Title: Harm and Mac Songbook: Look de Devil Dere

 

Author: Rising Sun

E-mail: jag@lucianstuff.every1.net

URL: http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc

 

Rated: PG-13 (NC-17 version available)

Classification: JAG Story/Adventure

 

Summary: Palmer threatens the Rabb family.

 

Disclaimer: JAG characters portrayed belong to JAG, CBS and Paramount Television. No copyright infringement intended.  All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.

 

Performing in this saga: The Penguin sings "Look De Devil Dere"

 

Feedback: Would be nice.

 

Author's Notes: 'En bas le-zay is a particular type of leaf used in the black arts.

 

The HMS series is written in a manner that allows for each story to be read as a self-contained story or as part of an arc.  This story is part of a potential trio:

*  HMS21a: Delilah

*  HMS21b: The Look

*  HMS21c: Look de Devil Dere

 

To find out about Stevie read HMS8: Hotel California and HMS24b: Hazard

To find out about Mac at the Toys for Tots Auction read HMS12: Sold

To find out about Harm's proposal of marriage read HMS13a: Kiss

To find out about Macs lost child read HMS22d: How Do I Live and HMS 26b: Me Myself I

 

Story Written September 2001

 

*********************************************

 

SATURDAY

2331 LOCAL

PRONTO'S ITALIAN RESTURANT

 

The JAG group gathered round the large reserved table.

 

"Well Colonel thanks to you we won again." AJ Chedwiggen toasted. There were grins all round.

 

"And where better to celebrate than where I proposed." Harm said.

 

"Hopefully conditions will remain calm and sane." Mac commented her sense of foreboding remained.

 

"HA!" AJ responded.

 

The menus were brought round.

 

=================================================

 

So you 'fraid Satan dat mysterious man

An you keep saying in hell he living

Its time you know you thinking wrong

Devil for so all over town

 

=================================================

 

The evening was a good one.  Good food, good company and good conversation.  Until ...

 

For the first time that evening Mac took a drink of water.  She reacted instantly.  With the first convulsion the glass fell.  A series followed and she fell to the floor.  The entire restaurant paused to focus on the woman on the floor.

 

"What the šthe hell!" AJ was shocked, as was everyone.

 

Harm was leaning over her.  She managed to grab him and say "Antidote!"

 

Her husband reacted like a released spring.  He unceremoniously pushed Bud aside, grabbed Mac's purse off the table and dumped the contents.  He returned to the still convulsing Mac and jabbed her in the leg.  It took only a couple of seconds but she finally settled down. He cradled her in his arms and thanked God for her safe return.

 

"Harm! What the hell just happened here!?"  AJ wanted answers and fast.

 

"Allergic reaction. Mac is allergic to walnut oil.  It occurs so rarely that I sometimes forget that she has it."

 

"Not so rare that she leaves home without the antidote." Harriett observed.

 

"Walnut oil?" Carolyn repeated.  "Where was it? Is the reaction a delayed one?"

 

"No it's instant so it must be something she just had."  Harm felt Mac bury her face in his chest.  "I'm taking my wife home.  Thanks for the evening."  He stood bringing Mac to her feet.

 

"You do that Harm, but I'm not happy with this. I'm going to have a preliminary investigation.  Gunny secure this scene.  The owner gives you ANY problems send him to me. You got that?"

 

"Aye sir!"  The Gunny acknowledged.

 

Harm nodded to his former Commanding Officer and left.

 

=================================================

 

You fraid de Devil you fraid him bad

Well look de devil right in you yard.

An he grinning while you saying grace

Shaking up he tail in people face

Whe de devil dere

Look de Devil dere.

 

=================================================

 

0111 LOCAL

RABBS RESIDENCE

 

The Rabbs returned home with no further incident and despite the violence of the allergic reaction Mac was well on the way to normal when they pulled into the driveway.

 

The babysitter greeted them and reported that all was well.  Harm paid her and she left.

 

=================================================

 

Mac lay on the bed still fully dressed.

 

All is well on the Rabb front." Harm reported having just made a quick check of their children.  He moved over to Mac.

