nothing else.”
Sherman gave Karen a weary smile. “This isn’t going to be a pretty sight, Karen,” he said. “They’d probably invite you to wait out in the hallway. And if you did come in, I have to warn you that commanders who get in the middle of a flag-level gunfight do so at their professional peril.”
“I’ll take my professional chances,” she replied, shooting Train a look.
“Besides, I have firsthand knowledge of the facts, and the law.”
“Well, I’d appreciate the hell out of it. Not that they’re likely to let facts or law get in the way of a little purge. Mr. von Rensel, may I take you up on that offer of a guest room?”
I I This is Admiral Kensington’ “He’s coming in. At noon.
“Have you solved our problem?”
“Yes, I have. Those people sent someone over this morning. He was able to lift the protocol long enough for me to edit the file and then replace it. Then he put the protocol back in place. I’ve lifted the access restrictions as of Monday morning and returned it to the archives. Until then, there’s a security trap on it.”
“You’re telling me more than I want to know. Very well.
You told him to come to my_ office?”
“At noon.”
“Good. I’ll send everyone home before then. Is this going easy way or hard way?”
“That’s not knowable, Admiral. But that detective has been in touch. It seems Sherman’s son is involved in the homicides somehow.”
“His own son? Well, that does it. This isn’t going to be any problem at 0, Thomas.”
“I hope not. I’ll see you just before noon, thew.”
At eleven o’clock, Hiroshi brought Karen’s Mercedes and then the admiral’s sedan around to the front of the house.
Train thought the admiral looked impressive as always in his blues, the single broad gold stripe glowing in the morning light. Kyoko had done his shirt, and a shower had done the rest. Except for circles under his eyes, he looked almost ready for a fight. When Karen came out on the porch, he felt his heart do a little flop. She, too, had prospered from an hour’s rest, and a treacherous voice in his head pointed out what a good-looking couple they made, both handsome people in uniform. And you suggested they go into the Pentagon together to face the lions. Good move, bud. Really great thinking. But then she winked at him and he felt a whole ‘ lot better.
Karen went to get in her car. The admiral came over to Train. “Mr. von Rensel,” he said, offering his hand.
“Thanks foreverything. You have a lovely home out here.
I assume that after this morning, the Navy’s official role in this investigation will be finito.”
“Admiral, that may be true,” Train said, taking the admiral’s hand and shaking it. “But I’m not ready just to let this thing go, even if the Navy is. This guy has tried to kill me once and Karen twice. If the cops don’t get him, and soon, I’m going to take a shot.
Their eyes met. Train got the impression that the admiral knew precisely what he was talking about. “If this goes the way I think it will, call me,” Sherman said. “I’d like to go along when you take that shot.”
Train went over to the Mercedes and Karen lowered the window.
“Did I ever tell you I’m a sucker for sailors in short skirts?” he said.
“This is not a short skirt,” she retorted, although sitting in the front seat of a car in a straight skirt was making a liar out of her.
Train grew serious. “Look, I’m not thrilled with your venturing out alone. We promised Mcnair-and this guy’s already tried for you twice.”
“You promised Mcnair,” she said. “And besides, this was your idea, was it not?” Then she put her hand on
“You’re right about this. Somebody has to be there with him. And one of us should be here in case Mcnair tries to contact us.”
“I hope to hell someone besides us is working this problem. Any sign of trouble out there on the road, you get onto nine-one-one. And remember, your car phone is not secure.”
“Everybody knows that. And I promise to yell if something starts. And you promised to stay here, right?”
The admiral’s car started forward around the circular drive, heading for the gate. Train stepped back from the car.
“You better roll. You’ve got Saturday shopping traffic to get through up at Springfield.”
“Train, you promised!”
“I know. I won’t do anything stupid.”
She gave him a warning look and then started the car and followed the admiral out.
Train watched them go and then walked thoughtfully back into the house.
He yawned. He had slept a little bit last night, but not restfully. Need to call Mcnair again. Tell him that Sherman and Karen are headed to the Pentagon. Then I’m going to go put my hands on that kid.
He went into his study to make some calls. The first was to his insurance company, and the second was to the Chevy dealer in Fredericksburg to order up a replacement Suburban. Then he called Mcnair’s number again. It being Saturday, his call to the Homicide Section was diverted to the police department’s general operator, who promised to relay the
“Call me” message. He hung up. Saturday. Then he thought of something: that number Mcnair had given him.
He had to go find his suit coat to retrieve the card, but there it was, a beeper number. He called the system, prepared to leave the house number. Instead, he got the phone company’s hideous “you just screwed up” tone in his ear, followed by a taped message saying, “The number you have dialed is no longer in service. Please check the-“
He hung up. What the hell? He had assumed that the beeper system connected with a police operations unit. No longer in service? They must change it all the time for security purposes.
He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his eyes. So, where the hell was Mcnair? He put his head down on the desk for a few minutes. Not to go to sleep, of course; just to rest his eyes for a minute.
Karen was surprised to see how many cars were in’t he South Parking lot.
Lots of eager beavers here today, she thought.
Polishing that all-important career. What was it someone had once said?
The word career was also a verb? She parked beside the admiral’s Ford and got out. He was putting on his uniform cap and buttoning up his service dress-blue jacket. It was a lovely spring day, with clear, bright sunshine everywhere and a leafy breeze blowing in from the green slopes of Arlington Cemetery across Washington Boulevard.
“Too nice a day to go in there, isn’t it?” he said, glancing over at the drab concrete pile that was the Pentagon building.
I it’d be a -good day for a run,” she replied, locking her car.
“If I went for A run, I think I’d keep on going,” he said.
“Karen, I’ve been thinking. I’d like to keep the hospice situation out of this, if I can.”
“They’ll want to know why you went off like that, Admiral. And where.”
“Why, maybe. Where is something they have no need to know. They may just seize on the fact that I checked off the net for a couple of days.
Couple that with this Galantz business and I think they’ll ask me for my retirement papers.” He gave her an intense look. “If that’s how it comes out, that’s okay, as long as I can protect Beth.”
“I thought you were going to fight something like this, Admiral. You’ve given up an awful lot for those stars.”
“Haven’t I just,” he said bleakly. “But if the big boys want me out, practically speaking, there’s nothing I can do.”
“You could refire.”
“Yes, and then what? Orders to a tour in charge of the Antarctic research station? No thanks. I’m either a player in the surface Navy or I’m not. Let’s go, Commander.”
“You’re going to have to sign me in, I’m afraid,” she said. “My ID card burned up in the fire.”
