TITLE:  "In the Land of 10,000 Lakes"
                 AUTHORS:  Anne R. and Pat Steiner
                 SUMMARY/SPOILERS:   Just before Halloween, someone from Harm's past makes 
a desperate call for help.  Any JAG episode may be referred to in this or any of our work.
                CLASSIFCATION/RATING:   /S/R/A       PG for mild violence and language
                 DISCLAIMER:  JAG belongs to CBS, Paramount et al.  No copyright infringement is 
intended with this work of fiction.
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ask that the work and the effort be respected.  Feedback addy is SSbpMN@aol.com.
                    NOTE:  All parts of this story and previous chapters, as well as much of our other 
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                            http://destined.to/btlarchive - {BTL H/M Fanfiction archive.}
                   **********************

"Terror in The Land of 10,000 Lakes"

JAG HQ
Mon. 28 Oct 02
 
 "Commander, telephone," Tiner called.  
 
 Harm looked up from the bank of filing cabinets where he and Harriet were attempting to 
locate a case folder.  "I'll give you five bucks to tell whoever it is I'm UA."
 
 "Sir you'd better take it."

"OK.  Maybe it's good news like I have something terminal that will get me out of court this 
afternoon.  Meanwhile Harriet you keep looking for that file.  My partner the enemy is not going 
to best me.  I want that Foster file before we reconvene.  She's not going to win on that 
precedent."
  
 "Yes sir, but sir according to her, well let's see if I have the quote right. . .uh. . .he's road kill."
 
 His only reply was a sharp glare as he hurried to the phone in his office.  "Commander Rabb 
speaking sir."
 
 "Harm oh thank god.  I've been trying to get hold of you for days.  You've got to help me.  
They're all insane here.  All of them.  And they're going to kill me."
 
 The high pitched screaming was painful to his ear and he held the phone away until it 
stopped.  "Please ma'am, calm down.  First who is this?" he tried.
 
 "Who is this?  What the hell kind of question is that?  I shared your bed for a year Harmon 
Rabb.  What do you mean who is this?"  Again the squealing forced him to take away the 
phone, and when he heard sobbing on the other end he felt like he could make himself be 
heard.
 
 "Renee, hello.  Please don't scream any more.  Now tell me, is this a social call because if so 
I've got a lot of work to do and it's not a good time."
 
 "Social my ass," she shrieked.  "Harm what part of they're going to kill me did you not 
understand.  This whole place is a mad house.  Cyrus, his brother and sister, and his mother.  
All of them loony, and I'm on to them and I'm afraid they know it.  Harm I'm scared to death 
here."
 
 "Are you and Cyrus having difficulty? Renee if it's that bad, leave," he frowned, trying to be 
reasonable with her, one eye on the clock knowing he had an appointment before court.  "If 
you're having problems, get on a plane and get out of there.  You're not but a half hour's drive 
from the airport, I know remember.  Call a cab if you have to and go there, and then get on a 
plane and go home."
 
 "I am home you moron," she answered, her tone sharp but more mollified. "Remember.  My 
dad's funeral, my mom."
 
 "So OK go to her."
 
 "She's on a cruise.  Cashed out the mutual fund the insurance policy bought and took a 
thirteen week cruise to the Orient and far east or some god forsaken place.  She's only been 
gone a couple weeks."
 
 "Perfect.  You can go stay at her place while you and Cyrus work things through."
 
 "I'm not working anything through with that man. Besides she rented it out, plus it's the first 
place they'd look.  Think Rabb."  Her tone was quieter, now a cross between desperation and 
pleading.
 
 "It's hard with the headache I've gotten suddenly.  Renee why do you think they're going to kill 
you?  Not that I'm agreeing with you that it could happen."
 
 "Because I know what they've been doing all these years," she wailed.  "Please, please I'm 
begging.  I need help.  Let me come to you."
 
 "Renee if you want to come back to DC you certainly have that option," Harm told her, "but 
coming to me isn't going to happen.  Mac and I. . .well we're trying to find our way.    She and I. 
. .well just know that you were right all along and now we're making the effort."
 
 "I would say I told you so if I wasn't so scared," she whimpered.  "Then put me in a motel, 
anything."
 
 "Since when am I responsible for you anyway?" he growled.
 
 "Since you decided you weren't in love with me and left me to Cyrus.  Biggest mistake you 
ever made."
 
 "I'm not even going to touch that.  Look call a cab and go to the airport and get a plane out of 
there if things are that bad.  New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles.  You've got friends everywhere 
right?"
 
 "I had contacts not friends and I burned every one of those bridges.  Except you." Another 
sobbing wail emanated from her.  "And I have no money anyway.  He closed all my accounts.  
He doesn't allow me to have cash.  Right now I have exactly thirty-two cents to my name."  
There was a long pause and Harm was about to ask if she was still there when he heard her 
scream again,  "Oh my god they're home.  Harm I'm begging and if they know I've made this 
call they'll kill me for sure."  And with that the line went dead.

Harm sat for a long minute, replaying the conversation in his head, deep in thought and not 
hearing Mac at his door.  "OK Sailor look alive," she called.  "Your appointment is here and 
then after that you've got another one.  With me.  By the way, the Foster file is found.  I have it.  
But if you're nice I'll share."

He gave her a slight nod, not looking up from the notepad on which he was doodling.

"Obviously I'm here at a bad time," she went on, "but Tiner is swamped up there alone and he 
asked if I'd tell you Ms. Miller is here.  I did get a glimpse of her.  You'll want to keep this 
appointment."

Still he did not move and Mac made a noise of deep exasperation.  "Harm I do have a life I 
need to get on with you know."

"Huh, sorry.  Uh. . .Renee called."

A flood of ice water washed through her.  She was sure they had put behind them those 
months during the past year.  The almost-wedding, his crash, her TAD, Jagathon, all things 
negative had seemingly resolved into a new understanding that began in earnest under the 
mistletoe last Christmas.  Now to hear Renee had re-surfaced and especially to see him 
brooding over it was more than unsettling.

"Uh. . .you mean Mrs. Funeral Director?"

"That would be her.  Mac the phone call was disturbing to say the least.  She swears they're 
going to kill her.  That she knows something they would kill to keep her from revealing."

"Hmmm. . sounds to me like she's been sniffing the embalming fluid.  Flyboy you can either sit 
here and stew over the ravings of. . .well of someone who probably does wish she hadn't 
walked out of your life; or you can keep your appointment and then we have a court date."

"Yeah OK I'm going, but I can't get her call out of her mind.  This wasn't her usual hysteria like 
she would get when I couldn't make a lunch date.  She sounded beyond upset.  More like truly 
scared.  She wouldn't be the first woman to find out her new husband that she didn't know all 
that well anyway is not who he seemed."

"Would you listen to yourself," she scoffed.  "You're actually giving some credence to her.  
Look go make your appointment before the Admiral wonders why he keeps you on staff here.  
Later you can try to call her.  I'll even dial the phone for you."
   
 **************
 "You owe me dinner for that" Harm growled as they left the courtroom several 
 hours later. "Talk about showing no mercy."
 
 "You know how I am in the court room" she smiled. "But since you're so whiny 
 I will buy you dinner."
 
 "I am not whiny" he sighed.
 
 "So you are still worried about Renee then" she said quietly.
 
 "Mac if you had heard her you would know why I'm concerned. She honestly 
 sounded desperate."
 
 "Desperate to get away from the funeral home no doubt" Mac scoffed. "And 
 back to the bed of the sailor she gave up."
 
 "You really don't like her do you?"
 
 "I didn't say that."
 
 "Yeah but you're not happy she called are you?"
 
 "Look Harm that was a part of our past that I'd much rather not think about 
 anymore" Mac sighed. "When Mic and Renee were part of our lives everything 
 was messed up."
 
 "Mac I don't have any feelings for Renee anymore. And I don't want her in my 
 life again. But at the same time if she does need my help I'm not going to 
 turn my back on her."
 
 "Always the white knight aren't you?"
 
 "Mac if Mic called and needed your help would you ignore him?" he asked as 
 they walked into his office.
 
 "No I guess I wouldn't," she admitted. "So are you going to call her back?"
 
 "After that dinner you're buying me" he smiled. "Then I'll call. Likely 
 she's just had a fight with Cyrus and she thinks it's the end of the world."
 
 "Harm if you want to call her I don't mind waiting."
 
 "Let me just check my messages first," he said as he picked up the phone. 
 "If she didn't call back then I'm sure it's nothing and I'll call her 
 later."
 
 Mac nodded and waited while he listened to his messages. "Nothing" he 
 reported a moment later. "I'll call her later. She's probably worked out 
 whatever problem she was having with Cyrus."
 
 "Since I kicked your six today I'll even let you pick the dinner spot" Mac 
 smiled. "Give me five to clear my desk and then we can leave."
 
 "You need more than five to clear that desk" he teased.
 
 "Cute sailor. Comments like that will not get you any more free dinners."
 
 An hour later they were seated at a table at the Chinese restaurant near her 
 apartment.
 
 "Thanks for dinner" he said after the waitress took their order. "You don't 
 have to buy though."
 
 "I don't mind. And you can buy next time."
 
 "I will" he nodded. "We don't do this often enough you know. "
 
 "No we don't "she said softly. "But it doesn't mean we can't change that."
 
 "I hope we can. I've wanted to. It just seems like something always comes 
 up."
 
 "Like Renee calling?"
 
 "Mac she's out of my life. I'm serious. I don't want a relationship with her 
 even if she and the funeral director are splitting up. She's not the person 
 I want to spend the rest of my life with."
 
 "Is there such a person?" she teased.
 
 "Yes there is," he said softly, his eyes never leaving hers. "Sometimes it 
 just takes time for these things to work out. But I know one day it will."
 
 "You seem pretty sure of that."
 
 "I don't plan on spending the rest of my life alone Mac. I want a family--to 
 have a family like everyone else does."
 
 "I can so picture you as a Dad" she smiled.
 
 "It'll happen" he smiled as well. "Sooner than later I hope."
 
 She was about to reply when his cell phone rang and with a frown he pulled 
 it out.
 
 "Rabb"
 
 "Harm it's me" came the tearful voice on the other end. "I need your help. 
 Please."

"Renee hello.  What a. . .uh. . .surprise," he sighed.  "And please please do not start shrieking.  
I can't understand you when you do that.  Now calmly tell me what's wrong."  He leaned over 
so that Mac could hear her as well.

"OK, I'm going to be calm but you've got to promise to listen to me," she hissed.  "These 
people here that run this funeral home.  They've got a scam going that you wouldn't believe.  
Cyrus's dad started it and brought his wife in on it and then the kids. Cyrus and his brother and 
sister.  I guess they figured I'd just go right along but I can't.  I won't.  Harm Cyrus's brother 
was married before and she just up and disappeared.  Run off in the night Henry claims but I 
don't think so.  I think Judy found out what was going on and they. . ."

"Renee?  Renee can you hear me?"  There was only dead air and he gave a long sigh of 
frustration.  "OK colonel let's have your professional unbiased trained investigator opinion 
here."

"I think the woman is delusional," she declared without missing a beat.  "What I said before 
about her sniffing the embalming fluid fumes."

"Mac I asked you be serious here."

"OK OK.  Yeah she's upset.  But I doubt seriously it has anything more to it than she and 
Cyrus are having some kind of difficulty.  That and she wants you back.  And yes I know how 
that sounded and I don't mean to sound like a complete bitch but Harm. . .Harm like I told you 
before, you and I aren't the same normal people we are now.  Having other people involved 
with us makes us not. . .well for part of the time at least when Mic and Renee were around it 
was like we weren't even friends any more.  You know real friends can still be involved with 
other people and still be friends with each other."  She had plunged ahead with her little 
speech and took a deep breath when she was done.  "OK sorry, I didn't mean to hit you with all 
that.  Sticking to the problem at hand, which is Renee's hysteria."

He nodded with a squeeze of her hand.  "How would you feel about a weekend in Minnesota?"

"Near Renee?  I'd rather walk through hot coals.  Much as I wouldn't mind getting away from 
D.C.  Are you really going up there?"

"OK, in your unbiased opinion now again---if Renee was simply someone I had known but not 
been involved with, and you knew this situation, what would you recommend?"

"That you not drop everything and run up there," she answered solemnly.  "Harm you can't just 
intrude on these people's place of business and start checking up on them.  Not even on your 
own time.  And you know there's no such thing really as 'own time' when you're a JAG Officer.  
If you start nosing around and Cyrus takes exception, he could file a complaint.  Isn't your 
jacket heavy enough?  I know mine is."

