught?”

“I have a pretty good idea,” Decker smiled. “Hey, it was a team effort. I was lookout. A very important—I would say critical—element of any break-in.”

“And, if I remember correctly, you weren't a very good lookout. You didn't know Limpert and Chief were on board and you let the commander walk right by you without any warning.”

“My hands were tied. I had to acknowledge the captain. Navy protocol comes first.”

“You were still were a terrible lookout,” said Hack, sitting back in his chair. “So the note wasn't in the safe?”

“I found the same stuff as before. Nothing's been added.”

“Then how are we going to get recent requisition lists?

“It's Saturday, right?”

“Yeah, so…?”

“Your next duty day is Tuesday. When do you have watch?”

“Noon to 1600.”

“That's perfect,” said Decker. “You have the evening free.”

“Why is that important?”

“Limpert always works late, right?”

“I don't know if he's working, but he stays late most days. I see him about every duty night. But what's Limpert got to do with it?”

“He's our way in.”

“Way in where?”

“To the computer system,” said Decker. “We don't have access to the requisition part of the system. But Limpert has access to everything.”

“I thought you told us the other night that he doesn't know how to order parts?”

“He doesn't. Or I don't think he knows how. But that's not important. What's important is his access to the system. He's the Assistant Supply Officer. Even if he doesn't know how to order parts, he has the access to do it. I'm sure of it.”

Hack thought it over for a moment. “What do you expect me to do? Just walk up to him and ask to use his computer? He's a strange little man, but I don't think he's
that
strange.”

“You're not going to ask him. You're going to get on his computer while he's away from his office.”

“Jeez, Decker, and just how do you think I'm going to do that? Besides, I think we ought to wait until your duty day.”

“We have to do it soon. There's been one death already and one near miss. And, to be frank, I worry that what happened to Kippen could happen to me next. Or you. But I'm especially worried about me.”

“Thanks for the concern,” Hack said, with a scowl.

“I'm the one whose already been shot at,” Decker protested.

“Yeah, well, you're the one who got me mixed up in all this. And you know what? We're so focused on Chief, don't forget your involvement with Mrs. Doerr. Have you ever thought that she could be the reason someone was shooting at you?”

Decker shook his head. “I seriously doubt that. If the commander knew I was at his house, he'd be more apt to make my life miserable on the ship, not hire a trike driver to chase me around and shoot at me.”

“I still think you ought to take your own advice and steer clear of her. A beautiful woman says ‘hi' and off you go.”

Decker hated when Hack was right, but also hated admitting it. Time to change the subject.

“How'd we get on the topic of Piper Doerr?”

“Listen to you calling her by her first name. You're playing with fire, Decker.”

Decker ignored the warning. “We need to focus on the missing parts and the black market operation. The navy's obviously not pursuing it, Vega's no longer talking to me, but someone is out to get me and there's the fact that Kippen might've died because he knew too much.”

Hack flagged down a waitress and ordered another round of San Miguels. “I still don't understand how I'm going to get on Limpert's computer.”

“I'll be there to distract him.”

“Why don't
you
get on the computer and I'll be the one to distract him?”

“I have to be the one to distract him. You wouldn't be very good at it.”

“Why not? I can be as good at distracting as you. Besides, I don't know the computer system too well.”

“It can't be too difficult. You learned about it in A-school.”

“That was a few months ago. I barely remember half the stuff they taught me. Let's wait until your duty day.”

Decker shook his head. “We'd have to wait until Wednesday and I don't want to lose two days. I could be killed as soon as I walk out of here tonight.”

“What's so important about these lists? The other requisition lists didn't give us anything other than what's been ordered and when.”

“We only have four lists. If we get a few more recent ones, we may be able to find a pattern.”

“Okay, still … I don't know how I'm going to get on his computer. He's probably got some sort of password protection or something. And even if I can get one, I'm not sure I'll be able to find what we need.” He looked at Decker. “You should be the one on the computer. You know what you're looking for.”

Decker sat back in his chair and took a swig of beer. “Alright, if you insist. I'll be the computer man. You can distract him.”

