A matter of time

quick, shallow gasps. 'It doesn't look like he ever came out.'

Her jaw hung slack for fifteen seconds. 'What?'

'John went in and never came out. Just like O'Brien and O'Lochlain's hoods and that Colin Meara kid.'

'Oh. Oh, no. Lord, no. Norm, what're we going to do?'

'I don't know. God. I don't know. I wish I did. But all I can think about is what I should've done. I've got to talk it over with Hank, got to do something…'

Annie sat on the arm of the chair. 'Poor Carrie.'

'Poor everybody.' The shit was going to hit the fan in a big way. A lot of people were going to get hurt.

'Whatever you do, don't go charging in there after him. Okay? Promise?'

'Honey, I don't think I've got the guts to go in there again, ever. Under any conditions. I'm scared. I mean, like I haven't been since the war.'

The German sergeant relaxed, laughed softly, dragged the pale youth from behind the heap of broken peasant furnishings. His smile was neither gloating nor malicious. He removed the M1 from Norm's trembling fingers, handed it to a landser, patted Norm's shoulder. 'Be okay, Yank.' He pulled the ration cigarettes from Cash's pocket, passed them around to his men, stuck one between Cash's lips, put the remainder back where he had found them. He and his men took turns lighting up and warming their hands at the stove whose smoke had given the American away.

And it had worked out. Six days later Cash was holding the rifle and passing out the smokes when counterattacking American troops caught up with them.

But the terror had never let up.

What was Joachim Schleicher doing these days? The stone mason's apprentice who had run away in thirty- eight, at sixteen, to enlist and make his contribution to the New Order, had been a bitter old man at twenty-three. Danzig was in Poland now, wasn't it? Had he even bothered to go home? Might be interesting to trace the sergeant someday.

'Norm?'

'Huh? Oh. Sorry. Funny. I keep getting these flashbacks to the war. It's almost like I'm living it over again.'

'You'd better get ahold of yourself.'

'I know. I know. I almost had a wreck today. I still don't know what to do.'

'There isn't a whole lot you can. You just go see Hank. Before you do anything.'

'I told you, I'm not going in there again. Not without an army, anyway. You've got me wrong if you think I'm a hero.'

Le Quyen appeared from the kitchen with a hot cup of tea, which she offered shyly.

'Thank you, Le Quyen. This'll help.' And a few sips did. 'That reminds me. I invited Beth Tavares over for supper. Been working her pretty hard. Thought that might help make it up.'

'Maybe. She'd probably appreciate a dinner out more.'

'You think so? Would you mind?'

'No. Why should I?'

Because she had Monday, when first he had mentioned it. Very much. He didn't comment on her reversal, though. Over the years he had grown accustomed to her inconsistencies, however much they confused him.

'Okay. You're probably right. I'll talk to her. Poor girl. She's put up with a lot this week.'

'I think you better go talk to Hank.'

'I know. I'm stalling. What the hell's all that racket?'

Tran's sons sped outside. Quang returned long enough to announce, 'Fire trucks.' He dashed up the street.

It was Dr. Smiley's house, at the west end of the block. The one with the junglelike yard. It looked like a bad fire.

It was the first fire on the block since Cash had moved in.

'Hope he saves his sweaters,' Annie observed laconically. 'What would he do if he had to go around out of uniform?'

Cash chuckled. Other than for the wilderness state of his yard, Dr. Smiley was known for wearing sweater on sweater, year round, all of them in shades of navy blue.

'Maybe you should see if he needs anything,' Cash suggested. The man wasn't a friend, but they had known him for nearly thirty years.

Cash headed for his confrontation with Lieutenant Railsback.

The urge to put it off was so powerful that he drove himself straight into Hank's office. Beth tried to stop him, but he ignored her completely. This had to be done before his nerve collapsed.

'Christ, Norm, what's up? You look like hell.'

'I feel like it. I fucked up. I mean all-time, royally, chocolate-covered, in spades fucked up.'

Railsback slid around his desk and gently closed the office door. 'Bad?'