He gave her a long scowl, knowing she was right.  "So your advice is ignore her?"

"Yeah it is," she nodded.  "For right now at least.  Something like this will either blow over or 
blow up.  Most of the time it's over.  And eat your vegetables--they're getting cold."
===============
Three days passed with no more phone calls from Minnesota.  Just when Harm had convinced 
himself that Mac was right--that the two calls he had were the histrionics of a woman who had 
once aspired to be an actress, the third one came in.

He was nearly asleep this time, ZNN playing quietly in the background and a case file spread 
over him on the bed when the phone rang.  "Yeah Rabb," he mumbled."

"Harm I found her."

"Are you sure you have the right number ma'am?" he asked automatically, at first not knowing 
to whom he was speaking.

"Rabb it's me," Renee hissed.  "I found her.  Her body.  Judy's body.  Ran off my ass.  And I'm 
going to be next.  Goodbye Harm." 
  
  "Renee wait" he shrieked but she was already gone. With a long sigh he hung 
  up the phone, more convinced than ever that something was wrong.  The only 
  question was what would he do about it.
  
  It didn't take him long to come to an answer and an hour later he was 
  packing a bag for a trip to Minnesota. A call to the airline had gotten him 
  booked on the last flight leaving Dulles in two hours and he was determined 
  to be on it. He wasn't sure how he would explain his absence to the Admiral 
  but he'd worry about that tomorrow.
  
  At once Mac popped into his mind and he started to reach for the phone to 
  call her before realizing she would just try and talk him out of going. And 
  in his mind he knew that he had to find Renee. She needed him and he 
  couldn't turn his back on her now. He'd call Mac tomorrow and tell her where 
  he was.
  
  ************
  JAG HQ's
  Next Morning
  
  "Colonel got a minute," AJ asked as Mac strolled through the bullpen with 
  her cup of coffee.
  
  "Of course sir" she said as she followed him back to his office. "Is 
  something wrong?"
  
  "I had a voicemail from Harm this morning" AJ frowned. "He said he needed a 
  few days leave to take care of something with Renee in Minnesota. Do you 
  know anything about this?"
  
  "I know she called him the other day" Mac sighed. "Claiming her new in-laws 
  were trying to do away with her or something bizarre like that. But I didn't 
  think he'd heard from her again and I figured he'd let it go."
  
  "Well obviously she either called or he felt compelled to go to Minnesota to 
  talk to her about whatever is going on."
  
  "She probably called him again. I figured she was just trying to find a way 
  to get Harm back into her life and I told him to wait and see if she called 
  again."
  
  "All right" AJ sighed. "I just wanted to see if you knew anything about 
  this."
  
  Mac nodded and headed out of AJ's office, her mind already trying to figure 
  out why Harm hadn't called her and told her he was going to Minnesota. Her 
  first thought was that he had talked to Renee and maybe she was leaving 
  Cyrus.  And that Harm had gone because he still had feelings for the video 
  princess.
  
  "Hey don't look so glum," Sturgis said as he passed Mac. "Can't be that 
  bad."
  
  "I don't know about that" Mac sighed as she continued to her office.
  
  "The long face have anything to do with your missing partner?" Sturgis asked 
  as he followed her in.
  
  "Why would you think that?"
  
  "Because I know you pretty well" he smiled. "So what did the big guy do this 
  time?"
  
  "He went to Minnesota to be with Renee."
  
  "Renee? You mean Mrs. Mortician's wife. The one that dumped him?"
  
  "Yep. She called the other day and was babbling hysterically about her 
  husband and his family wanting to kill her. He was ready to go then and I 
  persuaded him to wait and see if he heard from her again. I guess he did 
  because he left the Admiral a voice mail saying he'd gone up there to see
  her."
  
  "And you think he went because he wants to get together with her again don't 
  you?"
  
  "Sturgis I find it very hard to believe that her in-laws are trying to kill 
  her" Mac sighed. "I'm sure the only reason she called was because she 
  realized she let a good thing get away and she wanted another chance. And 
  obviously Harm felt he had a reason to go up there."
  
  "Mac you're jumping to conclusions."
  
  "No I'm just being logical Sturgis. He didn't even call me to tell me he was 
  going. What does that tell you?"
 
 "That there's something up he doesn't want you involved in."
 
 "Bingo."
 
 "No not for that," he scoffed.  "Mac I don't like to be telling tales out of school, but Harm would 
not go to her for any reason than one human being helping another.  And I know this because 
he and I have talked about Renee before."
 
 "Oh yeah?"
 
 "Yeah and I'm going to stop right there before I get dangerously close to breaking a 
confidence.  Just know that I don't see any way he'd feel like he wanted to pick things up with 
her.  Help her if she's in trouble yeah.  Like he's helped countless people over the years. That's 
the Rabb way."
 
 "Oh you men always stick together," she sighed, though admittedly that did make her feel 
better.  She stared at the phone and shook her head.  "I wish he'd call."
 =============
 LE SUEUR MN
 
 It was exactly 10AM when Harm pulled into the parking lot of the Kemper Mortuary and 
Crematorium, blessing his memory from the year before.  It was an older building no doubt, but 
obviously well kept up with paint and repairs.  One thing he had not noticed before was a small 
sign that pointed down a narrow gravel road, pointing the way to the 'Sleepyside Home, May 
Kemper, owner.'
 
 "Mother May," he smiled and shook his head, exiting the car slowly.  Though it was mid 
morning, the area was silent save for the calling of the birds over the lake he could see through 
the trees.  An idyllic setting with no other homes or businesses in sight.
 
 "Hello may I help you with something?"  It was a softly lilting voice that called to him and he 
turned quickly to face a petite woman, her dark hair tied in long pony-tail down her back.  With 
no makeup, in jeans and a flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up, she was nothing like the 
women he was accustomed to seeing at home.
 
 "Hi.  Yes please.  I'm looking for the Kempers.  Would you know if they're home?"
 
 "Mama would be down the road at the Home this time of morning with Renee.  Henry and 
Cyrus are no doubt in the basement processing the overnights.  I'm Leslie Kemper.  Are you in 
need of funeral services?  Or wanting to place someone in the Home?"
 
 He gave the woman whom he judged to be in her early thirties, one of his most disarming 
smiles.  "Actually I'm here to see Renee.  I'm an old friend of hers and she said if I was ever up 
this way I should look her up."
 
 "You connected with Pillsbury?"
 
 "Good grief no," he laughed easily.  "But I did notice the Le Sueur plant when I drove in from 
that direction."
 
 "Oh yeah, millions of peas run through there a year," she smiled.  "Renee is at the Home 
where she works every morning with Mama of course.  Let me give her a call and tell her to 
come up when she gets a chance."
 
 "No need," Harm smiled.  "It's right down there right?  Just as easy for me to go there."
 
 "Actually Mama doesn't like visitors except in the evenings and Sunday afternoons and she 
won't like it at all if Renee stops her work to talk."  Leslie kicked the dirt nervously at that, 
looking away from him.  
 
 "Well I'm all the way from D.C. and I won't keep Renee from her work any longer than I have 
to," he said, letting a trace of firmness creep into his voice.  "Thank you Ms. Kemper.  I'll find 
my way."

"Call me Leslie, please," she urged, eyeing Harm up and down and wondering what 
connection he could have with Renee, guessing he was associated with her film career.

"Leslie thanks," he smiled again, trotting off down the road, knowing that his arrival would be 
expected by the time he reached the front door.  

Sure enough Renee was on the porch when he arrived five minutes later, an older woman 
standing a few feet behind her.  "Renee hi," he called quickly and held up his hand hoping to 
forestall her calling him by name.  "And this lovely woman must be your mother in law May. 
Ma'am I'm David Harmon.  Renee and I go way back in the video thing she used to do."

"Mr. Harmon," May nodded.  "I'm pleased to meet you, but you've come at a bad time.  There's 
a ton of things to be done in this place and only us two to do them."

"No problem.  I can come back later and Renee and I can catch up.  Renee honey how are 
you?"  He stepped up to her and gave her a quick hug.  "Lady I haven't seen you since Dallas.  
The barbecue sauce commercial."

"That's right," she returned, finally understanding the cover which he had quickly established.  

"Mr. Harmon, please by all means join us for dinner," May urged.  "I'm afraid I'm going to have 
Renee tied up until then.  I have help that wanders in about noon for this place but until then 
it's just us."

Harm nodded and took a step back, not able to avoid staring at the blonde woman whom he 
had known so intimately for over a year.  Her blonde hair was tied in the same pony-tail as 
Leslie had employed, hanging dull and lifeless down her back.  She wore not a shred of make 
up, and her eyes were sunken, with dark circles beneath them.  More than that, her eyes bore 
a hollow look, almost vacant.

"David I'm sorry.  I wish you'd called.  I would have told you I don't get free time around here 
much.  Between the Home here and the funeral parlor I stay busy all day but I'd love to have 
you for dinner.  May puts on quite a spread."

"I'll be here," he nodded affably.

"About six Mr. Harmon."

"David please," Harm smiled again, "and I'm going to let you people get back to work then."  
He grabbed Renee for a quick hug and she put her mouth to his ear.

"I have to be careful--one of them is always watching me.  And you need to be too."

As they moved apart, May opened the door, waiting pointedly for Renee to come inside with 
her.  

"Can't wait to see you later," Renee called as the door closed.
 
  "Me neither" Harm murmured before heading back to his car. He could see 
  Leslie watching from the window and he knew something was very wrong here. 
  "Renee what did you get yourself messed up in" he said to himself as he 
  climbed into his car.
  
  He headed into town and secured a hotel room for the night. That 
  accomplished he headed into town to see what he could find out about the 
  Kemper family before he had dinner with them.
  
  An afternoon at the library had provided him with plenty of information 
  about Renee's new in-laws. It hadn't taken him long to realize that they 
  were the wealthiest family in the small town and were regarded highly by the 
  other citizens. Donations by the family had created the Kemper Library and 
  the Kemper City Park.
  
  Armed with that information he headed back to his hotel room to prepare for 
  his dinner with the family. Twice he reached for the phone to call Mac 
  before deciding he would wait. He had nothing to tell her about what was 
  going on and decided to wait until such time.
  
  At six he headed to the funeral home and with a deep breath headed to the 
  front door.
  
  "Mr. Harmon" May Kemper smiled. "Please come in."
  
  "Thank you ma'am" he smiled as well as he walked into the funeral home, his 
  eyes gazing into the viewing rooms as she walked him through the large old 
  home.
  
  "No viewings tonight" she said as she noticed him looking around. "Otherwise 
  I wouldn't have had dinner."
  
  "Of course" Harm nodded.
  
  "Our guest is here" May announced as she walked Harm into the large dining 
  room at the back of the house. "Cyrus, come and meet Mr. David Harmon."
  
  Cyrus Kemper's eyes stared intently at Harm and for a moment Harm was afraid 
  Renee had told him who he really was.
  
  "Mr. Harmon it's nice to meet you" he said finally. "Renee will be down in a 
  moment."
  
  "Nice to meet you too" Harm smiled.
  
  "So you and Renee worked together on a commercial?" Cyrus questioned.
  
  "Yeah last year" Harm lied. "Down in Dallas. A friend said she was living up 
  here and I was in the area so I thought I'd stop in and see how married life 
  was treating her. Course I probably should have called first."
  
  "David" Renee smiled as she walked into the room. Her face was still void of 
  makeup and her hair remained swept up in the ponytail. "I'm glad you could join 
  us."
  
  "I'm glad I could catch up with you" he smiled.
  
  "Dinner is ready" May announced. "Why don't we all sit down?"
  
  She reached for Harm's arm and guided him to the table. He'd wanted to sit 
  near Renee but May instead sat next to him. Leslie and another man were at 
  the table and Harm nodded to Leslie.
  
  "David this is Henry" May informed him. "And of course you met Leslie 
  earlier today."
  
  "You're an actor?" Henry asked.
  
  "Yes I am" Harm smiled. For his sake he hoped he was a good one. He hadn't 
  intended to come up with a cover story and he hoped he was pulling it off 
  without them being suspicious.
  
  "Done anything good?"
  
  "Mostly commercials" Harm replied. "I haven't gotten that big break yet."
  
  "So what brings you to Le Sueur?" Cyrus spoke up. "Surely you're not doing a 
  commercial here."
  
  "I was in Minneapolis" Harm lied. "And I knew I wasn't too far from Renee so 
  I decided to chance it and come up."
  
  "You're just in town for the night" Cyrus inquired.
  
