1002 (10:02 a.m.)
Lakewood Mall
Washington, DC

“Mac, look!” Chloe hurried up to a shop window and pressed her face to the glass.

“What is it?” Mac asked, walking over to the window to look inside the store.

“Those platform sandals,” Chloe told her, pointing. “They would look awesome with your new outfit.”

“You think so?”

“I know so. Come on, let’s go see what size they are.” Chloe headed inside the store, and Mac had no choice but to follow her.

The two of them walked through the shop to the window, and Chloe lifted the pair of sandals from their shelf. “Size 8,” she announced triumphantly. “Try them on!”

Mac handed Chloe the bags she was carrying, and Chloe gave her the sandals. She kicked off her sneakers and tried the platforms on.

“They look great!” Chloe exclaimed happily. “You have to get them.”

Mac smiled. “OK. Sure feels weird wearing platforms again. I haven’t owned a pair of these since I was in high school.”

“In other words, a thousand years ago,” Chloe commented as Mac put her sneakers back on.

“Hey!”

“OK, a hundred years.”

Mac just rolled her eyes as the two of them made their way to the checkout.

~*~*~*~*

Five Minutes Later

Mac and Chloe were on their way out of the mall when Chloe stopped short in front of the Ticketmaster booth.

“Mac, is that Harm?” she asked, gesturing to a tall, dark haired man in jeans who had his back turned to them.

Mac took one look and nodded. “Yup, that’s him. Hey, Harm,” she called.

Harm whirled around in surprise. “Mac! Chloe! What are you two doing here?”

“Raiding stores.”

“What are you buying tickets for?” Chloe asked curiously.

“Um, just an event.” Harm was trying to appear nonchalant, but was failing miserably. He hurriedly changed the subject. “What did you get?” he asked, pointing at the bags that Mac was carrying.

Mac opened her mouth to answer, but Chloe jumped in. “You’ll see tonight,” she told Harm with a grin.

“Is it a surprise?” Harm asked, looking amused.

“Yes,” Chloe said mischievously.

Harm smiled at the young girl. “Well, I can’t wait to see what it is.” He picked an envelope up off the counter, which Mac and Chloe eyed suspiciously. He turned slightly red and quickly stuffed it into his shirt pocket. “I guess I’ll see you tonight,” he told them. “I have a couple more errands to run.”

“All right. See you later,” Chloe replied, reaching up to give Harm a hug.

“Bye, sweetie.” Harm gave her a warm squeeze and gave Mac a light punch on the arm. “See you two at the party.”

“Bye,” they called to his retreating form.

“Did you see that envelope?” Chloe asked as soon as Harm was out of earshot.

“Uh-huh,” Mac replied, “and I want to know what’s inside.”

“Me, too.” Chloe looked thoughtful. “Think he’ll tell us?”

“Nope. We’re going to have to find out ourselves.”

“But how are we going to do that?”

“Chloe, I didn’t spend all that time with Clayton Webb without learning at least a few trickery methods.”

“You mean we’re going to fool him into telling us?”

“Yep. If he doesn’t tell us by tonight, I know of a few tactics that are sure to trip him up.”

Chloe nodded, her face brightening. “Deal,” she said.

~*~*~*~*

1805 (6:05 p.m.)
Mac’s Apartment
Georgetown

Lieutenant Harriet Simms was setting a bowl of potato chips on the refreshment table when there was a knock on the door. Since Mac was in the kitchen pouring drinks, and Chloe was underneath her bed in search of her CD collection, she decided to answer it. Popping a chip into her mouth, she headed for the door.

“Commander! Sergei!” she exclaimed happily when she opened the door.

“Hey, Harriet.” Harm smiled down at his friend as she stepped aside to let the two men inside the apartment.

“My word, sir, what on earth did you get Chloe?” Harriet asked, eyeing the huge package Harm was carrying.

Harm’s eyes twinkled. “You’ll just have to wait and see. Where should I put it?”

“Here, I’ll get it.” Harriet took the present from Harm.

Sergei walked over to the couch where little A.J. was playing with his Legos, and Harm headed to the kitchen, looking for Mac. He found her pouring sodas into plastic cups.

“Hey, Mac,” he told her.

“Hi, Harm.” “Where’s Chl…” Harm’s voice trailed off when Mac turned around to face him.

Mac grinned sheepishly. She was dressed in a silver short-sleeved shirt, black bellbottom-style pants, and of course the black platform sandals. Her toenails were painted a deep burgundy. “Chloe helped me pick it out.”

“Doesn’t it look great?” Chloe asked, walking into the kitchen.

Harm was speechless. Mac couldn’t help her feeling of satisfaction - it wasn’t every day that she got to see her partner tongue-tied. Chloe’s “surprise” had done its trick.

But Chloe’s grin was biggest of all, as she looked from Harm to Mac, then at Harm again. Her plan had worked. Harm was obviously impressed by Mac’s appearance, and Mac was enjoying it. Success was sweet.

~*~*~*~*

Thirty Minutes Later

By 6:30, the party was in full swing. Mac leaned against the refreshment table, watching the activity in front of her.

Harm and Sturgis were sitting on the floor, engaged in a little green army men war with little A.J. Chloe was teaching Sergei the movements of the Electric Slide, and Harriet and Bobbi Latham were discussing the pro’s and con’s of some new low-carb diet.

