'That Detective Howell is being framed, and Stone may be involved in that,' Rodgers said.
'Framed how, and to do what?'
'He was tipped off to be at your apartment,' Rodgers said. 'As for how about fifteen years ago, he had an affair with a fellow coast guard cadet.'
'So he's gay. Who cares?'
'That isn't quite the entirety of it,' Rodgers said. 'The other young man obviously had second thoughts and claimed he was seduced. Howell took the rap. Because Howell had seniority, the affair was deemed consensual by virtue of force majeure, a mild reprimand, but it went on Howell's psych profile, which was sealed.'
'Until someone opened it.'
'Yes,' Rodgers said. 'Someone who had access to military files.'
'Meaning Admiral Link.'
'Perhaps,' Rodgers admitted. 'Since I doubt the admiral would tell us whether this is true, there is only one way to find out. We have to ask Detective Howell.'
'Why do you need me to do that?' Kat asked.
'I am not convinced he is playing entirely on Op-Center's side,'
Rodgers said. 'If I call him, he probably won't say anything. If you call, he may. Especially if you call saying that you decline to press charges against Darrell McCaskey and his wife.'
'Why would I do that?' Kat asked. 'They broke into my apartment.'
'They did not really have a choice,' Rodgers pointed out. 'They thought you might be involved in this.'
'And now they don't? You don't?'
'I am hoping you are not,' Rodgers said. 'This would be a good way to strengthen that hope.'
'You know, I was supposed to be downstairs five minutes ago, meeting with reporters about the campaign,' she said. 'But you made me so upset I couldn't even do that. Now you want me to help you with this mad chase of yours. I really wish all of this would just go away.'
'Me, too,' Rodgers said. 'I was supposed to be downstairs auditioning for secretary of defense. Instead, I'm up here begging you to help me fight a battle that is not even mine.'
'Nor mine, General,' Kat said. With an angry huff she walked to the bed and fished her cell phone from under her coat. 'Let's be done with this damn thing. What is How-ell's number?'
Rodgers pointed to the phone on the night table. 'Would you mind using that one, on speaker? I would like to hear.'
'Fine,' she said. 'Why the hell not? Let's really humiliate the guy.'
Rodgers gave her the main switchboard of the Metro Police, which was the only one he knew. They put her through.
'Detective Howell, this is Kat Lockley,' she said. 'I'm on a speaker phone. General Mike Rodgers of Op-Center is here with me.'
She made a point of emphasizing Op-Center, to show the general that she did not consider him to be on her team. Rodgers had taken many rough knocks in his career. He would survive this one.
'Ms. Lockley, I was going to call you,' Howell said. 'I suppose you have heard we found two Op-Center agents in your apartment.
We arrested them for breaking and entering.'
'Yes. I do not think I want to press charges, however,' she said.
'Pardon me?'