  "Actually I has a few days to spare" Harm smiled. "Between jobs at the 
  moment. I thought Renee might be able to show me the sights of Le Sueur 
  tomorrow."
  
  "I'm sorry David" Cyrus smiled. "Unfortunately Renee will be working 
  tomorrow. We have several viewings and Mama needs help greeting the family 
  members. Maybe next time you're in town."
 
 "I don't get up here very often," Harm said slowly, his eyes on Renee.  "I'd consider it a 
personal favor if you could spare her for even just an hour."
 
 Renee fixed her gaze on him, 'I Told You So' written on her face, along with a plea for him to 
help.
 
 "I think not," May said firmly, her steely eyes boring into him.
 
 "May, we have a good number of people in common and would really like to do some catching 
up.  There wouldn't be some reason you wouldn't want Renee to talk to an old friend would 
there be?"."  Harm kept his voice calm and friendly, but had no hesitation in meeting her look.  
 
 "Other than the fact that she's a married woman and very much needed here," May returned, 
struggling to keep temper from her voice.  "Mr. Harmon in case you haven't noticed, this is a 
major operation here.  The funeral parlor and the Home.  And the help I manage to hire for 
both places is at best incompetent.  At worse, lazy as all get out and they steal me blind."
 
 "I'm sure being in business is not easy these days," Harm nodded affably.  "And I'm only going 
to be here through day after tomorrow.  I have an early morning flight in fact.  An hour please."
 
 Renee leaned over and put her arms around Cyrus's neck.  "Baby please.  I just want to talk 
to David for a little while.  I ask so little, and I give so much."
 
 Cyrus kissed her and turned to May.  "Mama, it's OK I think.  She deserves a little time off.  
She has been doing a lot better lately."
 
 "Yeah it's only been a year now that she's lived here," May snapped.  "So it's about damn 
time. I don't think we ask too much of her, considering we take her in, feed her and the nice 
funeral we gave her father on top of that."
 
 "You got your money and I am Mrs. Cyrus Kemper," Renee reminded her quietly.  "And May, 
I'm trying real hard here, you know I am.  Please.  An hour away is not too much to ask."
 
 "It's on Cyrus's head," May pronounced, and Renee's husband nodded.  
 
 "Go ahead, but David, an hour only, and only after her morning chores are done, so make it 
about 11AM."
 
 "Yes that's fine," Harm nodded, unable to take his eyes from Renee.  This mousy woman who 
had to beg to leave the family home was nothing like the feisty brash film producer he had 
known.  A collective sigh went around the table and Harm returned his attention to the food.
 
 After dinner he forced himself to stay and make small talk, lasting an hour before making an 
excuse about having some work to get done back at the hotel.  "Ma'am, May--that was a 
delicious dinner and I thank you.  Cyrus you don't mind if your lovely wife walks me out do 
you?"
 
 Cyrus looked up from his desk where he was pouring over figures on his computer.  "Uh what. 
. .oh no of course not.  Just come right back.  I'm about ready to go upstairs.  That alarm rings 
awfully early."
 
 "Of course honey, I'll be right back," Renee smiled sweetly and took Harm's arm.  As soon as 
they reached the bottom of the long stairway down from the porch, Leslie walked out behind 
them, standing casually as if looking at the stars.
 
 "See what I mean.  They watch me like a hawk," Renee murmured, keeping her head straight 
forward as they walked to Harm's car.  "I still don't believe I'm going to be allowed to go off with 
you tomorrow.  If you come for me and they give you some lame excuse, well look for my body 
please."
 
 "They have to know you know--whatever it is, and they haven't killed you yet," he hissed.
 
 "Because they're not sure whether to trust me or not.  I raised such a fuss when I found out.  
But they need me.  Need the slave labor see.  And when I realized I was in danger I 
immediately stopped objecting and went along, but I can't for much longer.  I can't stand this.  
And if I leave they'll track me down anyway."
 
 By then they had reached the car and Harm could feel Leslie's eyes boring into his back.  
"Renee you have a great family here," he said, loudly enough for his voice to carry back to 
Leslie.  "And I'm looking forward to tomorrow."
 
 "Me to, a lot," she smiled and gave him a quick hug.  "I'm counting on you don't let me down," 
she whispered.
   
  "I won't" he whispered before releasing her. "Good night."
  
  He climbed into the rental car and drove away, surer than ever that there 
  was something seriously wrong with the family Renee was now a part of.
  
  Once back at his hotel room he decided to try calling Mac. He knew she was 
  going to be furious at him for leaving without telling her, but at least now 
  he could explain the very bizarre situation going on there. He sat down on 
  the bed and reached for the phone.
  
  "Hi Mac" he said when she answered.
  
  "How's the visit with Renee going?" she said quietly. "Are you and Renee 
  getting back together?"
  
 He gave a short laugh at the directness of her question.   "Mac I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was 
leaving. And no I am not getting back 
  together with Renee. I'm simply trying to help her out of this bizarre 
  place. These people are strange Mac."
  
  "Okay I'll bite. Why are they strange?"
  
  "They own the funeral home and some sort of nursing home. And they won't let Renee go 
  anywhere alone. They've turned her into their personal slave. Honestly you 
  wouldn't even recognize her if you saw her."
  
  "So you didn't get to talk to her alone?"
  
  "No. One of them is always with her. I'm supposed to get an hour with her 
  tomorrow but I'm not holding my breath that they'll actually let her go."
 
  "So they're keeping her hostage there?"
  
  "Not like that. But she's not allowed to do anything alone. It's really 
  weird Mac. And I did some research on the family and they've got all kinds 
  of money. Half the town is named after them."
  
  "Most people with lots of money are weird" Mac countered. "That doesn't mean 
  they're doing anything wrong."
  
  "No they are Mac. My gut tells me something is going on there."
  
  "Harm are you sure you haven't gotten sucked into Renee's paranoia?" Mac 
  asked.
  
  "No. It's not that Mac. If you'd met these people you'd understand."
  
  "You didn't give me that choice" she retorted. "You took off without even 
  telling me."
  
  "I'm sorry. But I figured you'd try and talk me out of coming here and I 
  knew Renee wasn't just being paranoid. And I couldn't turn my back on her."
  
  "You could have given me a chance" she sighed. "You just assumed that's how 
  I would react."
  
  "Okay maybe I was wrong. But I'm here now and I'm not coming back until I 
  find out what's going. And get Renee out of this place."
  
  "How do you plan to do that if they won't let her go anywhere alone?"
  
  "Tomorrow. When we get our hour away. If she tells me anything more, I'm not 
  taking her back. We'll simply get on the first plane out of there and I'll 
  help her get set up somewhere else till she can get back on her feet again."
  
  "You really think it's that serious that you'd do that?" Mac asked.
  
  "I hope not but I just get a really bad feeling about those people Mac" he 
  sighed. "They're not right. And despite the way things worked out with me 
  and Renee I can't just leave her. Not when I know what's going on up here."
  
  "You're a good man Harmon Rabb" Mac said softly. "Is there anything I can do 
  to help?"
  
  "Can you get Bud to do a little research on the Kemper family? I know how 
  good he is about finding out stuff about people on the Internet."
  
  "Of course. When are you going out with Renee?"
  
  "They won't let her go until her chores are done. So not until 11:00. If you 
  find out anything before that time call me. And remember we're an hour 
  behind here."
  
  "I will. Harm do you want me to come up there?" she asked. "In case there is 
  more going on than you realize?"
  
  "No. I'll handle this. I don't want you involved with these people."
  
  "You make them sound like monsters" she frowned. "Honestly Harm they can't 
  be that bad. I mean making someone work isn't a felony offense."
  
  "Mac it's more than that. I don't know what it is yet but I will find out."
  
  "Just promise me you'll be careful," she said quietly.
  
  "You worried about me?"
  
  "Well I'd rather not have you vanish up there in farm country. I kind of 
  like having you around here you know."
  
  "Mac I'll be fine. I'll call you tomorrow after I find out more from Renee."
 
 There was a long pause and he thought at first they had been disconnected.  "Mac?"
 
 "Yeah I'm still here.  Just checking something online real quick.  Harm I could be on a flight 
and there by 2300."
 
 "NO."  His negative came back so loud she had to hold the phone from her ear.
 
 "Well excuse me.  Your denial is pretty vehement there Flyboy."
 
 He took a long breath before he answered, thinking over the situation and being sorely 
tempted to tell her to join him, that he was craving her help and her expertise, not to mention a 
more dispassionate viewpoint.  "Mac that would be. . ."  Then another set of thoughts overran 
his emotions.  What if Renee was right and these people were dangerously insane.  This was 
not an official investigation and he would not be the cause of her being hurt because of a 
personal matter.
 
 "No Mac please.  Just let me take care of this for right now.  I'll call you tomorrow and we can 
talk about it more.  But right now it's not necessary and more important, like I told you I don't 
want you around these loonies."
 
 "Harm don't protect me.  I'm your partner.  I'm your friend.  I want to help."
 
 "I know you do and that means a lot to me.  It really does.  It speaks volumes for how far 
we've come.  And it's for just that reason I don't want you involved here.  I'm treading a fine line 
anyway.  Let me just call you as soon as I have Renee away from there and we're on our way."
 
 "Promise?"
 
 "I do, and in the meantime in the morning if Bud turns something helpful, let me know OK.  
Otherwise wait for my call."
 
 "OK but it won't be easy.  Harm honestly this whole thing has a rotten smell to it."
 
 "Tell me about it.  You should be here smelling it in person--and I don't really mean that.  Let 
me let you go.  I'll talk to you tomorrow."
 
 "Harm promise me you're being careful," she said softly.  "And one more thing, I'm sorry 
about. . .well about thinking the worst about you and Renee.  I should have known better."
 
 "Yes you should have," he replied with bemusement.  "There's only one woman I'm interested 
in pursuing anything with.  You.  Good night."   He clicked off the phone before she could 
respond, letting out a long sigh of amazement at his courage in getting that much out.
 
 And 1500 miles away, she was left holding the phone in her own amazement.  A sign that he 
cared.  Not just a sign but an actual verbal expression.  She wiped away a sudden quick tear.  
"Let him be OK," she whispered.
 ======================
 KEMPER HOME
 
 "Mama I need to speak to you," Cyrus whispered, looking around for Renee, though he was 
sure she was safely in their room reading.
 
 "If this is about Renee visiting with her friend, I don't want to talk about it," May snapped.  "You 
know how I feel.  It's a big mistake.  And once he's gone we're going to have to figure a way to 
keep her from getting calls out of here until we know she's one hundred percent with us.  Of 
course I thought the same thing about Judy, that she was OK, and I was dead wrong.  Thank 
god Sheriff Hall is on our payroll."
 
 "Mama I don't want to over past history here," he wailed.  "This is important.  David Harmon.  
He's not who he says he is.  The man is not a video producer from Dallas or whatever.  His 
name is Harmon Rabb, and he's a Commander in the Navy, Judge Advocate General Corps.  
He's Renee's ex.  The man who brought her back her to her Dad's funeral and then high-tailed 
it back to D.C. right away.  Left  her crying.  But that's not the point.  The point is. . ."
 
 "I get the point you fool," she hissed.  "You're just now realizing it?  Where were you with this 
earlier?"
 
 "I'm sorry Mama.  Honest.  I just kept thinking I'd seen him before and then I remembered 
Renee had some old pictures so I thought I'd get a clue there and sure enough.  He could 
make real trouble Mama."
 
 "No shit Sherlock," May yelped.  "I told you that woman was going to be trouble but no, you 
had to have her.  Well now we're just going to have to take care of him aren't we.  And we'll 
have to use Renee as bait."
 
 "She'll never go for it."
 
 "Oh yeah she will.  As terrified of us as she is, she'll go for it.  Actually this could be OK.  
Serves as a good example to her.  She's either with us or against us, and for those against us, 
life is hell."
 
FOLLOWING MORNING

 "Hi May" Harm smiled as he stepped onto the porch of the old home. "Is Renee 
 ready?"
 
 "She'll be out in a minute" May replied tartly.
 
 "I do appreciate you allowing Renee to have an hour off."
 
 She said nothing as Renee appeared at the door, May giving her a long look 
 as she came out.
 
 "Don't forget. One hour."
 
 "Yes ma'am" Renee said automatically before giving Harm a smile. "You 
 ready?"
 
 "Okay what's going on around here?" Harm demanded once they were in the car 
 and safely out of the driveway.
 
 "Please just get me away from here" she begged. "Then I'll tell you 
 everything."
 
 "Where are we going?" he asked.
 
 "We have to get away from town" Renee whispered. "They have spies 
 everywhere. I know somewhere safe we can go."
 