 

"What are you doing?" She asked the obvious.

 

He answered the obvious. "Undressing you." He leaned towards her and kissed her.

 

"Harm" she breathed his name.

 

"Shhh" he said and continued to kiss her.

 

Despite the events of the evening she responded.

 

"Mommy?" Mac's head snapped back at the call.  "What are you doing up at this time young lady" She asked her mini replica.  "All quiet on the Rabb front huh?"  She looked at Harm.

 

He shrugged.  "No harm done."

 

Catherine Rabb "Cathy" to every one, climbed onto her parents bed.  "Did you have a happy time?"  She asked.

 

"Bed for you." Harm reached for her, but she dodged him and hid behind her mother.

 

"I saw Stevie tonight." Cathy announced triumphantly as she stared at Harm.

 

Stevie again.  Mac made a mental note to talk with Harm about that spirit.  Stevie had shown that her loyalty was to Harm and not necessarily to his family.  That could spell trouble in the future, for now she focused on her five year old.  "So what did you and Stevie talk about?"

 

"That was woman to woman." The little girl announced.

 

Mac turned to fluff up her pillow so as to hide her grin.  She didn't dare look at Harm.  [Woman to woman indeed.]

 

Harm stared looked at Mac and Cathy and his love threatened to overwhelm him.  The two most important women in his life not counting his mother were right here with him: his wife and his daughter.  "Ok OK I can take a hint.  I'll go check on the boys ... AGAIN."

 

=================================================

 

"Where's mommy?" Harm asked Cathy upon his return to the room.

 

"In the bath.  She's sick." Cathy stated.

 

He was about to rush the door when Mac emerged.  "You OK?" he asked.

 

She nodded.  "Cathy tell daddy what you told me."

 

The little girl took on a stubborn stance and shook her head.  The Rabb/MacKenzie genes were kicking in.  "It made you sick.  Will make daddy sick too."

 

Harm was beginning to feel scared.  "Tell me baby it's ok."  It took some coaxing and only when Mac finally gave up and was about to relate the story herself that the tiny Rabb relented and the story

unfolded.

 

"Stevie said to tell mommy that Clarke is a flor-zentic... flor-zentic..." she stumbled over the word.

 

"Forensic Artist." Mac prompted.

 

"Yeah." Cathy agreed.  "Stevie says don't worry she's here and will take care of us."

 

Harm went pale.  "Clarke as in Clarke Palmer?"

 

Cathy noted his pale face "See! You're sick too!"

 

Harm hugged his daughter "It's ok pumpkin.  It's ok." [God help me. PALMER!!] He thought.

 

Mac was studying him.  "Obviously the walnut oil was not an accident."

 

"Palmer once told me that anyone could shoot someone but it took a forensic artist to cause that same person to choke on a hotdog in a crowd. And Clarke Palmer considers himself an artiste."

 

"The question then is this ..." Mac wondered "... was the attack on me a warning or was I lucky?"

 

"Who can tell" He looked at Cathy the message delivered the little girl was sleeping peacefully.  He stood to return her to her room.

 

=================================================

 

SUNDAY

0756 LOCAL

JAG HQ

 

Mac walked into her Commanding Officer's office.

 

"How you feeling Colonel?" he asked.

 

"I'm fine sir.  I usually bounce back quickly."

 

"Fine." He turned his attention to the task at hand.  "All the glasses were coated with walnut oil.  As you are the only one with the allergy and the person had no idea where you would be seated they hedged their bets and coated all."

 

"Sir. I need for you to call Leavenworth as we have reason to believe that Clarke Palmer is involved."

 

AJ stared at his Chief of Staff.  He picked up the phone and made the call. He soon had his answer.  "He's on the run."

 

"Since when!"

 

"Two days ago."

 

"With all due respect sir.  But no one thought to call us?"  She was annoyed.  "Now what?"

 

"I will not suggest the quiet life for that is not possible for you and Rabb but I will warn you to be careful.  The resources of JAG are at your disposal.  We can only wait for his next move."

 

She sighed. "Thank you sir.  I need to call Harm he stayed with the kids and must be worried."

