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roke and swirled around their ankles as the seabirds circled and called。
〃You are a very smart woman；〃 he told her when she rejoined him；
〃Oh； I'm glad you noticed。 What did I say that was smart？〃
On Monday morning at the office Jake stopped by the copy machine and helped himself to twenty or so sheets of paper。 In his office he closed the door and pulled on a pair of gloves he had brought from home。 Spreading the pile of paper gingerly； he selected a sheet from the middle of the pile and slid it away from the others。 It should be free of fingerprints。 From his pocket he took a black government pen。 He clicked the point in and out a few times as he stared thoughtfully at the paper。
In block letters in the center of the page he wrote： 〃I KNOW WHO YOU ARE。〃 He put the words all on one line。
He inspected it carefully； then folded the sheet and placed it in a blank letter…sized envelope he had removed from a box at home this morning。
There was a pair of tweezers in his desk； in that vanity case Callie got him for Christmas a year or so ago。 He found them and dropped them in his pocket。
He took the gloves off。 With the envelope inside his shirt； he went to the men's head。 There he used the tweezers to put the envelope on the counter。 Holding his shin pocket open； he used the tweezers again to fish a stamp from the interior。 He moistened it on a damp place on the sink； then affixed it to the envelope。
Back in the office； trying very hard not to touch the envelope at all； he dug through the classified Department of Defense directory until he found the address he wanted。 This he copied onto the face of the envelope in block letters。
He put the envelope back into his shirt； put on his hat and told the secretary in the outer office he would be back in ten minutes。
He dropped the envelope in a mailbox on the plaza near the entrance to his building； then retraced his steps back to the office。
29
Vice Admiral Henry's funeral was on Wednesday in Arlington National Cemetery； held outdoors on the grass at the request of his eldest daughter。 Everyone who was anyone in the Department of Defense was on hand； so Jake Grafton ended up seated among the rank and file。 The politicians who ruled the armed forces sat on the right and side of the aisle； while on the left were the admirals and generals； who had been carefully seated in order of seniority as protocol demanded。 A band played funeral airs and Royce Caplinger； George Ludlow； and CNO delivered short eulogies…
From where he sat Jake could see the backs of the heads of some of the heavyweights。 Off to his left were the rows and rows of white monuments； marching across the green rolling terrain with faultless precision。
To his right was the low bulk of the Pentagon； only the top of it visible between the heads of the people and the uniformed ushers at parade rest。
Tyler Henry had spent his adult life in uniform； and Jake had no doubt that interment at this cemetery； with all those who had also served； would have met with Henry's approval。 After all； Henry had died in bat； fighting for something he believed in。
Half listening to the speeches； Jake Grafton once again considered all he knew about the Minotaur affair。 It was precious little； yet it seemed to him he could see the underlying structure。 Perhaps； he mused； even that was an illusion。
The funeral was real enough。 Henry was truly dead。 The people involved were real； the information passed to the Soviets was real； Smoke Judy's attempt to steal the Athena file was real。 And yet。。。
When he got back to the office； he made another trip to the copy machine for paper。 This time he wrote： 〃I KNOW YOU ARE THE MINOTAUR。〃
He addressed the envelope as before and deposited it in the plaza mailbox when he went down to catch the shuttle to the Pentagon for another round of meetings。
On Thursday the announcement was made that the various mittees of congress had authorized the navy to purchase the TRX plane as the A…12。 Although the buy schedule was lower than planned； which would raise the cost of each plane by five million dollars； a general celebration was in order。 That afternoon Jake and Admiral Dunedin treated everyone in the office to a beer bash at Gus's Place； a beanery on the lower floor of Jefferson Plaza 1…
〃If you had any class； Grafton；〃 Rob Knight told him； 〃you'd have taken us to Amelia's in the Underground。〃
〃No class。 You got that right。〃
〃Two more hearings to go；〃 Rob said。 〃Without an appropriation of money； all we have is a piece of paper to frame。〃
Dunedin was in a cheerful mood。 He laughed and joked with the troops； seemingly glad to once again； if only for a little while； be just one of the guys。 He never could be； of course。 The officers he had spent his career with were all retired； except for those precious few who were also vice admirals。 All the others were playing golf in Phoenix and Orlando； selling insurance in Virginia Beach or boats in San Diego； or were working for defense contractors。
At one point Dunedin ended up at Jake's table。 When they were temporarily alone； he said； 〃Really a shame about Tyler Henry。 He was going to retire in three months； you know。〃
No； Jake didn't know。
〃Had a little cottage up in Maine； right near the beach。 Owned it for years。 Was going to spend the rest of his life there； he told me； and if be never heard the sound of freedom again be thought he could live with that。〃 〃The sound of freedom〃 was a public relations euphemism for jet noise。
〃I guess you burn out after a while；〃 Jake said。
〃I guess。 You win some； lose some； hope for the best。 Even the politicians； they try to do that。〃
Jake remembered that ment the following week after he watched Royce Caplinger sweat in front of a Senate Appropriations submittee。 They kept him going over numbers for most of the day。 Although he was subpoenaed； Jake never took the stand。 He was delighted。
Caplinger stayed afterwards for private conversations with the senators。 Jake left with Toad Tarkington； who had acpanied him。 As they were leaving； Caplinger and Senator Duquesne were shaking hands。 It was then that Jake remembered Dunedin's ment。
A week later the House Appropriations mittee held their closed…door hearing。 Caplinger spent three hours on the stand； Ludlow two hours。 After lunch came Jake's turn on the hot seat。 Three hours later Congresswoman Samantha Strader cleared her throat。
Strader was in her early fifties； her hair penned； her eyes screwed up in a characteristic squint。 One of only two Democrats in her state's congressional delegation； she represented a district carved from the core of her state's capital city； the only area of the state with a significant minority population。 She had one of the safest Democratic seats in the country and had been elected pro forma a dozen times； yet until the last election she bad been almost unknown outside her state。 Prior to that election she had publicly entertained the idea of entering the presidential primaries as the only woman in the field。 Her short…lived quest came to grief on the shoals of political and financial reality； but not before her name and face had been splashed coast to c