 "Renee if it's that bad then why don't we just go to the airport" he said 
 seriously. "We'll get out of here and then we'll figure out how to put your 
 life back together."
 
 "You'd do that" she sniffled. "You'd help me like that?"
 
 "Of course I would. And from what I've seen that sounds like the best thing 
 right now."
 
 "Let's talk first."
 
 He nodded and followed her directions to a quiet area outside of town.
 
 "You want to sit and talk or walk?" he asked.
 
 "Walk please. I rarely get out of that place."
 
 "Has it been like this since you got married?" Harm asked as they climbed 
 out of the car.

 "Not at first. When I sent you the postcard from Hawaii everything was 
 wonderful. But then we came back from there and suddenly my life became a 
 living hell." Her words ended with a long sob and Harm gently reached for 
 her.
 
 "I'm sorry" he said softly as he held her. "But you don't have to live like 
 this. We'll get you out of town and then I'll help you with the divorce."
 
 "Harm it's not that simple" she sobbed. "You just don't understand."
 
 "No I don't. You need to tell me what's going on here."
 
 She nodded as she pulled herself away from him and they began to follow a 
 small path that led into a wooded area.
 
 "Renee" he prodded. "Come on. You need to tell me what's going on."
 
 "I don't know everything. I've just heard bits and pieces."
 
 "They're doing something illegal aren't they? That's why they don't hire 
 anyone else to work for them right?"
 
 "Yes" she whispered. "That's why I have to work twelve hours a day in that 
 horrible place."
 
 "Let me take you away from here. We don't even have to go back to the house. 
 We'll just go right to the airport."
 
 "It sounds so wonderful" she sniffled. "To not have to be around dead and 
 half dead people would be wonderful."
 
 "Then let's do it. You don't have to live this way. And once you're away and 
 safe, I'll call someone and have them start looking into what they're doing. 
 But by then you'll be long gone."
 
 "What if they come after me?" she whispered as she stopped. "Harm you don't 
 know what these people are like."
 
 "I'll get you protection. And it's going to be hard for them to find you if 
 you're far away from here. So what do you say?"
 
 He never heard her response as Cyrus Kemper leveled a blow to the back of 
 his head.
 
 "Very good Renee" Cyrus said to his wife. "You played that perfectly. He had 
 no idea what was coming."
 
 "I hate you" Renee whispered. "I'll hate you till the day I die."
 
 "Well that maybe sooner than you think sweetheart" he smiled. "And now we 
 just have to take care of your friend."
 
 "You promised you wouldn't kill him" she wailed as she grabbed his arm. 
 "Please don't kill him."
 
 "Stop it" he ordered as his hand whipped across her face. "Or else I will 
 kill him."
 
 She froze in place, stunned by the blow and his words. Tears ran down her 
 red cheek but she said nothing.
 
 "That's better. And now I'll be taking your friend back to town for help. 
 And you remember the story right."
 
 "We were out walking when he fell and hit his head on a large rock" Renee 
 whispered. "And I called you for help."

"Good girl."

"You'll be sure and tell May I didn't screw up now right?  That I did everything you wanted."  
Renee sniffled back her tears.  Much as she hated Cyrus, she was far more afraid of May.  No 
way would they have gotten out of the area.  Sheriff Hall had orders out to all of his deputies 
not to let them cross the county line.  Had they tried, Harm would have been brought in and 
ended up dead, resisting arrest. 

"Of course.  Now go get the trunk open and let's get him to his new home."
=============
JAG HQ
3PM That Afternoon

"Mac we need to talk about how we're going to handle the appeal on Lt. Lovejoy."

"I know," she nodded absently, picking up and putting down the phone, motioning for Sturgis to 
come and sit.

"Let me guess, you haven't heard from Harm."

"Bingo," she growled.  "He should have called me ages ago to tell me him and Renee are on 
their way back.  Unless of course they're shacked up at the Motel Six out on County Road 
whatever."

"Is that what you really think?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No it's not.  In fact I almost could wish it was.  Because right now my imagination is conjuring 
up a lot worse."

"Whoa wait back the hearse up here.  I thought you weren't buying into all that about her in-
laws being dangerous etc."

"Well I wasn't until Harm went up there and I found out he believed something was going on," 
she wailed softly.  "Now I can't get him on his cell phone at all."

"So call the funeral home and ask if he's there.  Only don't tell him who you are.  Better yet let 
me do it.  I'll tell him I'm his boss and I'm trying to run him down."

"You know I hate it when you men are logical.  It messes with my mind-set," she groused, 
pushing the phone at him.

Securing the number from information, Sturgis dialed the business office of the mortuary.  
"Good afternoon.  My name is Kenneth Taylor and I'm attempting to reach Mr. Harmon Rabb," 
he said pleasantly, pausing for the reply.  "He did.  OK very well then.  Thank you ma'am."  
Sturgis was frowning when he hung up.  "They said he bid them all goodbye at noon and left 
for the airport."

"He would not have done that without calling me," she whispered.  "Not after he promised.  
"Unless his car is in a ditch somewhere."

"Maybe a call to the county police or whatever they've got up there?"

She nodded eagerly and Sturgis once again dialed and spoke, concluding that conversation 
with, "Thank you Sheriff and if you see him, please, have him call his office.  It's urgent."

Sturgis patted her arm.  "Sheriff Hall has promised to have his deputies keep an eye out for 
him.  More than that I don't know what we can do."

"Yeah well I do," she said firmly, connecting to the Internet.

"And what would that be?"

"The Admiral is gone for the day.  I can be on a plane before he can stop me."

"Uh. . .you're just going to take off out of here?"

"That's the plan," she nodded.  "If he orders me to stay, then I'm DDO as well as UA.  This way 
you can tell him where I am and that I've left a leave form on his desk.  It might save me.  And 
great, there's a flight at 1910.  I can leave, pack and be at Reagan in plenty of time."

"And what are you going to do if you get up there and find Harm and Renee. . .?"  He left the 
question unfinished, knowing she knew what he was saying.

"Blow my brains out right after I kill them both," she growled.  
 
  "Mac. . ." he started.
  
  "Just kidding. But you don't really think that's what happened do you?"
  
  "No I don't" Sturgis sighed. "I know Harm pretty good. He's not the kind of 
  guy to do something like that. And he would have called you either way."
  
  "That's what's bothering me the most" Mac whispered. "He told me he would 
  call me. The only reason he wouldn't have was because something happened."
  
  "I'm sure there's an explanation besides that. We just haven't thought of 
  it."
  
  "Well I'm going to find it" she declared. "Because I can't sit around here 
  waiting for a phone call."
  
  "Mac be careful," Sturgis warned. "If these people are as crazy as Harm said 
  they were, you don't know what they might be capable of."
  
  "I'm not worried about me Sturgis. I'm worried about Harm."
  
  "Just keep your eyes open and watch your back" he said seriously. "And if 
  you need anything, call me."
  
  "Thanks" she said with a small smile. "You'll tell the Admiral where I 
  went."
  
  "And get his wrath. Yes."
  
  "Thanks. I owe you for that one. I know he's not going to be happy but 
  there's nothing else I can do."
  
  "Keep in touch. I want to know what's going on up there too."
  
  "I will" she promised before hurrying out.
  
  A quick trip home to pack and then she was off to the airport. She tried 
  Harm's cell phone as she waited for the flight, each time getting his 
  voicemail. Her fear that something had happened to him only grew and she was 
  happy when they called for boarding of the plane. The sooner she got to 
  Minnesota, the sooner she would find him.
  
  ******************
  Kemper Home
  
  "I want to see him" Renee shrieked. "I want to make sure he's still alive."
  
  "He's alive" May informed her daughter in law. "And he'll stay that way as 
  long as you do as you're told from now on. You made a big mistake calling 
  him and having him come up here."
  
  "I'll do what you want" Renee sniffled. "Just don't hurt him anymore."
  
  "Fine. You can see him. But just remember if you slip up, he's dead. It just 
  takes one little injection. You know that."
  
  Renee nodded and shivered at the same time. She'd seen it happen too many 
  times in the past ten months. Elderly men and women who's families lived 
  miles away and never visited being given lethal injections. The bodies would 
  be taken to the funeral home and stored while May and her family continued 
  to collect the money for the care of the now deceased.
  
  May led her to the room at the back of the home where, opening the door and 
  letting her in.
  
  "Harm" Renee whispered as she walked in.
  
  "There's your big hero" May laughed.
  
  "What did you do to him?" Renee demanded. "Cyrus promised he wouldn't hurt 
  him anymore."
  
  "He's drugged. We had to make it look like he hasn't awakened after the fall 
  he took."
  
  "Harm I'm so sorry" Renee sniffled as she sank down on the bed beside him.
  
  "You should be" May retorted. "If you hadn't called him none of this would 
  have happened. Now you better just hope that no one else comes up here 
  poking around."
  
  Renee said nothing, knowing in her mind that it wouldn't be long before Mac 
  came up here. She'd always known that the two were closer than Harm had ever 
  admitted to her and if something happened to Harm, Mac would be there to 
  find out why.
  
  "All right you've seen him" May said a few moments later. "Now get back to 
  your work."
  
  "It's going to be okay" Renee sniffled as she squeezed his hand. "Somehow."
  
  She stood up and walked out of the room, May closing the door behind her.
  
  "I hate you" Renee whispered as she looked at the older woman.
  
  "Just remember. One slip up and he dies."
  
  *****************
  It was an exhausted Marine that finally arrived in the small town of Le 
  Sueur later that evening. She'd come directly there and finally found a 
  small bed and breakfast that had a room.
  
  "Marine Colonel?" the woman behind the desk said as she peered at Mac. "We 
  don't get much military up here."
  
  "I'm here to find a friend" Mac replied.  She pulled out a recent picture of 
  Harm and showed it to the woman. "Have you seen him?"
 
 "No but then I don't get out a whole lot. This place keeps me tied right here," Alice Lawton 
sighed.  "Did your friend have business here--at the Le Sueur plant maybe?"
 
 "No he was seeing an old friend of his," she explained carefully, not sure how much to reveal.  
"But they're reporting that he left and was heading back to the airport to come home.  He just 
never showed.  Sheriff Hall was supposed to be checking.  I'll have to get in touch with him."
 
 "Good man he is.  If anyone can help you he can," Alice nodded.  "But I don't think you'll be 
able to do anything more tonight.  And you look exhausted anyway.  The teakettle's on the 
stove and there's food in the guest kitchen.  Come on I'm ready for a cup myself."
 
 Mac followed slowly, not sure whether to trust this woman or not.  If the Kempers were getting 
away with something, there had to be people who knew and were keeping quiet.
 
 Alice busied herself at the stove and Mac looked around the large country kitchen, spotting 
the calendar on the wall.  "Kemper Mortuary," she said casually, gesturing to the calendar.  
"Coincidence.  My friend was here to visit with them, but they've assured me he's on his way 
back."
 
 "I've known the Kempers forever," Alice smiled.  "May and I went to school together, first 
grade on.  Our husbands too.  My John and her Donald. Of course she was May Oswalt back 
then and I wasn't a Lawton."
 
 "I understand they're pretty well known in town."
 
 "Donald Kemper inherited some money from his father who made a killing on some stock as I 
recall," Alice frowned.  "So he opened up the funeral home.  Folks in this county wouldn't think 
of dying without using their services."
 
 "I'll remember that," she said dryly. 
 
 "But you haven't been over there to ask about your friend?"
 
 "No.  They were so positive on the phone that he was gone and really were not a lot of help.  
I'm not sure what the whole story is there.  But I didn't want to seem as if I was doubting them."
 
 "They pretty much keep to themselves.  Used to be real active in church and civic affairs but 
about ten years ago, about the time May decided to turn the old house into that Home, they 
kind of dropped out.  When I do see them at the grocery store say, we just nod."
 
 "That's odd isn't it?"
 
 Alice shrugged.  "The god's honest truth is this place keeps me jumping so I don't think about 
it.  I've got the fishing folks in the warm months, the hunters in the fall, and the ice fishing 
crowd in the winter."
 
 Mac nodded and downed her tea, feeling its warmth spreading through her body.  She would 
try to sleep, and check with the sheriff's office first thing in the morning.  After that, she would 
have to visit the Kemper's and talk to Renee.
 ===============
 JAG HQ 
 Following Morning
 
 "Tiner what the hell is this?" AJ screeched, spotting Mac's leave form first thing.
 
 "Uh sir, I believe the Colonel said it was an emergency when she asked for the form," he 
stammered.  "And in fact she said she had talked with Commander Turner because you were 
gone."
 