 

"GO!" he ordered.

 

=================================================

 

To fool people eyes Devil does disguise

But is no problem to recognize them

Some like to deck in suit all day and rub their neck

'En bas le-zay

 

=================================================

 

SIX MONTHS LATER

 

0826 LOCAL

JAG HQ, MAC"S OFFICE

 

The phone rang.

 

"Hello?" Mac said.

 

"Ah Colonel.  I'm glad I caught you.  I was wondering do you think that Catherine will grow up to be the devastating beauty that her mother is?"

 

Mac tensed "Palmer."

 

"Oh good introductions are not necessary."

 

"What do you want?"

 

"Actually it's a case of what do YOU want." He replied.

 

Suddenly.  "Mommy?" Cathy's voice came through the phone, then Palmer's "I'm at your house.  It really was too good a day to leave the kids at school so I collected them for you. Of course I looked so much like Harm at the time who could tell me no? So here we all are.  The sitter Maddie is it? Well anyway she's a bit tied up at the moment but the kids are fine."

 

"I repeat what do you want Palmer?" Mac was getting desperate.

 

"Oh I'm sorry did I not say? How crass of me.  You Mac.  You come over and the kids with the sitter will go free.  Then you and I will call Rabb."

 

"I'm on my way."

 

"Of course you are. I never doubted what your answer would be." he replied.

 

Mac checked her gun then decided against it.  These were her children, she'd lost one already she had no intension of burying anymore.

 

=================================================

 

Gunnery Sergeant Victor Galendez was about to address Mac. 

 

She never saw him.

 

He studied the Colonel and his gut told him that all was not well.  He decided to follow.

 

=================================================

 

It have some people with gown and bible.

Who praise their savior but cuss their neighbour

Another kind share kicks and blows

Hiding behind some police clothes

 

=================================================

 

1008 LOCAL

RABB RESIDENCE

 

[God help me. I'm going mad.]  Mac thought.  [Either that or I just entered the Twilight Zone.]  The house betrayed none of the evil that lurked with in.  Mac heard a squeal from the backyard and resisted the instinct to run a head but approached carefully. 

 

Self-preservation told her to turn around and she came face to face with Victor Galendez.  He placed a finger to his lips.  "Colonel?" he whispered.

 

It was too late to turn him away so she explained the situation quickly. He nodded grimly.  [I should have called Harm] she thought belatedly.

 

With Mac leading the way they made their way towards the sounds of laughter.  [Laughter?] Mac registered. She peeped round the corner and was spotted by Cathy. "Mommy!" She squealed.  Her cover blown Mac stepped forward.  [That child needs some Military savvy]  The thought crossed Mac's mind as she moved forward and the Gunny stepped back.  She scooped up her daughter and walked towards the sitter and her children.

 

"Where's Clarke?!" Mac demanded.

 

"Who?" Maddie asked.

 

Mac's heart sank.  He'd played them again, but how? She'd heard Cathy on the line.  "Clarke Palmer!" she repeated.  "Where is he!"

 

"You know Maddie.  That awful man" David prompted.

 

"Oh is that his name? He never said.  He's inside."

 

"He's dead!" David called out as Mac placed Cathy down and prepared to move towards the house.  She stopped in her tracks and looked at her eldest son then to Maddie who nodded.

 

"Stevie did it." He explained.

 

[Stevie again]  Mac thought.

 

"I told you." Cathy reminded Mac with an obvious tone. "She said not to worry."

 

Mac strode to the house.  It looked like a tornado had been through the place and sure enough there laid the body of Palmer.  "Gunny!" She called.

 

He finally approached having ensured that the place was secure. He stepped in and saw the body. "Don't worry about it ma'am I'll take care of the garbage."

 

Mac nodded. Maybe it wasn't necessary to talk with Harm about that spirit after all. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Harm's number.  As his phone rang she walked towards her children.

 

"Mom you won't believe it. It was great! You should have seen Stevie ..." David couldn't wait to give his mother the story.

 

[Thanks Stephanie] Mac hoped she heard.

 

 

THE END

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