Bayerly doing here?
'Thought… thought I'd find you here, ol' buddy,' Bayerly said. He was wearing his whites, his lieutenant commander's shoulder bars askew, and clutched a glass of ice and amber liquid in one hand. He lurched forward three steps and dropped his free hand on Tombstone's shoulder. He turned and seemed to see the That officer for the first time. 'Who's your gook friend here? Hey… bet y'didn't know my ol' buddy Tombstone here was a genuine American Navy Cross hero, did you?'
'You are drunk, Commander,' Tombstone said, his voice low and level. 'I suggest you get back to the-'
'Uh-uh. No way.' Bayerly grabbed an empty chair from a nearby table, slid it up close, and sank into it. 'Gotta drink the health of our goddamned hero here first, don't we?'
Colonel Kriangsak was watching Bayerly with narrowed eyes. 'Sir, I believe Commander Magruder has an excellent idea. I can call some of my men who will escort you back to the Jefferson. It appears to me you could use a good night's sleep.'
Bayerly ignored the That officer. 'You know what being' a hero is, Tombstone Magruder?' He held up his drink and examined it closely.
'Bein' ? being' a hero is being' in the right place at the right time. Did you know that?' He turned and smiled at Kriangsak. 'You shoulda' seen my buddy Tombstone here at Wonsan. He got the dream duty, let me tell ya! Flyin' lead for an alpha strike over Wonsan, while yours truly flew CAP over the carrier.
Hey, CAP's not a hot-shit glamor job, but someone's gotta do it, right? Can't all be aces, right?'
His voice had been getting steadily louder. Tombstone rose. 'Colonel, I'm sorry about this. Thanks for seeing me… but I'd better get Commander Bayerly back to the Jefferson.'
'I don't need your help, goddamn it!' Bayerly stood suddenly, knocking the chair over with a crash. The transformation in his face, from drunken amiability to murderous fury, was so abrupt that Tombstone was taken aback.
'You've ruined me, you bastard! You've ruined me!'
'Look, Made It-'
'CAG yanked my flight clearance. Because of your report. 'Pending investigation,' the man says… but you know how the Navy works, don't you, Magruder? It's all for one and one for all, ain't it? Just as long as you're part of the fuckin' Navy club! As long as you have the right name… and an admiral for an uncle to help you over the rough spots!'
'Shut up!' Tombstone snapped, his voice intense. It felt as though every eye in the lounge was on the two of them, and he saw a couple of That waiters hurrying across the room in their direction. 'Come on, Bayerly. We're going for a walk!'
'It's fine for the boys in the club! But screw up once… just once, and if you don't have the right connections, barn! You're fucked!'
'Is there a problem, sir?' the headwaiter asked.
'I'm sorry for the trouble,' Tombstone said. He started guiding Bayerly away from the table. 'My friend here had a little too much to-'
'Damn right I had too much! You ruined me, you sanc… sanct…
sanctimonious son of a bitch! How's it feel to be a hero? Hey! Tell me!
Why aren't you ballin' your new girl friend, Magruder? You know, that stacked, sexy blond with her own TV show… Is that one of the perks of being' a goddamned hero…?'
Tombstone's grip on Bayerly's shoulder tightened. He whirled the man around to face him, his own fury rising. 'I've had just about enough of you, Bayerly! Can it, right now!'
'Fuck you!' Bayerly threw a clumsy, roundhouse punch in the general direction of the side of Tombstone's head. Tombstone blocked the punch easily with his left arm, then snapped out with his right, catching Bayerly squarely in the jaw. Bayerly sagged back, landing in Kriangsak's arms.
The two of them lowered the drunken officer onto the seat of the booth.
Kriangsak looked across the room, raised one slim hand, and gestured.
Tombstone saw two Thais in civilian clothes hurrying across the floor toward them.
Bodyguards? Tombstone gave a mental shrug. Perhaps That army colonels never went anywhere without their personal plain-clothes guards or aides. He turned to the headwaiter, fishing in his hip pocket for his wallet. 'I'm terribly sorry for the disturbance, sir. We'll get him out of here right away.' He'd exchanged some of his money at the hotel desk earlier that evening. He produced three of the purple 500-baht notes ? about sixty American dollars ? and pressed them into the frowning waiter's hand.
For a moment, he thought the man was going to refuse. Then the money vanished and the waiter smiled. 'No problem, sir. Permit us to help.' Two more waiters materialized to help Kriangsak's men maneuver Bayerly's dead weight toward the lounge entrance.
Tombstone turned to face Kriangsak, who had drawn one of his men aside and was whispering hurried instructions to him. 'Koon krahp!' the man said, all but saluting before hurrying after the entourage surrounding Bayerly.
'I'm sorry to leave so abruptly, Colonel,' Tombstone said. 'But I'd better see him back to the Jefferson.'
'That is not necessary, my friend,' Kriangsak said. 'Please! Sit down!
I have given orders for my men to drive Commander Bayerly back to Sattahip.
They will see to it that he gets back to your ship.'
'That is very kind of you, Colonel.'
'Not at all. Now, please! Sit down!'
'No. Thank you just the same, sir, but I really have to go.' The confrontation had left him feeling weak. He needed air… a walk and a chance to think.
Kriangsak looked across the room toward the lounge entrance. 'Commander, my men have already gone. If I cannot offer you a ride home, I insist that you allow me to find you lodgings here in the city.'
'Actually, Colonel, I think I need a walk.' He hesitated. Suddenly, he felt the need to see Pamela… to talk to her. This hero business, he thought. It's got to stop. Now! 'There's someone in town I need to see,' he added.
'I will not take no for an answer, Commander.' Kriangsak smiled, his teeth flashing white in the dim light. 'I'll tell you what. I have some duties to attend to at the Ministry tonight… and possibly, just possibly, I can talk to someone about your request.' He shrugged. 'Who knows? We might find a place for you on one of our planes.'
Tombstone's eyes widened. 'That's very kind of you, sir.'
'It is nothing. Let me talk to some people I know. But please, tell me where you will be. I will arrange for a driver to pick you up there later.
Or if you prefer, I will arrange bachelor quarters for you at the air base at Don Muang and call your ship. Is it agreed?'
Tombstone found it hard to resist the man's friendly pressure. He allowed himself a small smile. 'Okay, Colonel. You win.'
'Excellent! Where can I meet you?'
'Well, my friend is staying at the Dusit Thani. You could reach me there. I can leave my name at the desk.'
'Splendid. It's almost eight. In… shall we make it two hours then?
Is that time enough for your meeting?'
'Two hours will be fine, Colonel. It shouldn't take longer than that.'
Kriangsak rose, dropped several baht on the table, then extended his hand again. 'In that case, Commander, I will see you later.'
'Fine. Thanks for the drink.'
'Anytime, Commander. We'll talk more later.' The smile broadened. 'I'm looking forward to it very much!'
Bayerly struggled against the grip of the men supporting him. 'I can do it myself!' he mumbled.
The car was already waiting for them, its engine running. One of the colonel's men opened the rear door. 'Inside.'
'I'm not going' with you gooks!' Bayerly said, his voice rising once more.
