The Prosecution of General Hastings

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Jana Hastings had lived through numerous separations throughout her marriage to a career Army officer. It was part of the bargain and she knew it going in. There were the unaccompanied assignments Jack had that took him to war zones, hostile areas that were a part of his chosen line of work. There were the temporary duty assignments he’d had that left Jana on her own for days, weeks, or even months at a time. Those had never bothered her. She looked forward to those times, and they were many, when Jack was home, or they were together while he served at various duty stations at home and abroad.

  Retirement had been the pot at the end of Jana’s rainbow. There would be no more living alone and hoping that Jack was safe, wherever he was. They would have a wonderful life together; one that they had earned together. She had always enjoyed northern Virginia and living near the Capital. And having Sam and Sonya Merriman nearby made it feel even more like home. But when Jack wanted to move back to Oklahoma and buy the ranch, she did not complain. She had even come to enjoy the wide open landscape and their proverbial ‘home on the range.’

  Jana had returned to the ranch outside Lawton from the Prairie Plaza Hotel on the Saturday morning after Jack had left to confer with his lawyers. She had wandered aimlessly around the expanse of the ranch house, walking from one room to another, for no purpose other than to feel herself moving about. She was in anguish over Jack’s situation. She didn’t believe that he was capable of the brutal slaying of that woman but Jack’s involvement with her was clear. And that hurt. The pain it caused Jana was physical. She had heard one time that a team of psychologists and physicians had proven through clinical studies that emotional suffering did in fact manifest itself in physical pain, most often in the abdomen. The ache that she felt in her gut was real.

  Jana Hastings had never felt so alone in her life.

  During the sleepless nights, and the moving about the house during the days, she contemplated her future. She didn’t know what would happen to Jack, whether he would be exonerated of the crime or whether he would spend time in prison, or worse. But she did come to believe that she needed her own plan. She needed to decide what to do with the rest of her life, whether Jack Hastings was in it or not. The idea that he had posed to her about returning to the home in Fairfax made sense. She had always been happy there. And getting out of Oklahoma was much more appealing than watching her husband’s predicament played out every night on the evening news.

  She had hesitated to call her brother for all the obvious reasons. Sam Merriman had been the one who introduced Jana to Jack Hastings that afternoon at West Point. Jack had been someone Sam had always admired. But over the years, and for reasons she had never learned, her twin brother seemed to be less and less of a friend to her husband. She supposed that they could have grown apart. Perhaps there was some professional rivalry when Jack got his star, becoming a general and Sam retired as a Colonel. But, the breakdown in their closeness seemed to have occurred much earlier. She just didn’t know.

  Now it was time to call Sam. She knew that he would be supportive and that he would want to know about all that had happened. It was still with a heavy heart that she picked up the phone and called her brother on that Monday night.

  “Merriman,” he answered, just as he had for so many years in the Army.

  “Hi, Sam,” she said, “it’s me.”

  “Well, hello there, Sister.” In her mind’s eye she could see her brother’s smile. “Are you buried in snow out there?” he asked.

  “No. It’s not as bad as it sounds. You doing okay?” she asked, stalling.

  “Yeah, just fine. What’s up?” Sam was wary. He knew his sister well enough to know this wasn’t a call just to chat.

  “Trouble, Sam. We’ve got trouble,” she said. “I’m so sorry to call you about this, but…”

  “Nonsense. I’m your brother. Talk to me,” he said.

  “Well, Jack is in real trouble. I, uh… don’t know where to begin.” Jana was pleased that she was holding her emotions in check. She related the whole incident to Sam beginning with her checking in at the Prairie Plaza Hotel.

  Sam listened quietly, inserting an “uh huh,” or a “hmmm,” where appropriate.

  Jana ended the tale by saying, “So, he’s been taken back into custody and is to remain there until the trial. We talked about my returning to Fairfax and I think that’s what I want to do.”

  Sam was quiet for a moment. Then, “Son of a bitch,” he mumbled under his breath. “It wouldn’t be smart of me to talk about Jack right now. Let’s focus on you. I agree that coming back here would be best, Jana. You don’t want to be there to watch the spectacle that this trial could be.”

  “No,” she said, “I don’t.”

  “Well, how can I help you? I’ll drive out there and pick you up. I’ll leave tonight,” he said.

  “Oh, Sam, I know you would.” How she loved her brother. “But no. I’ll need a car there and I may as well drive myself. I just wanted you to know what is going on here. Frankly, I’m surprised that the Army grapevine hasn’t broadcast the story yet.”

  “When do you plan to leave?” he asked.

  “Tomorrow,” she said. “I really want to get out of here. We’ve driven the same trip before and it’s a full three day drive. I’m not going to push it, but I think I can be there by the weekend.”

  “Jana, why don’t you let me fly out there and drive back with you?” he asked. He felt like he needed to do something to help his sister.

  “No, Sam. Really. There’s no need. I’m a big girl.”

  “Well, keep your cell phone with you and keep me posted along the way,” he directed. “Call me tomorrow when you leave. Call me sometime during the day, and call me at night when you stop.” He paused a moment. “Look, I’m just going to fly out there…”

  “No. I mean it, Sam. It will be a good time for me to clear my head. I’ve got Beau to take care of me, anyway.”

  “Beau?” he asked.

  “Yeah, my black Lab,” she explained. “You remember, I told you I got him when Jack retired and we bought the ranch. He’s been my buddy and he loves to ride in the car.”

  “Well, okay… as long as you call me and keep me posted,” Sam said.

  “I will.”

  “Look, Sonya is standing right here. She’s about to yank the phone away from me. Will you talk to her?” he asked.

  “Of course. Put her on,” Jana said.

  Sonya Merriman came on the line. “Oh Jana, I heard most of what Sam said. I’m so sorry about all this.”

  “Yeah, me too, Sonya. But I am looking forward to getting back to Virginia. Looking forward to seeing you,” Jana said.

  “So you are driving back? Did I hear that right?” asked Sonya.

  “Yup. I’m leaving tomorrow. I’ll have Beau, my ‘woman’s best friend’ with me.”

  “Well, this proves an old adage I heard long ago,” said Sonya.

  “And that is?” asked Jana.

  “The more you learn about men, the more you’ll think of your dog.”