 "Gone?  I don't call being at the Pentagon gone.  It's not even a long distance phone call.  
First Rabb takes off for some half assed problem and now her?  What sort of emergency?"
 
 "She didn't say sir.  Sir, your officers are not in the habit of confiding in me.  A fact which I'm 
actually grateful for sir."
 
 "Send me Commander Turner.  Now."
 ===============
 LE SUEUR
 Same time
 
 "Sheriff Hall, I'm not sure I'm getting through to you how serious this is," Mac said firmly, trying 
to keep a patient tone.
 
 "Ma'am I'm just not sure what it is you think I can do.  A man came up here, visited with the 
Kempers and left.  Obviously he didn't share with you where he was going.  I'm sorry, but it 
happens.  You thought there was something there between you that wasn't maybe."
 
 "NO," she returned, banging her fist on the desk.  "Sheriff this is not some kind of lover's tiff 
here.  I'm investigating the disappearance of a JAG officer. I didn't print this ID up on my 
computer.  This is an official visit I'm making here."  She made as stern a face as she could 
muster and uttered a silent prayer that her statement would not get back to AJ.  
   
  "Look missy. I understand you're concerned but this Mr. Rabb you're talking 
  about is not here."
  
  "Sheriff he was here. And I'm going to find him" Mac said determinedly 
  before stalking out of the station.
  
  "Get May on the phone" Sheriff Hall ordered his deputy. "She needs to know 
  there's more trouble."
  
  Mac made it to her car before giving into tears of frustration. She hadn't 
  expected to find Harm right away but she'd expected some help from the 
  authorities. Unless of course these people were in with the Kemper family. 
  Harm had told her that the family was very powerful and the small town and 
  Mac realized it was possible that they were all keeping hush hush for them.
  
  "Im going to find you Harm" she whispered as she wiped away her tears. 
  "Even if no one will help me."
  
  She drove through the small town, finally locating the Kemper Funeral Home. 
  She would find Renee and throttle the woman until she told her what had 
  happened to Harm.
  
  "Can I help you?" an older woman asked as she opened the door to the funeral 
  home.
  
  "I'm looking for Renee Kemper" Mac replied.
  
  "I'm sorry but Renee isn't available right now. I'd be happy to tell her you 
  dropped by though. Can I have your name?"
  
  "My name is Sarah Mackenzie. When will Renee be available? Because I'm not 
  leaving until I speak to her."
  
  "May I ask what this is concerning?"
  
  "No. It's private. Now when will Renee be available."
  
  May Kemper studied the woman in front of her. Sheriff Hall had warned her 
  that she was going to be difficult so May was prepared for her assault.
  
  "She's working until five. If you come back then, she might have a few 
  minutes."
  
  "Where does she work?" Mac asked. "Can't I talk to her there?"
  
  "No. I'm sorry but that's the best I can do. You're welcome to come back at 
  five and talk to her then."
  
  "Fine" Mac snapped. "I'll be back."
  
  She turned and strode off the porch and back to her car. She caught sight of 
  the Kemper Home and decided to see if that might be where Renee was working.
  
  "Hi" Mac smiled as she walked into the Home a few minutes later. "I'm 
  looking for Renee Kemper. Is she here?"
  
  "I'm sorry but Renee is busy handling patients" Leslie Kemper smiled. 
  "She'll be off duty at five. You might check back then."
  
  "I can't talk to her for a few minutes?" Mac asked.
  
  "She's very busy. It would be much better if you came back at five."
  
  "Of course" Mac said as she attempted to look past the woman and down the 
  hall.
  
  "If there's nothing else ma'am, I need to get back to work" Leslie said 
  politely.
  
  With growing frustration Mac headed back to her car. She was growing more 
  and more worried that Harm had attempted to get Renee away from these people 
  and they'd made sure it didn't happen. But until she talked to Renee she 
  wouldn't know for sure what had happened.
  
  "Who is she?" Leslie Kemper asked as she let Renee from the room she'd 
  locked her in.
  
  "Harm's partner at JAG" Renee said quietly.
  
  "Is she going to be a problem?" Leslie asked. "Momma don't like problems."
  
  "She won't leave until she finds out what happened to Harm" Renee whispered.
  
  "We need to talk to Momma. Come on."
  
  ********************
  Kemper Funeral Home
  5 PM
  
  It was five minutes after five when Mac rang the doorbell to the funeral 
  home again. This time a tall man opened the door and Mac guessed him to be 
  Cyrus.
  
  "Can I help you?" he asked.
  
  "I'm here to talk to Renee. I was told I could speak to her now."
  
  "And you are?"
  
  "Sarah Mackenzie. Please I need to speak to her. I've been waiting all day."
  
  "Come in. I'll see if Renee is available."
  
  He let her inside and Mac managed to suppress a shiver as she looked around 
  the home. She had no idea how people lived in a home where dead people were 
  laid out and it gave her goosebumps just thinking about it.
  
  "Hello Mac" Renee said quietly as she walked into the room.
  
  "Renee" Mac nodded as her eyes swept over the woman. As Harm had told her 
  she looked nothing like the woman who'd breezed into their world nearly two years ago.
  
 "I'm glad to see you," Renee whispered, then cleared her throat to speak more forcefully. "I'm 
just sorry you've come all this way for nothing.  Harm and I had our visit and that was the last 
time we talked.  I assumed he'd gone back to Minneapolis to catch his flight--or maybe to do a 
little sightseeing first there before going back to DC.  All I know is we had a nice chat and then 
I had to get back to work.  We stay pretty busy here.  Between the mortuary and the home."
 
 "Right," Mac nodded, not buying a word of it.  "And what did you and Harm talk about?"
 
 "Just stuff," Renee replied.  "You know the good times we'd had and all.  An hour isn't a lot of 
time."
 
 "Look Colonel," Cyrus spoke up.  "You want my opinion--if him having an accident between 
here and the airport is ruled out--then he went into the city and maybe found something he 
liked.  You know went to a bar, hooked up with a girl.  When he sobers up and comes to his 
senses, then you'll hear from him."
 
 "Mr. Kemper, I probably know Harm better than anyone and unless he had some kind of brain 
injury, that is not what happened," she retorted. "And if he did have some kind of accident, 
someone would have found the car by now."
 
 "Not necessarily," May spoke up.  "There's a lot of places a car could be out of control and run 
off the road and it be swallowed up by the undergrowth.  We've had nothing but rain all 
summer.  Everything is thick and green."
 
 "This is maddening," Mac muttered, careful not to make any outright accusations.  The last 
thing she wanted was to bring suspicion down on herself.  If they had made Harm disappear, 
she could be next and thus be no help to him.
 
 All the while she was standing there, she felt Renee's eyes bore into her, and she was 
overcome with the feeling that the woman knew more, knew much more, than she was able to 
convey.  She was obviously badly frightened by, and extremely under the control of, these 
people.
 
 "Mama Sheriff Hall is here," Leslie announced from the window and hurried to open the door.
 
 "Evening Sheriff," May smiled pleasantly.  "What brings you out here?"
 
 "Bad news I'm afraid," Hall said quietly.  "And Colonel Mackenzie I'm glad you're here so I 
have to say it only once.  My boys found your friend, but the news is not good."
 
 At that moment all logic and suspicion left her as her emotions took over.  She was being told 
Harm was hurt. . .or worse.
 
 "He took the curve too fast out on County 10," Hall went on.  "Flipped over and burned.  There 
was enough left of the plate to trace it to the airport as a rental, rented to Harmon Rabb.  I'm 
afraid the body is beyond recognition though.  The coroner felt there was enough evidence to 
declare Mr. Rabb dead however.  That's a bad road.  If he was from around here he would 
have known to slow down.  I'm so sorry."
 
 Mac bit her lower lip and sat down in the nearest chair, reeling from shock and warring within 
herself whether to believe or not.
 
 "Well then that's that," May said firmly.  "Colonel I'm sorry.  I know this is not what you wanted 
to hear.  But I can tell you we get a couple victims a year here from that curve.  Two years ago 
four kids the night of the prom--fool kids drinking and speeding out there."
 
 "OK I. . I uh. . ." Mac stammered.  "I need to get out of here."
 
 "Mac don't go," Renee called pleadingly and when all the Kemper family turned to her, she 
shook her head.  "No I mean you're not in any condition to drive."
 
 "No she's not," Hall agreed.  "Come on Cyrus.  I'll take her back to her room and you follow 
me in her car.  I'm sure she'll want to get some rest since she'll be leaving in the morning."
 
 "Yeah I am. . .going back," Mac nodded vaguely.  Her head was spinning and that war inside 
her raging full blast.
 
 In a surprisingly bold move, Renee crossed the floor to her, enveloping her in a hug.  "I'm so 
sorry," she said loud enough for the family to hear, then into Mac's ear  "1030AM, basement 
steps in back of the Home.  Come through the woods."
 
 Mac gave an imperceptible nod, though if Harm was in fact dead she did not care to know 
anything that Renee to say.  It was her fault for bringing Harm into the mess in the first place.  
 
 "Good night Colonel.  I'm sorry we did not meet under more pleasant circumstance," May told 
her, now ushering her toward the door.
 
 "Yes me too," she managed as Sheriff Hall took over escort duties, taking her to his patrol car.  
Once inside he flipped on the dome light and handed her a small plastic bag.  "You may as 
well see these.  They were found on the seat of the car with the. . .ashes."  Harm's Academy 
ring and dog tags, charred but readable.  Again her logical self said she was being set up.  But 
regardless of whether he died in a fiery crash or by some other means, the fact was he could 
still be dead.
  
  "Thank you" she managed.
  
  "I'm very sorry ma'am. I wish I'd been able to help more. Can I take you 
  back to your room?"
  
  "No I'll manage" she whispered as she slid his Academy ring onto her finger 
  and his dog tags around her neck before sliding out of the car. She made it 
  to her car before giving into the tears, somehow managing to find her way 
  back to the bed and breakfast.
  
  "Oh dear you got bad news didn't you?" Alice Lawton said as Mac walked into 
  the old home.
  
  Despite her attempt not to, Mac promptly burst into tears again at the 
  woman's words.
  
  "Come sit down," Alice said gently as she led Mac to the large kitchen area. 
  "Let me get you a cup of tea."
  
  She sobbed softly while Alice prepared the tea, finally wiping her tears 
  when Alice set the cup in front of her.
  
  "Thank you" she whispered.
  
  "Your welcome. Do you want to talk about it?"
  
  Mac shook her head. She couldn't talk to a stranger about what had happened. 
  Especially not one who might be involved in whatever was going on in this 
  town. "No. And thank you for the tea. I'm going to take it to my room if 
  that's okay."
  
  "Of course. If you need anything, just holler."
  
  Mac nodded and made her way up to her room. Once inside she locked the door 
  and pulled out her cell phone. She wasn't going to risk making any calls on 
  the room phone. With trembling fingers she dialed the number to Sturgis's 
  place, praying he would be there.
  
  "Turner"
  
  "Sturgis it's Mac" she said softly.
  
  "Mac what's wrong. You sound funny. Did you find Harm?"
  
  "No" she whispered, tears once again running down her face. "They said he's 
  dead Sturgis. They gave me his Academy ring and dog tags."
  
  "Okay back up" Sturgis said calmly. "Who gave you this and what supposedly 
  happened?"
  
  "The Sheriff. He said Harm lost control of his car going around a curve and 
  it flipped and burned. They said the body was burned beyond recognition and 
  this was all that was left." Her voice broke and a small sob escaped her.
  
  "Mac I'm coming up there" Sturgis said quietly. "There should be an early 
  morning flight I can get. And then we're going to demand some real answers."
  
  "Renee asked me to meet her tomorrow morning" Mac sniffled. "I don't know 
  why. Unless she knows what really happened."
  
  "Mac I don't want you to go anywhere until I get there."
  
  "Sturgis I have to find out what happened to him" she whispered. "And I 
  think Renee may know. Either way she's the one responsible for whatever 
  happened to him and I want to find out what she told him."
  
  "Mac please be careful" he begged. "I don't know what's going on up there 
  but I don't want you disappearing either."
  
  "If Harm really is dead I won't care what happens to me anyway" she 
  whispered.
  
  "Do you believe he's dead?"
  
  "I don't know what to believe anymore Sturgis. I don't want to believe it 
  yet all the proof is there."
  
  "Well just because it's there doesn't mean it's real. This could be some 
  kind of grand illusion just to get you out of town."
  
  "I know. But then I keep arriving back to why would they want that. And the 
  only thing I can come up with is he is dead. And they don't want me to find 
  out how he really died. So they arranged this so no one would ever find 
  out."
  