Hack shot Decker a surprised glance. “Wait, that was too easy.”

“No, it's set. You agreed.”

“But how am I going to distract him?”

“It'll be easy to do,” said Decker. “I have the perfect plan.”

“That's what you said last time.”

“I've got every detail worked out. Trust me.”

Hack took a drink and wiped his mouth. “I wish you hadn't said that.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

2000, Tuesday, January 21

Decker watched as the big hand on the clock in Supply Support struck twelve. The little hand rested on the eight. “Time to go,” he said, softly. “If we wait any longer, he might leave the ship.”

“You sure this is going to work?”

“Have I ever led you astray?”

“Several times,” said Hack.

“It's a simple operation this time.”

“I've heard that before.”

“Let's run through it again,” Decker said. “We know Ensign Limpert's sitting in the Disbursing Office. I'll go visit him and ask for help.”

“What do you need help with?”

“A computer question. If he's not already logged into the system, he'll have to log on to help me.”

“I'm with you so far.”

“In five minutes, you call the quarterdeck pretending to be Suppo. Use your best Commander Doerr voice.”

“How do I do that?”

“Be confident. Act like you're in charge. That's all it takes to be an officer.”

Hack sat down in Chief's chair, swiveling back and forth, his mouth set in a worried frown. “I don't know if I can pull it off.”

“Of course you can. Ask them to pass the word for Limpert to report to the wardroom. Be quick and to the point. When Limpert leaves his office, I'll print the documents. It'll take two or three minutes at most. We'll meet at Cal Jam after work tomorrow to look at them.”

“How will I know he's on the computer? I might have them pass the word before he's logged on.”

Decker rubbed his forehead. “That's a good point. Tell you what. After I leave Supply Support, wait exactly five minutes and then walk by his office. I'll give you a signal when he's logged in.”

“What signal? I don't want him to see me standing in the passageway.”

“He won't see you. Stay forward of the office door. I'll leave it cracked open a little and say something loud enough so that you can hear.”

“What are you going to say?”

“If it's a go, I'll say ‘I'm thirsty.'”

“I'm thirsty? That's the best you've got?”

“It's a natural thing to say.”

Hack stood and paced the office deck. “I'm not sure about this. Isn't it unauthorized use of the 1MC? That's a security alert if someone finds out we're screwing around.”

“No one will know it's you and, besides, I doubt that Limpert will realize he's been had.”

“Why are you so sure about that?”

Decker shrugged. “It's his personality. He'll think about it for a few minutes and then get lost in something else, probably a computer game.”

Hack continued pacing. “I don't want to risk impersonating an officer.”

Decker walked over to Hack and put a hand on his arm to stop his pacing. “You won't be impersonating anyone. Don't even tell them you're Suppo. Just tell them you need Limpert to go to the wardroom. They'll assume you're the commander.” He took Hack by the shoulders and looked deep into his eyes. “Do it for Kippen.”

Hack removed his ball cap and ran his fingers through his hair. “Okay, I'll do it.”

Decker clapped his hands. “It'll go smoothly, my friend. No need to worry. Give me five minutes to get settled and then walk by the Disbursing Office. I'll give you the code word. All you have to do is walk back to Supply Support, make the call to the quarterdeck, and you're home free. I'll do the rest. As soon as Limpert walks out, I'll close the door behind him, print the documents, and it'll be mission accomplished.”

* * *

Hack nodded and mumbled “I'm thirsty” as Decker left the office. Exactly five minutes later, Hack walked out of Supply Support and headed forward along the starboard passageway. He rounded the mess decks and smiled, thinking to himself that he was, in fact, thirsty.

Hack turned aft and walked slowly towards the Disbursing Office along the port passageway, pausing to listen to the conversation. Nothing. He tiptoed aft a few more paces, pausing next to the barber shop, a few paces from Limpert's office. This time he heard it. Decker's unmistakable voice saying that he was thirsty.

