a la mode.”
CHAPTER 30
Today’s run goes from the intersection of Del Monte Avenue and Route 1 in Sand City to the Pajaro River at the Monterey County/Santa Cruz County line. Suggested route is Del Monte Blvd. to the Fort Ord Bike Path. Pick up the path where Del Monte crosses Route 1 again. Take the bike path to Marina, and then follow Route 1 through Castroville. Exit Route 1 at Jensen Road. Take Bluff Road, Trafton Road, and then McGowan Road across the river. There are no big ups and downs, except for a moderate climb at Zmudowski State Beach a few miles from the end of the run. What we’re mostly testing today is your ability not to get lost.
“I’ll bet you a nickel that Casey initiated the first threatening letter. He wasn’t in on any betting; he was just trying to scare us into continuing the race. But it gave Fred the idea and he wrote the second letter on his own.” Drake had come to this conclusion sometime in the middle of the night when he couldn’t sleep.
“It was part of his effort to make sure you stayed in the race. That figures. Threats and incentives. Well, he’s succeeded so far.”
Melody wasn’t sure whether they would do more good staying in the race or dropping out. One aspect of the problem was that she didn’t know what part Drake’s father played in this charade. Casey certainly didn’t want Admiral Drake to know what he had done to Drake. Maybe it was time to speak to the admiral.
“Look, I know you and your father don’t get along like strawberries and cream, but don’t you think you should ask him questions about his relationship with Giganticorp? We know he’s a friend of Senator Leffingwell, but there must be more to it than that.”
Drake’s father was his Achilles heel. He faced most situations with courage, but he had a hard time facing his father. He mumbled something and tried to think of reasons why it wasn’t necessary to talk to the old man.
Tom and Jerry, who had been running a few feet behind them, pulled up beside them now that they were on the Fort Ord Bike Path and didn’t have to worry about cars.
Tom grinned at Melody. “We’re going to be staying in a populated area tonight where there should be plenty of bars. Would you like to go out and quaff a few? Although I know that in your case it’ll probably be some diet drink. I never can get you drunk.” He laughed.
“Since you’re brazen enough to ask me in front of Drake, don’t you think you should invite him too?”
“I didn’t think he went out at night.” He looked at Drake. “Don’t you have to take an ice bath or something?”
“That’s what happens when you get old. Listen, you children run out and play. Don’t worry about me. As they say in show biz, break a leg.”
“In show business that means good luck, but I have a feeling you mean it literally.”
“How perceptive of you.”
Drake’s hands were wet when he put through the phone call to his father from his motel room. He cursed himself for being a coward and hoped like hell that his father wouldn’t answer. Maybe he was out drinking with his Army buddies. There must be a few old soldiers in Bakersfield.
“Drake.”
Hearing his own name spoken in an authoritative voice always put Drake off, but he recovered. “Hi, Dad.”
“Where are you?”
Not “How are you?” or “What’s happening?” His father wasn’t much on feelings and had never showed any interest in what he was doing.
“Near Santa Cruz.”
“Hippie heaven. I hear everybody goes around naked there.”
At least Drake had his attention. But he had to be careful what he said. He couldn’t talk about the sub or anything classified, even to a retired admiral.
“I’m not sure about that; I’ll let you know. The race is going well. Melody and I are in third place. Casey’s run for the Senate appears to be going well, too. You probably know more about that than I do. I was wondering what you thought about Casey.”
Silence at the other end of the line. It was a simple enough question. His father cleared his throat before he spoke. “Casey is the son I wish I had.”
Now it was Drake who couldn’t speak. He hadn’t been expecting to be hit with a sledge hammer.
The deafening silence went on for several seconds before the admiral spoke again. “Casey has dedicated himself to serving his country. He didn’t serve in the military, but if he had, you can be sure he would have been an officer, not just enlisted. He’s built up Giganticorp from scratch, and now it’s a key supplier of arms and weapons systems for the military. He’s not a quitter. He didn’t just work for a few years and then decide to hell with it and go off and live in the mountains. Now he’s continuing his service to his country by running for the Senate.”
Drake couldn’t bring himself to say anything that wouldn’t be the spark for an already flammable situation. Why had he listened to Melody? Melody, who was out doing things he didn’t want to know about with Tom.
With a great effort Drake controlled his voice when he spoke. “I take it you’re supporting Casey for the Senate.”
“Damn right. He’s the best man for the job. He’s got voter appeal, too. Family man with a wife and kids. Never had any scandals. Sure, maybe he fools around a little now and then, but what the hell. Just proves he’s a man’s man.”
A divorced family man with a second wife. And the other thing his father had said. “Fools around? Who does he fool around with?”
“When I was in Malibu, I mentioned to him what a nice piece of ass that girl-what’s her name?-Grace, I think, would be. He smiles a cat-ate-the-canary smile and says yeah, I’m right. Turns out he’s been bonking her in San Jose. Then he makes a face and says she started getting uppity and asking for things-promotions and stuff like that. So he sent her on the road with Running California. Say, didn’t I hear on the news that she got killed by some mugger? Damn shame. What a waste.”
Drake couldn’t remember any other questions that he wanted to ask his father. He couldn’t think. He couldn’t speak. He hung up the phone without saying another word.
Melody was surprised that Jerry wasn’t with Tom when she met him in the lobby of the motel. Always before when they had gone out for drinks, both of them had accompanied her. She asked Tom about it. He told her that Jerry’s hip was bothering him, and he was going to follow Drake’s lead and take a cold bath.
It wasn’t a big deal to Melody; Tom was easy to talk to, and they got along well. He was good looking, although his long red hair and slim build made him look a lot different than Drake. They went to an upscale bar where Tom had a couple of beers, and Melody matched them with diet drinks.
They chatted about the race. Tom joked that he and Jerry always had to keep Drake and her in sight so they wouldn’t gain too much on them in the overall standings. Only it wasn’t a joke. He talked about the cushy job he had in Redding with a car dealership, sort of a sponsorship that allowed him to keep running.
When Melody asked him how he felt about Casey’s proposal to create a buffer zone along the coast, he shrugged. They didn’t talk about the submarine or Casey’s run for the Senate. If Tom was a barometer, none of the runners had an interest in politics.
They left the bar early. Melody paid for her drinks. She always made a point of paying her own way. They had