  "Well until I'm convinced I'm going on the assumption he's still alive. And 
  you should to."
  
  "I'm trying Sturgis" she whispered as she slid of his ring and held it 
  tightly in her hands. "But it's not easy."
  
  "I know. But I'll be there first thing in the morning. I really don't want 
  you to go see Renee until I get there but I know you're going to anyway."
  
  "Yes I am. And if they try and tell you I disappeared, you come to the 
  Kemper Home. That's where I'm meeting Renee at 10:30."
  
  "I'll be there as soon as I can" he sighed. "Just be careful."
  
  *******************
  It was exactly 10:30 when Mac made her way to the basement steps behind the 
  Kemper Home. She'd parked a few miles away and had carefully made her way 
  back. She was about to knock on the door when it slowly opened, Renee 
  peering out at her.
  
  "You came" she sighed. "Thank you."
  
  "I don't know why I'm here," Mac said quietly. "Because I really don't have 
  anything to say to you. Except that it's your fault that Harm was even up 
  here."
  
  "I'm sorry" Renee whispered, her eyes pooling with tears. "The last thing I 
  wanted was for anything to happen to him."
  
  "Well that's exactly what happened now isn't it?" Mac snapped.
  
  "He's not dead," Renee said quietly.  "They just told you that so you'd 
  leave town."
  
  "Where is he then?" Mac demanded. "And if you know he's not dead, why are 
  going along with this charade."
  
  "Because if I don't he will be dead" Renee wailed.
 
 "What are you talking about?  Make sense woman because I'm about to lose it here and it 
won't be pretty," Mac hissed.  "He's alive?  Really?"
 
 "They're holding him.  Upstairs.  To make me cooperate.  They'll kill him if I betray them but at 
this point I'd risk anything, my life or his, to end this nightmare."
 
 Mac had to take several breaths of  relief before she could speak again.  Harm was alive.  
"OK, show me where he is.  You and me and him will take off through the woods and we'll be 
away from here before they know."
 
 "No."
 
 "Excuse me."
 
 "Soon as they know you're trying to leave the county, the sheriff will have all the roads 
watched."
 
 "Sheriff Hall?"
 
 "Yeah that would be the one who lives in a huge lake front home thanks to his second income  
doing Kemper dirty work.  But there's more.  Harm can't move.  He's been drugged."
 
 Mac stepped back from her, her hand going to her mouth in horror until she realized what 
Renee was saying.
 
 "It's a tranquilizer May uses to keep the people docile.  He's awake.  His eyes are open, but 
he can't move or speak.  Some kind of muscle thing, hell I don't know."
 
 "I still want to see him.  Now."
 
 Renee looked fearfully at the old building and then at her watch.  "You do what you want.  
Third floor, end of the hall, last door on your left.  But if you're caught, I'm going to swear I 
didn't know you were in there.  I want this to end, but if they knew I let you in, we'd all be ashes 
in the crematorium in an hour.  You've got about twenty minutes before May's show is over 
and she's looking for me, and checking to be sure everything is normal."
 
 Renee pointed out the way to the back steps and Mac crept along the wall, climbing the three 
flights.  She held her breath when she got to the floor, seeing four bedrooms, their doors open, 
and a large bath.  Still hardly daring to breathe, she walked down the hallway and when she 
got to Harm's room she had to cover her mouth to keep from crying out.
 
 Carefully she approached the bed, her hand still clamped to her mouth, and touched his hand.  
There was no response and she realized he had no feeling because of the drug.  Not until she 
leaned over into his line of sight did his eyes show a glean of recognition.
 
 "Hi," she managed, her voice barely audible, and she fought back sudden tears.  "I'm going to 
get you out of here.  That's a promise.  I'm going to get you out of here, away from this 
nightmare.  Sturgis is coming.  I'd give anything if I could take you with me now but there's no 
one to help me.  I'll be back for you later.  I'm bringing the cavalry somehow."  She stroked his 
cheek with the back of his hand and impulsively placed a kiss on the unmoving lips.  That he 
so totally resembled a corpse was something she could not easily push aside, and yet his skin 
was warm, his lips soft, and that knowledge helped her for the time being.
 
 "I don't want to leave you but I can't let them find me here.  Renee said they'd kill all three of 
us and I believe her.  The sheriff is in on it and there's no help there but I'll be back with 
someone.  I hope you understand."
 
 There was a new light in his eyes as if he was trying to convey that he did and she smiled in 
relief.  "Good.  I'll be back."  With another kiss goodbye she turned and ran, ran silently back to 
the basement, barely nodding to Renee as she flew by her, out the back door and into the 
woods.  Only when she was out of sight of the house, well into the lush growth, did she allow 
herself to stop to catch her breath, and to give in to the tears that were determined to come.
    
  Unknown to both women, Cyrus Kemper watched from the upper bedroom of the 
  funeral home. He'd had a sneaking suspicion that Renee would betray them. 
  And now all of them would pay the price.
  
  "Sheriff Hall" he said after dialing the familiar number. "Cyrus Kemper 
  calling."
  
  "What's wrong now Cyrus?"
  
  "I need you to pick up Sarah Mackenzie. We have a problem."
  
  "What kind of problem? I thought she'd be out of town by now."
  
  "No she's not. And she knows what's going on. We need to eliminate all three 
  of them."
  
  "Three?"
  
  "Renee has betrayed me," Cyrus said coldly. "And now she will pay the price. 
  But I will handle her. Just get that Mackenzie woman back here before anyone 
  else gets up here."
  
  "How do I do that?" Sheriff Hall demanded.
  
  "Think of something" Cyrus spat. "Right now she's behind the property. I'm 
  sure her car is parked a ways down. Figure something out and get her and 
  bring her to the funeral home.
  
  "Yes sir" he sighed.
  
  *************
  Mac remained in the field for several minutes, allowing herself the luxury 
  of her tears. They were far from out of this situation but the knowledge 
  that Harm was still alive had given her back some hope. Somehow she would 
  get him out of this mess. And if she ever crossed paths with Renee Kemper 
  again she'd personally strangle her for ever getting Harm involved.
  
  "Enough Mackenzie" she said to herself finally. She needed to get her head 
  on straight so she could figure out how to get Harm out of that home. And 
  them out of this bizarre city.
  
  Her cell phone rang as she reached her car and she quickly answered it, 
  praying it was Sturgis telling her he was in town. She needed all the help 
  she could get right now.
  
  "Mac it's Sturgis" he said when she answered. "Are you okay?"
  
  "I'm better now that I know Harm is alive. Renee took me to him. They're 
  keeping him at the Home. He's been drugged and he's awake but he can't move 
  or talk."
  
  "I knew he was still alive," Sturgis said with a long sigh of relief.
  
  "He won't be for long if we don't get him out of there. And it's going to 
  take some more help than just you. Renee told me the Sheriff and half the 
  town is in on this."
  
  "Where are you now?" he asked. "I'm on my way from the airport. I should be 
  there in an hour or so."
  
  "Right now I'm on some dirt road behind the Kemper property."
  
  "Mac you need to go somewhere safe. If there is such a place in that town. 
  I'll be there soon but I don't want you disappearing on me."
  
  "The place I'm staying seems safe," Mac said finally. "It's the Old Town Bed 
  and Breakfast in the middle of town. Alice Lawton owns and runs it and she 
  seems to be on the up and up. I'll go back there and wait for you. But 
  please hurry. I want to get Harm out of there before they change their mind 
  about keeping him alive."
  
  "I'll hurry. You go back and lock your door and wait for me there. I'm 
  serious Mac. These people are obviously dangerous."
  
  "Yes they are" Mac said soberly. "More than you know."
  
  She hung with the promise she'd meet him at her room and with a long sigh 
  she closed her cell phone. She never heard or saw the man come up behind 
  her, and it was too late to react as the chloroform soaked rag was pushed 
  against her face. She fell limply into his arms and with a smile of 
  satisfaction Sheriff Hall carried her to the waiting police car.
  
  "Get rid of the car Lewis" he ordered his deputy.
  
  "Another accident?" Lewis Broward asked his superior officer.
  
  "No. Put it in the lake. She was distraught over the death of her friend and 
  drove off. No one has seen her since. By the time the car is found, she'll 
  be long forgotten."
  
  "I'll take care of it" he promised. "Just make sure I get my cut of this 
  month's pay."
  
  "You'll get your cut" Sheriff Hall snapped. "You worry about getting rid of 
  that car without anyone seeing you."
  
  "Consider it done" Broward smiled. "See you later Sheriff."
  
  He drove off in Mac's rental car and Sheriff Hall returned his attention to 
  his task. He laid Mac down in the back seat of the police car before driving 
  to the Kemper Funeral Home.  He pulled up in the back and looked around as 
  he opened the car door and lifted Mac out. The back door to the funeral home 
  opened, Cyrus waiting with an evil smile.
  
  "No problems I hope" he asked.
  
  "Uh we may have one" Sheriff Hall stammered as he set Mac down in a nearby 
  chair. "She was talking to someone on her cell phone."
  
  "Dammit don't tell me someone else is on their way up here" Cyrus snapped. 
  "This is getting out of hand."
  
  "Look I got there as soon as I could. She was already on the phone by then."
  
 "Well I'm not letting that bimbo I married and her do-gooder friends ruin something that's taken 
my family a generation to set up," he snapped again.  "No way in hell.  People have gotten in 
our way before and lived to regret it, but not for long.  I'll take care of Rabb and Renee and this 
snoopy Marine here.  You find out who's coming and handle that.  If you know what's good for 
you."
 
 "I can try but if we start questioning every stranger that comes through here, someone's going 
to start raising hell."
 
 "Hold the paranoia.  You just do what the Kemper money pays you handsomely to do.  The 
rest we'll take care of like we always do."
 
 Hall shot him a long glare and hurried back to this patrol car and Cyrus turned to Mac.  "OK 
Miss Marine, now you're about to learn what happens to them that can't mind their own 
business.  I just need to talk to Mama about the best way to get rid of you and my idiot wife.  
Your partner upstairs should be no problem at all.  He was fine when we checked him, dead 
two hours later.  It happens like that sometimes."
 
 Mac's head lolled back in the chair, the chloroform having made her woozy and sick; and the 
fact that Hall had handcuffed her wrists behind her back made her even less of a threat.
 
 He dialed his mother's cell number and when she answered quickly relayed the problem to 
her.  
 
 "Dammit Cyrus," she raged.  "I warned you about that girl months ago.  Renee Peterson has 
never been one of us, regardless of you making her name Kemper.  She's never been happy 
here, never been part of us.  OK now we're going to have to deal with her.  And you know what 
that means."
 
 "Mama I know.  I've got Mackenzie.  Then there's Rabb too."
 
 "Him I'll just give another injection to.  You fire up the furnace and be ready to destroy the 
evidence.  I'm going to get Renee now."
 
 "Yes ma'am," Cyrus nodded and disconnected, looking down to Mac, satisfied she was secure 
enough there for the moment.  He strode deliberately into the crematorium, following the well 
known procedures.  These three would not be the first to vanish by fire.
 ====================
 "Renee I need to see you.  Right now."  May's voice echoed through the old house and sent 
chills through the already terrified blonde.  "Renee now."
 
 May had often shouted for her, but there was something different.  Something in her tone that 
sent fear shooting through her.  "Renee I'm not going to ask again."
 
 "I'm. . .coming," Renee answered hesitantly.  "Coming May."  With a deep breath she 
gathered her wits about her and took off running.  All reason left her and all she wanted was to 
escape the house and the family of whom she was now thoroughly terrified.
 
 May had once told her the twenty stone steps that led to the basement were a death trap.  
She was right. It only took May appearing in the hall to send such a spasm of fear through 
Renee that she plunged headlong down the flight, intending to escape through the back door.  
She tumbled over and over, and by the time she reached the bottom, her neck was broken.  It 
was murder, and yet it was not.  Still the desired result May smiled.  
  ***************************
  "Can I help you?" Alice Lawton asked as Sturgis walked into the Old Towne 
  Bed and Breakfast.
  
  "Yes I'm looking for a guest of yours. Colonel Sarah Mackenzie. I'm supposed 
  to meet her here."
  
  "She left this morning and I haven't seen her since" Alice replied.
  
  "Are you sure she didn't come back?" Sturgis frowned. "I talked to her an 
  hour ago and she said she was on her way back here to meet me."
  
  "I'm sorry but she didn't come back. Maybe you misunderstood and were 
  supposed to meet her somewhere else."
  