Hack quickly passed through the mess decks again and jogged aft down the starboard side. Once in Supply Support, he grabbed the growler's handset, turned the dial to the quarterdeck, and cranked the handle, knowing he would lose his nerve if he hesitated for even a second.

“Pass the word, Ensign Limpert lay to the wardroom,” Hack snarled in his best Commander Doerr voice.

The petty officer-of-the-watch didn't skip a beat. “Yes, sir,” he said.

Hack hung up the growler and exhaled as a wave of relief rushed over him. He listened intently for the word to be passed over the intercom ten seconds later:
Ensign Limpert, lay to the wardroom.

Hack exhaled and raced out of Supply Support. He made it to the mess decks just in time to see Limpert head up the ladder to the wardroom. Hack walked over to the vending machines and decided on a coke.
Take your time,
he said to himself. He dropped his coins in the machine, pushed the button, and picked up the soft drink can from the tray. Satisfied that no one milling around the mess decks had noticed him, he made his way aft along the port passageway.

Slowing by the Disbursing Office, he put his ear to the door and closed his eyes. The relief he had felt seconds earlier instantly vanished. Fear spread through his body. He had hoped to hear the clicking of a printer in action, but, instead, it was the sound of Decker pounding on something. Decker cursing. Hack opened the door a few inches and peered inside. “What's going on?”

Decker stood over the printer on a desk along the starboard bulkhead, panic in his eyes. “The printer's jammed!”

Hack glanced forward along the passageway to the bottom of the ladder that led to the wardroom. “We don't have much time. I'm sure Limpert'll be back very soon.”

“Thanks for stating the obvious. If you see him, you've got to stall him.”

“How the hell am I going to do that?”

“Think of something.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know, just do something!”

Hack turned again towards the ladder and saw khaki pant legs and the unmistakable small feet of Limpert trudging down the ladder. Hack closed the door to the Disbursing Office and thought for second about heading aft, leaving Decker to his own devices. Instead, he headed forward to confront Limpert. They met a few feet from the office door.

“Wilson, I was called, well, I'm not sure. I thought someone wanted to see me, but I guess, you know, um, never mind.”

Hack bent over holding his stomach. “I don't feel so well, sir.”

Limpert put his arm around Hack's waist to steady him. “Are you going to, you know, throw, I mean, vomit?”

Hack shook his head. “I don't think so. Not yet. Must be something I ate.” He handed the ensign his soft drink can.

“You need, well, you should, um, go see the corpsman,” Limpert said.

“I don't think it's that bad,” Hack mumbled.

“You should, I think, you know, you should go see someone,” Limpert urged. “Let's go in my, um, I'll call to see who's the duty corpsman today. I think it's, well, I'm not sure.”

“No need for that, sir,” Hack said. “I think it's passed.” He leaned against the bulkhead opposite the Disbursing Office and wiped his forehead. “I'm not sure what happened. I just need to stand here for a couple minutes. I'm afraid if I move, it'll hit me again.”

Limpert waited until Hack collected himself and then guided him towards the office door. The Assistant Supply Officer slowly turned the knob.

“Wait,” Hack said.

But it was too late. Limpert opened the door and looked at Decker. “We need, um, can you, well, I need help.”

Decker sat in a folding chair at Limpert's computer terminal, the keyboard in his lap and his feet propped on the desk. “Hack, my boy, what's gotten into you?”

“He, um, well, I think he's, you know, sick,” Limpert said.

“I'm feeling better now, sir,” Hack said.

“He doesn't sound well to me, sir,” said Decker.

Limpert sat Hack in a chair next to Decker. “That's what I, well, we need to get him to sick bay.” He turned to Decker. “Call to see, um, have them page the duty corpsman.”

“Aye, aye, sir,” Decker smiled.

“Really, I'm feeling much better,” Hack argued. “I think it was the coke I just drank. It didn't sit well or something, but I'm better now.”

“Best not to take any chances,” Decker said.

Hack shot Decker a look that could kill. “I said I feel okay.”

“Could be something, um, well, it could be contagious,” Limpert said. “You need to see the corpsman. That's a, you know, well, that's an order.”