The men continued to search as emergency personnel arrived. They looked under tables, behind chairs, in boxes and briefcases. Ashland pointed out that any computer could have a device inside. Jazz extracted a wrench from inside his bag. He walked through the conference center searching for a secondary device, smashing each monitor he passed to peer inside. Ashland did the same.
Ita and his canine also searched the room for explosives. The airman focused as much as possible on items whose innards the Techs could not easily search, such as the computer towers, locked briefcases, and sealed boxes of give-aways. Jazz was considering moving these items to one place out of the way of the emergency medical workers when an FBI agent approached him.
“Lieutenant, you and your men are done for now. Go back to your hotel and sit tight.”
“Uh, okay. The whole place is not necessarily secure. We don’t know about all these computers. We looked in the monitors that are smashed.”
“Understood. At this point I don’t think there is a secondary device. These guys hit their target. The Caribineri bomb squad will continue the search. TSD and FBI need you guys to go back to your hotel room. We are going to seal this place off. We will be by later to ask some questions.”
“Roger.”
Jazz sat in the same room where they had their initial meeting. The television was on to the BBC. They were covering the events at the symposium. As he watched it for the third time Jazz realized that he was still in shock.
The FBI agent from the Rome office identified himself as Pucharelli. Jazz wondered if he was assigned here because of his Italian heritage. Maybe he spoke the language.
Jazz noted that the agent looked exhausted. Hell, I probably look the same, the lieutenant thought.
There was a moment of déjà vu as the officer began his questioning.
“Okay, LT. Let’s start with your name unit, address, et cetera. Stuff for the record.”
“Sure. I’m Lieutenant James J. Jascinski, Untied States Navy. I am Officer in Charge of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Six Detachment Four, stationed in Ingleside, Texas. Currently we are deployed aboard USS Inchon.”
“Where do you live?”
“Um, my home right now is 2524 Beechwood Street, Portland, Texas.”
Jazz answered all of Pucharelli’s questions, but he was not sure that the agent was really getting all of the info. Maybe he and Ashland were not that important to the investigation.
“LT, did you secure the conference room prior to the visit?”
“No. We discussed it with the TSD agent and agreed that it was too big, and had too many people. It was not possible to secure it with the manpower and the time constraints. The TSD guy said that SECSTATE was briefed.”
Jazz waited while Pucharelli wrote some notes.
When he finished he looked up again. “Are there any insights you can give me regarding the device?”
“Not really, nothing your post-blast guys won’t be able to figure out. We did not really see anything, no remnants.”
“Roger.”
“How is she?”
“You didn’t hear?”
“No, she’s alright isn’t she?” Jazz said remembering her moving on the floor.
“Nah, she didn’t make it, LT,” the agent said solemnly.
After the interview concluded, Pucharelli told Jazz that he could go, then wasted no time in getting out the door himself.
The phone in Jazz’s room was ringing as he walked in the door. It was Denke.
“LT?”
“Yes, Senior.”
“Pack up. We’re rolling in thirty minutes.”
“Why?”
“Sir, while you were being interviewed we were given permission to scram back to Sigonella. I suggest we take it while we can. We may be in a dangerous environment for Americans. Do you concur?”
“Sure.”
As Jazz packed a depression came over him. It was the same sense he had after West and Martin perished. He was responsible for SECSTATE. He was her bomb squad, assigned to keep her safe from explosive devices. He failed and now Fiona Koss was dead.
Melanie was enjoying naptime. She enjoyed more than an hour without interruption from baby Abigail or one of the boys. She decided to relax. There would be time in the evening for her to devote to the house.
The lemonade was heavenly. She flipped through a copy of Cosmo.
Damn, what I wouldn’t do for the life of some of these women.
She imagined putting on her make-up being the most taxing part of her day, or deciding what outfit to wear for the evening.
The phone interrupted her reading; it was Jeannie.
“Mel, have you seen the TV?”
“No. What is it?”
“I think the guys are on television.”
“What?”
“Fiona Koss and John De Luca were just killed in Italy.”
“Oh, no. Oh, my God, are they alright?”
“No, they’re dead.”
“No, I mean Jazz and T-Ball.”
“I don’t know. Oh my God, I hope they are all right. I’m sure they must be, right? I mean, they didn’t mention anyone else on the news.”
Frantically, Melanie ran to the bedroom with the portable phone still in her hand. She flipped on the TV and cycled through the channels. The breaking news was coming over many stations, but she flipped until she reached an all news channel.
Jazz, if you die, I’m gonna kill you.
“Mel? My other line is beeping. I’ll bet it’s Ted.”
“Call me back if you hear anything.”
“I will.”
As soon as she hung up, the phone rang again. It was Eleanor.
“Melanie, dear, have you seen the news?”
“Yes, someone called a moment before.”
“I’m sure Jazz is alright dear. I didn’t get any funny feelings… I seem to always be able to tell when he is in danger.”
“Me too,” said Melanie through tears. “I’m sure he is alright.”
Her call waiting started to beep. She was sure that it was Jeannie or Jazz.
“Mom, someone is calling on the other line it might be Jazz…”
“We love you dear.”
“Jazz?”
“Sorry, Mel, it’s Jeannie again. I just talked with Ted. He said that he has not talked to Jazz, but he knows that he is okay. Koss and De Luca were killed and two reporters were injured.”
Melanie sat on the bed and started crying. She tried to hold it in so that Jeannie could not hear her.
“Mel, did you hear me?”
“Uh huh.”
“Damnit, Mel, are you alright?”
“Uh, huh.”
“I’m coming over there. Don’t move.”
Tyler and Abby were awake now. Melanie put Tyler in front of a cartoon while she nursed. Ten minutes later Jeannie came in without knocking.
“Mel!” she called out.
“Back here. I’m nursing.”
“Are you okay?”
“I suppose so.”
Melanie held back tears as Jeannie came into the bedroom.
“Oh, I wanna hug you,” Jeannie said.
“I’m fine, really.”
“No, you’re not. I’ve called Judy. She is coming over. You need some sisterhood right now.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
Mobile Unit Eight was still empty when the detachment returned. Jazz was quiet during the trip back. He let Denke give the men direction.
“Okay guys, stow gear. One day stand-down and then we’ll get ready for our next op… whatever that may be.”