  "I didn't misunderstand" Sturgis sighed. "She was coming here. Something 
  happened to her."
  
  "Do you want me to call the Sheriff?" Alice asked.
  
  "No" Sturgis said quickly, remembering what Mac had told him about the 
  Sheriff being in on it. "That's okay."
  
  "Do you think she's in okay? I know she was looking for her friend and she 
  was very upset last night when Sheriff Hall told her he was dead."
  
  "I don't know. But I'm going to find out. And I appreciate your help."
  
  He hurried out of the house and back to his car. The fact that Mac hadn't 
  returned told him that she'd run into trouble on her way back from the 
  Kemper home. And if the Sheriff was in on it, he was going to need help. He 
  picked up his phone and dialed information.
  
  "Minnesota State Police please" he said when the operator answered.
  
  ******************
  She couldn't move. Not one muscle in her body would cooperate. As 
  consciousness returned, Mac forced her eyes to open. It was dark. And even 
  if she could move she realized she wouldn't have gotten far. She was in a 
  box. No it was nicer than a box. Much nicer. Almost like a. . . If she'd been 
  able to cry out she would have as she realized that she was in a coffin. 
  Panic rushed through her until she realized that they hadn't latched it 
  closed all the way, allowing light and precious air to come in.  Otherwise 
  she wouldn't have been able to see the fabric lined case. Or Renee lying 
  next to her. She gulped as she realized she was sharing the coffin with her. 
  Only it didn't appear that she was alive. Her eyes were open but there was 
  no more life left in her. The scream never came through her frozen lips but 
  inside her body was screaming.
  
  'Oh god" Mac thought to herself. 'If they killed Renee then that means they 
  have Harm.' She knew he wouldn't have been able to protect himself from them 
  and she felt tears slide down her face as she realized he could already be 
  dead. And likely she would be as soon as they came and latched the coffin 
  shut. Sealing her away forever.
  
  'He doesn't even know I love him' Mac thought to herself. They were both 
  going to die without having ever told each other how they felt. And there 
  was nothing she could do to stop it. Unless.. Unless Sturgis got to them in 
  time. That was her only hope.
  
  'Dear Lord, please let him get here on time' she begged. 'And please let 
  Harm still be alive.'
  
  Her eyes once again gazed over at the woman beside her. At this moment she 
  didn't feel the least bit remorse for Renee. Not when Harm was likely dead. 
  And it would just be a matter of time before she was too.
  
  She heard footsteps and voices and she strained to hear what they were 
  saying. If Harm were already dead it wouldn't matter what they did to her.
  
  "Are you ready for him?" Henry Kemper asked his brother. "I'll go up and get 
  him if you are."
  
  "We're ready" Cyrus smiled. "The fire is just where it should be. Time to 
  rid ourselves of them once and for all."
  
  "Are you going to kill them first?"
  
  "No. Not this time. It's too bad Renee died already. I was really looking 
  forward to watching her burn to the death."
  
  Again Mac screamed internally. With increasing horror she realized that 
  Cyrus was planning to burn her and Harm alive. Her mind immediately went 
  back to the conversation her and Harm had had in the desert in Afghanistan.
 
 It had been the fodder for several nightmares in the weeks that followed.  Boiling marrow, 
bones popping open--and all this after the hair crackles and burns.  Except that the cremation 
subjects to which he was referring where dead.  She and Harm were not.
 ================
 HOME OF ALICE LAWTON
 
 "Thank you Sergeant.  You won't be sorry I promise you," Sturgis sighed, having spent the last 
fifteen minutes persuading Sgt. Cara Norman that there was reason to send a contingent of 
State Troopers to the Kemper property.  He was about to drive off when a pickup pulled up 
along side of him and two young men jumped out.  Brothers obviously and Sturgis held his 
breath, wondering if he was going to have trouble with them.
 
 "Andrew, Caleb--about time you got here," Alice called from the porch.  
 
 "Sorry ma, but we do have jobs," the taller one grinned and looked to Sturgis.  "Hi I'm Andy 
Lawton, this is Caleb and my mom says you're about to pull some sort of raid on the Kemper 
place."
 
 "I'm looking for a couple of friends of mine," Sturgis said slowly, still totally unsure of whom he 
should trust.
 
 "We'll help you look," Caleb spoke up, gesturing to the gun rack on the back of the truck.  "The 
Kempers are no friends of ours.  Long story but you don't want to go over there alone.  And 
we've got fire power.  You know how to handle a thirty-aught-six?"
 
 "Since I was ten," Sturgis nodded.  "I'm sorry I'm hesitant.  I'm just not sure about people in 
this town after what I've heard."
 
 "We're no friends of the Kempers," Caleb repeated.  "Two words--Rebecca Weathers.  Long 
story like I said.  Now you want some help or not?"
 
 "Yeah.  Yeah I do.  Thank you."  Sturgis made up his mind all at once and clambered aboard 
the truck.
 ============
 KEMPER PROPERTY
 
 "OK Mr. Rabb, time for you to join your woman," Henry smiled.  "And I don't mean Renee.  
There's a nice hot fire down there for you both.  But it's not all that bad.  You'll be together in 
eternity."
 
 Harm could sense light tingling in his fingers and toes and knew the drug was wearing off.   
He also could feel his jaws loosening but only a hoarse croak would emerge so far.  At the 
same time his mind reeled at Henry's words.  Mac was going to be killed.  Killed because she 
had gotten involved in his mess and at that moment he hated himself, even more than he 
hated the Kempers.
 
 In desperation he stretched this arms and legs as unobtrusively as possible, taking heart from 
something he had heard May say during one of the injections--that the drug was short acting.  
Only continued injections kept the deadness in the muscles.  Obviously something had 
happened in the past few hours and in the ensuing chaos he had not been tended to.
 
 Forcing himself to remain limp and calm, he gave no resistance as Henry put him into a 
wheelchair and rolled him to the ancient creaking elevator.  It was a sickening smell that 
greeted him when the doors opened and he realized he was in the furnace room of the 
crematorium.   The same smell the military who liberated a place called Auschwitz reported 
sixty years before.  Burned flesh and bone.  He felt his throat gag and he prayed he would not 
be sick, knowing he could aspirate and die that way.  Once again he stretched, praying there 
was some way to help Mac.
    
 ************************
 "Time to meet your maker" Cyrus Kemper smiled as he lifted the lid of the 
 coffin. Mac stared up at him; the crazed look obvious in his eyes. "I hope 
 you've enjoyed your time on this earth, Ms. Mackenzie. Because you're about 
 to bid a very painful goodbye to it."
 
 She could only stare at him as he lifted her from the coffin and dropped her 
 into a wheelchair.
 
 "It's too bad Renee isn't going to have the same pleasure as you and the 
 Commander. If only she hadn't tumbled down the stairs and broken her neck. 
 But in the end she got what she deserved. And now so will you and your 
 lover."
 
 She began to issue a litany of prayers as he wheeled her down a long hall 
 towards the furnace room of the crematorium. If Sturgis didn't come soon, it 
 would be too late. If it wasn't already too late for Harm.
 
 "And now for the fun" Cyrus smiled as he wheeled her into the furnace room.
 
 A moment of relief washed over her when she saw Harm sitting in the other 
 wheelchair. Their eyes met at once, the words they'd never said quickly 
 conveyed to each other. Tears rose up in her eyes and he felt the lump in 
 his throat grow as the tears slid down her face. There was so much he wanted 
 to tell her. Starting with how sorry he was for getting her involved in this 
 mess. She shouldn't have been there with him. She should have been in DC 
 where she belonged. Where she wouldn't be about to be burned alive.
 
 "I'm sorry you can't say any last words to each other" Cyrus laughed evilly. 
 "But you should have plenty of time in eternity to tell each other how you 
 feel."
 
 "Stop babbling and get them in the container" May ordered. "I want to get 
 rid of them before anyone comes poking around here. We've had enough trouble 
 around here and I want to put an end to it once and for all."
 
 "Yes Momma" Henry nodded. "Who goes first?"
 
 "Put them together" May smiled. "We don't have time to do them separate. I 
 don't want any traces of them around in case she got in touch with someone."
 
 "I think they'll enjoy that better anyway" Cyrus nodded. "What better way to 
 go than in each other's arms. And thanks to the drug, they won't even have 
 to hear each other scream when they hit the fire."
 
 "I'll check out front and make sure there's no one around" May continued. 
 "Cyrus you make sure that fire is hot enough to get rid of them in a few 
 hours. Henry you get those two in the container."
  
 Henry nodded and started to lift Harm from the wheelchair while the other 
 two headed out of the room. It was then that Harm made his move, desperate 
 for anyway to get them out of this alive. Forcing his arm to move, Harm 
 threw his elbow into Henry's gut, the other man dropping him in agony. 
 Harm's legs hit the floor and he willed them to move. Mac was just a few 
 steps away. If he could get to her before Cyrus returned. He could see the 
 terror in her eyes and he wasn't going to let this happen. His legs finally 
 moved and seconds later he was at her side.
 
 "What the hell?" Cyrus shrieked as he saw what had happened. "Dammit Henry 
 can't you handle anything."
 
 "He wasn't supposed to be able to move" Henry moaned as he grabbed his 
 midsection.
 
 "Nice try Commander" Cyrus said as he closed in on Harm and Mac. "But I'm 
 afraid it was in vain."
 
 "No" Harm managed. There had to be something he could do. There had to be.
 
 His attention focused on Cyrus he forgot about Henry behind him. It wasn't 
 until the other man's arm reached around his neck that he remembered him. He 
 tried to break free of his grasp, but his body still wasn't fully 
 functioning. Seconds later May hurried into the room with her syringe, 
 injecting Harm. Harm felt the feeling leaving his body again and moments 
 later he fell limply against Henry.
 
 "You think you can handle it now" May said tartly to her two sons.
 
 ************************
 En Route to the Kemper Home
 
 "Can you step on it?" Sturgis said nervously. Time was ticking and he was 
 afraid they were going to be too late. He'd gotten a really bad feeling 
 since the moment he'd gotten there and found Mac missing.
 
 "I don't want to give any of Sheriff Hall's deputies a reason to pull us 
 over," Caleb said as he kept his eyes peeled for any sign of the police. 
 "Otherwise your friends will be dead."
 
 "Good point. We don't want to draw any attention to ourselves."
 
 Caleb nodded and moments later the Kemper Funeral home loomed ahead of them.
 
 "Sheriff Hall" Caleb whispered. "He's watching out front."
 
 "Hey where are you going?" Sturgis yelled as they passed the home.
 
 "We're going to have to take the back way in. With Hall out there we'll 
 never get in that way. We'll park down here and make our way in through the 
 field."
 
 Caleb pulled the truck off the road a few seconds later and they quickly 
 headed into the brush. Sturgis followed the two men, praying they weren't 
 setting him up. But at this point he had to trust someone.
 
 "There it is" Andy whispered as they reached the end of the brush, the back 
 of the funeral home now in front of them."
 
 "He's got the furnace going" Caleb said suddenly as he caught sight of the 
 rising smoke.
 
 "Furnace?"
 
 "The cremation furnace" Andy said quietly. "We may already be too late."
 
 ***********************
 "In you go" Henry smiled as he none too gently dropped Harm into the 
 cremation container. He'd lost all feeling again and there was nothing he 
 could do to stop what was going to happen. They were going to die a horrible 
 death.
 
 "And now for the lovely lady" Henry said as he lifted Mac, placing her 
 beside Harm.
 
 They had just a few moments to look at each other, the terror in her eyes 
 breaking his heart. He tried to make his lips move, but nothing came out. He 
 wanted to touch her but his hand wouldn't move. There was nothing he could 
 do.
 
 "Seal it up and get them in" Cyrus ordered.  

Henry nodded and quickly did what he was told.  Once there was a time that he tried to cross 
his brother, and his wife paid for it with her life.  Never again.  He brought the lid down and 
locked it tight, then threw the lever that would start the conveyer belt and send the two 
interlopers to their final journey.  At the same time he revved the flames up full.  It would be 
over quickly.
=========
Three men crept through the woods, each carrying a shotgun, approaching the rear of the old 
building.  The smell of the furnace was overpowering and Sturgis covered his mouth and nose 
momentarily.  "God that's awful. How do people around here stand it?"

"People haven't dared complain much," Andy shook his head.  "But I have a feeling today it's 
all over.  And I hear sirens.  I just hope the state boys you called aren't kow-towed by Sheriff 
Hall.  Who goes way back with us too.  I won't mind seeing him doing about thirty."

"Right now I just need to get to my friends," Sturgis fretted.  "But I promise you whatever help 
the government can be to clean it up after."