Mac smiled as she took a drink of her Coke. She had gotten a call from Mrs. Madison about an hour earlier, and the older woman had told Mac that she and Chloe’s father would arrive at about 7:00. Mac couldn’t wait to see the expression on Chloe’s face when her dad walked through the door.

She was deep in thought when Chloe walked up, breathless but smiling. “Man, Sergei’s transforming into the Electric Slide master,” she told Mac, reaching over and picking up a cup of soda.

Mac grinned at Chloe. “Is he wearing you out?”

“Nope.” Chloe took a swallow of Coke, then asked, “Mac, can I put some music on?”

“Sure. Which CD would you like?”

“Well, I found my Martina McBride album. How about that?”

“Sounds good. I’ll get everybody to clear the living room floor.” Chloe nodded and headed to the guestroom to retrieve her CD.

“OK, everybody!” Mac called. “Chloe’s going to teach you all the Electric Slide, so I’m gonna need everyone to stand up.”

Amid groans from Harm and Sturgis, the group obediently rose to their feet.

~*~*~*~*

Forty-Five Minutes Later

Chloe decided to open her presents before eating cake, so everyone gathered around her in the living room. She sat down cross-legged on the floor, and to Mac’s surprise, Harm settled down beside the young girl.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” said Harriet as she handed Chloe a large package wrapped in blue paper.

“Thank you!” Chloe exclaimed, taking it. She read the card, then hurriedly tore the paper and opened the box. “Wow!” she cried, lifting a book of horse facts and an N Sync poster from the package. “This is wonderful! Thank you, Ms. Simms!”

“You’re welcome.” Harriet reached down to give Chloe a hug.

Next was Sturgis and Bobbi’s present. Chloe’s face lit up as she opened the package to find an autographed picture of the five boys from N Sync. “Happy Birthday, Chloe” was written at the top in what was unmistakably Justin’s handwriting.

“Oh my word!” Chloe clutched the picture to her chest. “I can’t believe this! I love it! Thank you!”

Mac turned to Bobbi, incredulous. “Where on earth did you two get an autographed picture of N Sync?”

Bobbi grinned. “I have my ways.”

Now came Mac’s gift. Chloe opened the purple bag Mac gave her with a curious expression on her face. What she lifted out of the bag brought a smile that stretched from ear to ear: a gift certificate to her favorite clothing store. “Thank you, Mac!” she squealed, giving her big sister a hug.

“You’re welcome, Chloe,” Mac replied, squeezing her tightly. “Happy birthday.”

Last was Harm’s present. Chloe’s eyebrows flew up as soon as she saw the size of the box.

“Here you go, honey,” Harm told her, giving her the package.

Chloe eagerly opened the box, and gasped with joy as she pulled out an N Sync T-shirt, an N Sync keychain, a notebook with N Sync on the front, and the magazine with Justin running across the cover. “Wow!” Chloe’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Harm!”

Harm nodded. “You’re welcome. But, there’s one more thing.”

“There is?” Chloe peered back into the box. “Where?” She stuck her hand inside and rustled the tissue paper. An envelope fell out.

“There’s the envelope from the mall!” Chloe cried, grabbing it.

Sturgis looked at Mac with a puzzled expression. “‘The envelope from the mall’?”

Mac nodded without answering the question, her eyes never leaving the envelope.

Chloe tore open the envelope, and two pieces of paper appeared. She pulled them out and peered at them closely, then let out a scream. “TICKETS TO THE N SYNC CONCERT NEXT MONTH!” She turned and gave Harm such a large hug that she nearly knocked him over.

Mac shook her head with a grin. So that was what Harm had been trying to hide from them earlier.

Chloe finally let go of Harm and stared down at the tickets in her hand. “Thank you so much! I can’t believe it… but who’s going to take me?” She glanced up at Mac.

“Don’t look at me,” Mac told her. “I hate pop music. I don’t know how you can stand listening to that stuff.”

Chloe looked expectantly over at Harm.

“Uh…” Harm stammered.

Mac crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her partner. “Harmon Rabb, Jr., don’t even think about making excuses. You’re the one who bought the tickets.”

“OK,” Harm agreed, albeit reluctantly. “I’ll take you, Chloe.”

Chloe’s face glowed with joy, then her brow wrinkled in thought. “Hold on a second, how am I getting back here?”

“I already checked with your grandmother, and you have school break that week,” Harm informed her. “She and I are going to pool our money and get you a plane ticket.”

Chloe’s face lit up again. “Harm, you’re the greatest!”

“And he knows it,” Mac piped in, giving Harm a smile.

Harm just grinned.

Then the doorbell rang. Chloe’s father and grandmother, thought Mac. She rose from the couch and headed for the doorway while the rest of the group headed for the kitchen to get slices of cake.

Mac opened the door, expecting to see Chloe’s family. Instead, she was greeted by two grim-faced police officers.

“Ma’am, are you Sarah MacKenzie?” asked the taller officer.

“Yes, I am.”

“Were you expecting a Petty Officer Anderson and a Mrs. Madison?”

“Yes,” replied Mac, starting to get an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Where are they? Are they all right?”

“I’m sorry to tell you this, ma’am, but the Petty Officer and Mrs. Madison have been killed.”