Star Trek: Bendross
Episode 23: Rainbow Herrings
(Spring, 2083)
By
And
The Bendross Players
Back in the sickbay, Hamilton, Jon Dou and Kerenski were questioning another revived witness from the 7th watch.
Amy Harbaugh looked at Hamilton and Martin with tears filling her eyes. "Crystal is dead?"
Something rang false for Hamilton, But this was happening so often he was on the verge of turning the mental warning off for the duration. Another part of his body took over and expressed what he hoped was deep and affecting concern.
"I'm very sorry." He said. "Crystal's Husband said you were close."
"Hanson Mychels is a thug. I knew it was only a matter of time until he beat her to death." Amy grated through her tears.
Hamilton looked at Martin. It sounded very probable to Hamilton. Martin's face was rock steady and bland.
"What happened to give you that idea?" Martin asked.
"You said you've talked to Him, is that right?"
"Yes."
Then you know what a thug he is. He was part of a SWAT team in California that used to kill people. God only knows what he did during the war." Amy said.
Hamilton was admiring her blonde hair and trim figure. As the moment of silence grew he asked the first question that occurred to him "Did he ever do anything to Crystal?"
"Not that I know of, directly."
"Directly?" Kerenski prompted.
"Ummm... I don't know how appropriate it is to repeat this now, but Crystal mentioned that she was afraid of him from time to time." Amy said hesitantly. "To tell the truth, so am I."
"Don't worry. We won't let anything happen to you." Hamilton said.
Jon Dou and Martin looked at Hamilton.
"Well, we won't will we?" Hamilton demanded.
"No. We won't let anything happen to you." Martin said deadpan.
Behind Amy, Jon Dou rolled her eyes with an eloquent expression.
"Thank god. With Crystal gone," Amy had a catch in her throat "I'm afraid to be part of a small community with him in it."
"Hmmm." Martin said.
Hamilton attempted to wrest control of his brain back and focus on the cased. "What can you tell us about Crystal?"
Crystal sighed deeply. "When they said this mission was selecting the best of the best, She was the proof. She was good at what she did, and about everything else. I felt privileged to call her my friend."
Jon Dou blinked slowly. "Okay. What was her favorite flavor of Ice cream?"
Amy looked at the statuesque doctor. "Ummm. Mint chocolate chip, I think, why?"
"Just curious."
"What sort of things did you two do when you were off duty?" Martin asked.
"Oh, you know, the usual, I guess. We had long conversations, played games for way too long. You know, we basically tried to keep from being bored to death while locked inside a tin can."
"Who..." Hamilton took a deep breath "Who all did you hang out with?"
"Oh, you know. Everyone on the watch to a certain degree. There weren't enough of us to make it worthwhile to actively avoid someone." Amy shrugged.
"Was there anyone who might want her dead?" Martin asked.
"Only Hanson."
"Why?" Hamilton asked.
"Does someone like that really need a reason?" Amy said.
"Hmmm." Hamilton found that he agreed with her.
-*-
Hamilton and Martin talked to Hanson in the wardroom.
Mychels shook his head ruefully "She don't like me very much, huh?"
"She likes you fine for the killer." Hamilton said.
Mychels looked at Hamilton sharply. "Someday we'll have a discussion about your attitude Mr. Ashby. Not now. Maybe after we've been landed a while and people start to figure out that a smart mouthed hacker isn't so indispensable in the woods."
"While he's on my team, I wouldn't advise that, Mr. Mychels." Martin said quietly.
"Later. First thing I want know is who did my wife."
"Yeah." Hamilton said. "We'll search for the real killer for the rest of our days."
Mychel's face screwed up for a moment and then he relaxed. "Amy offered to do either one of you yet?"
Hamilton's face fell "What's that supposed to mean?"
"She's what they used to call easy. Mainly I figure it's boredom and a sense of power over men." Mychels explained. "Especially in such a constrained environment as this, People's bad habits get magnified out of proportion."
Martin smiled faintly. "Did you take her up on that?"
Mychels smiled wolfishly "I'll let you ask the lady about that."
"Maybe you did and maybe Crystal objected." Hamilton said.
"Maybe. Then what? Outback divorce court?" Mychels laughed. "We can have quite a soap opera out here on the good ship Bendross but the money and power aspect are real esoteric."
"Maybe she objected and caused such a hassle that you killed her to shut her up. Hell, you've threatened to kill all of us." Hamilton said. "If I believe you, then it's not too far out of the realm of possibility that you killed Crystal."
"That's only because you didn't know her. Crystal was an angel. She was the best thing that ever happened to me, and probably the best thing that ever will. I'd sooner cut my own throat than harm her in any way." Mychels was fervent.
"Maybe you were a touch obsessive. Maybe you were a bit jealous and possessive?" Hamilton prompted.
Mychels shook his head. "I been to too many murder/suicides. I've had to shoot too many obsessive men. They're always the same. 'If I can't have her no one else will! I can't live without her.' That ain't love, that's a mental disease. I ain't goin' there."
"What would you do if you found that Crystal was going out on you?" Martin asked.
"I'd kill him and dispose of the body. But I'd never breathe a word of it to Crystal." Mychels said quickly and definitely. After half a beat he added. "Not that that's an issue now, is it?"
Hamilton noted that for a few moments Hanson looked smaller and grayer than normal.
"Great Googely Moo." Hamilton though to himself. "He really, really loved her."
"Who did Crystal and Amy like to associate with?" Martin asked.
"Didn't you ask Amy?"
"She wasn't forthcoming." Martin said blandly.
"Jesus! What a pair of amateurs. Let me alone with her for ten minutes and she'll tell you anything you want to know and blow you both to keep her away from me."
"That would tend to confirm her opinion of who's a likely suspect." Martin said coldly.
"Uh, let me think. Amy's Boyfriend is Leo Brennan. I almost killed him on GP. He's a real waste of time, but on the planet I figured we could stake him out for monster bait or something. Then there's John Lansing; he's one of those political weenies. He spends too much time thinkin'. Van Ness and Friese are another pair of partners in crime. When the four of 'em got together the estrogen was so think you could cut it. I found myself thinkin' about curtains and decoration schemes for the wardroom before I learned to leave 'em alone."
"Good." Martin said. "That's the beginning of a list."
"Jeez, you pair of goddamned amateurs. Listen, don't be stupid. Search our stuff before you wake anyone else up. Get the dirt they thought they were hiding before you try to hold them up for any information." Mychels said.
"Even your stuff?" Hamilton asked.
"I wave my goddamned fourth amendment rights right now. That's even if you morons respected that to begin with. You search my shit and find all my hidden little secrets and that'll give you standing to do it to all those other bozos. Are you *sure* you don't want me helping you?"
Martin blinked and shook his head. "I think you're helping us just fine."
"Unless you're trying to distract us." Hamilton said. He was still working to be suspicious although his heart wasn't fully in it.
Mychels grinned an evil grin. "Hacker boy, if you come across a Red Herring thank your lucky stars and grab it for all you're worth. It's as close to a clue as you're ever going to get."
"I'll bear that in mind." Hamilton said sourly.
Mychels laughed.
Disclaimer: Paramount owns all things Trek. I claim original characters and situations in this story for me.