"Something has to be really wrong that we got this close," Caleb breathed a few minutes later 
as the three arrived on the broad back porch.  "They're burning evidence.  Including human 
evidence."  He gestured to the far wing of the house.

"No.  No they're not," Sturgis declared, loading two shells into the shotgun and the sharp slam 
of a size twelve into an old wooden door, gained them entry.  "Hold up you two," he said softly.  
"I thank you for getting me this far, but it's really not your fight."

"Oh yeah it is," Caleb smiled.  "Rebecca Weathers.  I loved her and Cyrus wanted her; and 
then when she found out what the family was all about, he killed her.  Vengeance is a powerful 
motivator."

"I'll stick too," Andy nodded and Sturgis sent them both a look of pure gratitude.

With the shotgun at the ready, Sturgis led them down the long hallway, feeling his stomach 
revolting as he went.  The sirens grew louder and he took strength in that.  "Harm--Mac, hang 
on.  Help's coming.

"Who the hell are you?  No.  NOoooooo."  The woman's shriek filled the hallway and the three 
men looked for the source, seeing nothing. 

"I think we've been found out," Andy hissed. 

"I guess so," Sturgis nodded.  "Let's move."

Two minutes later Andy's fear was borne out.  With an unearthly scream Leslie leaped from an 
intersecting hallway, landing on Sturgis's back, knocking him sprawling.  With an insane frenzy 
she raised the ten-inch butcher knife over him, set to plunge it into the back of his neck.

"Leslie no," Andy screamed.  For a second she froze, the knife poised and then almost in slow 
motion she made like she was going to drop it.  The brothers held their breath and she 
screamed again, this time lunging for Caleb who tried to take on a defensive stature.  Without 
hesitation, Andrew raised his rifle and fired.  

"Thanks brother," he panted, throwing the body off him.  "Mr. Turner?"

"I'm OK I think," Sturgis panted, "but I can guarantee they know they're being invaded."
=============

 
  It wasn't supposed to end like this. It wasn't right. But there was nothing 
  Harm could do to stop it. Inside the container the air was quickly running 
  out and he wasn't sure if they would even be alive when they made it to the 
  furnace. He'd felt the conveyor belt start to move them towards the flames 
  and he knew it was going to happen. They were going to die. And Mac was 
  never going to know that he loved her.
  
  ******************
  "Dammit" Cyrus shouted. "What the hell is going on?"
  
  "She got help before we got to her" Henry wailed. "We're going to get 
  caught."
  
  His gaze fell to the belt where the container with Harm and Mac was moving 
  slowly towards the furnace. There was no way to make it move faster. And if 
  the cops were onto them, there was no way they could get rid of the evidence 
  now. The only thing left to do was run.
  
  "It's over Cyrus. All we can do is run."
  
  "No. It's not. We just need to get them in the fire. No one will find them."
  
  "Cyrus you know it takes 3 hours for the body to burn" Henry wailed. "The 
  evidence will still be there."
  
  "Freeze" Sturgis yelled as he leveled his shotgun at the men. "Where the 
  hell is Commander Rabb and Colonel Mackenzie?"
  
  Henry's gaze shifted just enough to the conveyor belt and Sturgis let out a 
  gasp as the container neared the flames.
  
  "NO" he shouted. "Stop it. Now."
  
  "No way" Cyrus grinned evilly. "It's too late for them anyway. They're 
  dead."
  
  Sturgis's eyes flew around the room, looking for the switch that would turn 
  off the belt. He finally caught sight of it, running towards it at the same 
  time Cyrus did.
  
  "Get away" Sturgis shouted as he tried to reach the switch and turn it to 
  off. He leveled a blow to Cyrus's midsection and the man doubled over in 
  pain. With the container about to enter the furnace, Sturgis flipped the 
  switch to off, the conveyor belt coming to a halt.
  
  "Lousy bastard" Henry yelled as he came towards Sturgis with a metal poker 
  used to stoke the fire. He never got that far; Andy's shot hitting him 
  square in the back.  He fell to the ground and Cyrus's eyes filled with rage 
  as he looked at where his brother lay. He grabbed the poker and started 
  towards Sturgis. This time it was Caleb who fired, his shot going straight 
  through the heart.
  
  "That's for Becca you son of a bitch" he whispered.
  
  "God please let them be alive" Sturgis prayed as he crawled down the 
  conveyor belt towards the container that Harm and Mac were in. He could feel 
  the flames from the furnace and he prayed that they would be okay. Andy and 
  Caleb hurried after him; Caleb the first to realize the container was 
  locked. He leapt from the conveyor belt and looked around for the key.
  
  "What the hell is going on here?" a Minnesota State Policeman demanded as he 
  and several others hurried into the room.
  
  "Get an ambulance" Sturgis yelled to the police before turning his attention 
  back to the container. "Guys hang on, we're going to get you out. Caleb 
  hurry." The sweat was pouring down his face from the flames and he could 
  only imagine how hot it was inside the metal container.
  
  "Got it" Caleb yelled as he found the key and hurried back to them.
  
  "Hurry" Sturgis urged.
  
  Seconds later the lid was removed, the sound of his friends gasping for 
  breath reaching him at once. Mac's terror filled eyes looked up at him and 
  at once he reached inside the container and lifted her from it and handing 
  her to Andy.
  
  "Easy Colonel" Andy coached. "Slow and easy breaths. You're going to be 
  okay."
  
  "Harm easy buddy" Sturgis urged at the sound of Harm's labored breathing as 
  Caleb lifted him from the container.
  
   "It's all over now, Mac's right here too."  Sturgis moved to help Caleb with Harm, seeing that 
Andy was making Mac as comfortable as possible.  They set Harm down beside her and his 
eyes looked up at Sturgis, gesturing to Mac as best they could.
 
 "OK I get it," Sturgis smiled and lifted Mac so that she was all but sitting in Harm's lap.  Almost 
at once there was an ease to his breathing.  She likewise relaxed, and was even able to 
manage a half smile as she was content to lie quietly against him.  Sturgis squatted beside 
them and shook his head.  "I swear you guys can't be left alone at all."
 
 Harm's eyes begged another question and Sturgis nodded.  "Dead, all but May.  And she'll be 
sent away where she can't hurt anyone again.  Those sirens that are getting louder by the 
second should be the state boys.  We didn't leave them too much I'm afraid except the mop 
up."
 
 "What in the wide wide world of sports is going on in this place?"  This from a burly Minnesota 
State patrol sergeant a few minutes later who burst into the room, leading a contingent of state 
troopers, guns drawn.  He fixed his gaze on Sturgis who was raising his hand as if requesting 
permission to speak.  "You the guy that called us?"
 
 "Yes sir, Commander Sturgis Turner, JAG Headquarters, Washington.  Colonel Mackenzie,  
Commander Rabb and what's going on here I only know the half of.  These two would be your 
complainants.  I do know it's going to take a lot to sort through, and right now they need to get 
to the hospital.  The Kempers drugged them, and locked them in that cremation container.  I'm 
sure their breathing as been affected."
 
 "This place looks like a scene from a Friday the 13th Movie," Sgt. Monroe gasped, and keyed 
his radio mike.  "It's a four guys.  Need the paramedics.  Now."
 ==============
 LeSUEUR COUNTY HOSPITAL
 2 Hours later
 
 "Mr. Turner?"
 
 "My friends?" Sturgis demanded quickly.
 
 "Mr. Rabb is doing well," Dr. Steele nodded.  "The drug is wearing off and he's breathing 
normally.  Ms. Mackenzie I'm a little concerned about."
 
 "How so?" Sturgis frowned, immediately thinking of Harm's reaction to any bad news 
concerning her.
 
 "She's gotten some fluid in her lungs, probably a complication of the drug, and then the 
deprivation of oxygen didn't help."
 
 "Uh. . .you want to give me the bottom line there please.  Is she OK, and what's being done to 
help her?"
 
 "Medication.  IV and oral, and she's being given a breathing treatment.  I have no doubt she's 
going to recover, but she's going to need about twenty four hours here to do that well.  She's 
resting comfortably and submitting to the treatment.  It's Mr. Rabb who's agitated and won't 
calm down.  Until his muscles are totally functioning I can't let him up."
 
 "You want me to straighten the man out?" Sturgis grinned.
 
 "Please.  Patsy, show Mr. Turner to Mr. Rabb please, and remind Mr. Rabb that I'm coming 
back with a sedative, in suppository form, if he doesn't relax."
 
 "Yes doctor.  This way Mr. Turner.  He's pretty upset," Patsy sighed.  "Keeps moaning about 
someone named Mac and how he has to tell her he loves her."
 
 The second Sturgis opened the door Harm attempted to leap from the bed, an act which was 
made all but impossible from the weakness in his muscles left by the days of being drugged 
and he tottered on the edge before Sturgis and Patsy grabbed him.
 
 "Rabb behave yourself.  Now." Sturgis gave him a firm push back down and Patsy shook her 
finger at him.
 
 "Mr. Rabb I've got three teen age boys.  I don't take no crap.  You be still or I swear you'll 
regret it.  I'm leaving now, but Mr. Turner you push that there button if he acts up.  And Mr. 
Rabb, one word---suppository."
 
 "Sturgis please," Harm whined the second they were alone.
 
 "May I help you?" he said teasingly.  "Tell Uncle Sturgis what you need."  He leaned over the 
bed and was more than surprised when Harm's arm shot up to grab his shirt, his grip 
amazingly strong considering.
 
 "I need Mac," he gasped.  "I need to know she's OK and I need to tell her. . ."
  
"That you love her" Sturgis finished quietly.

"Yes" Harm whispered. "Please tell me she's okay and that I can see her."

"You can as soon as they're finished treating her."

"They're still treating her? Oh god, she's not okay is she?"

"She was having some problems breathing" Sturgis said slowly. "And before 
you freak, the doctor said it was just a reaction to the drug and the lack 
of oxygen and he's sure she's going to fine."

"I'm way past freaking here Sturgis" Harm wailed, his friends words send a 
cold chill down his spine.

"Harm calm. She is going to be fine. But you won't be if you have a stroke. 
Now relax."

"Oh god this is all my fault. She could have died and it would have been my 
fault. I should never have gotten her involved in this mess."

"I hate to tell you this but there was no way you were going to keep her 
from getting involved. She was bound and determined to find you despite them 
telling her you were dead."

"They told her that?" Harm gasped.

"Yes and to say she was upset would be a major understatement. And I tried 
to get her to wait for me but she wouldn't. All she was worried about was 
finding you."

"I need to see her Sturgis. Please."

His wish was finally granted a few hours later as Sturgis helped him down 
the hall to Mac's room. The paleness of her face struck him at once and he 
sank down in the chair beside her bed.

"I'll leave you two alone" Sturgis said softly and Harm nodded before 
turning his attention to Mac. He reached at once for her hand and she 
stirred at his touch.

"Hi" she murmured as she realized who had her hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine" he whispered. "It's you that's scaring me to death."

"Now you know how I felt the other day" she said softly as her eyes opened 
fully to look up at him.

"Mac I am so sorry about all of this. You should never have been here. I 
should never have gotten you involved."

"If I hadn't you'd probably be dead" she whispered. "And that wasn't 
something I could live with."

"Yeah and it almost cost you your life."

"Harm we were going to die together. And as horrible of a thought as that is 
it's better than living the rest of my life without you."

"You're insane Mackenzie" he sighed. "And I guess that's why I love you so 
much. And you have no idea how afraid I was that I wasn't going to get to 
tell you that."

"As afraid as I was" Mac said softly. "Because I love you just as much."

"You know that wasn't so hard to say" he smiled. "I don't know why it took 
us so long. Course seeing your life flash before you has a way of making you 
realize what's really important."

"Yes it does."

"So if I get down on my knee and ask you to marry me you won't think I've 
totally lost my mind."

"Harm you're not serious" she gasped.

"Well I would be if I could get down on one knee" he said with a small 
smile. "But I guess the best I can do is this." With a deep breath he 
brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "I love you Sarah 
Mackenzie. And I would like very much for you to be my wife."

"I would love to be your wife" she sniffled.

"I love you Sarah" he whispered as he leaned forward and gently kissed her 
lips. "Rest. I'll be right here."

She nodded and her eyes dropped shut.

"Harm" she murmured, her eyes remaining shut.

"Yes honey" he whispered as he reached for her hand again.

"When I die, please don’t cremate me" she murmured before her voice dropped 
off.

"Never" he promised with a shudder. "Never."

He gave her a quick kiss and added with a mischievous smile.  "We're going to live forever."

THE END