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How long could he live like this？ Should he take the money he had and run？ Where could he run with the FBI and CIA looking for him？ He didn't have enough money to evade them forever。 Should he go to Russia？ The very thought nauseated him。 Freezing in some gray workers' paradise for the rest of his days was about as far from the good life as a man could get this side of the grave。
He wasn't feeling well and went to the dispensary； that was what he would tell Lucy。 God knows he must look like he was in the terminal stages of AIDS。 No good。 No prescription。 A beer。 Yeah； he went out for a beer。 He got out of the car wishing he had really stopped for one。 After another look at the broken headlight and grille； he plodded toward the front door。
She came out of the kitchen when she heard the door open。 〃Where have you been？〃 She stood rigid； her face pale。
Uh…oh。 He kept his voice calm。 〃Hey； babe。 I went out for a beer。 Did you all get anything at the mall？〃
〃I know where you've been。 Cindy across the street has told me all about your little expeditions when I'm out for the evening。 I know all about you； you son of a bitch。〃
He stared； thunderstruck。 This isn't happening。 No； not to me。 For the love of… 〃How？〃
〃Who is she？ I want to know。 Who is she？〃
〃Who is who？〃
〃Who is the goddamn bitch you're tomcatting around with； you son of a fucking bitch。 Who is she？〃
At last he understood。 As the relief washed over him he was suddenly too weak to stand。 He sank into a chair。 〃Lucy； there's no other wo…〃
〃Don't give me that shit！ I know！ Cindy told me！〃 She was a quivering； shouting pillar of hysterical righteousness。 〃You're cheating on me。〃 Tears were flowing now。 〃Oh God。 I tried so hard。。。〃
〃Lucy； calm down。 Please； for the love of… The kids will hear。 Honest to God； there's no other woman。〃 He got to his feet and approached her。 〃Babe； I love you。 There's nobody…〃
〃Don't you touch me； liar。 I'm getting a divorce。〃 She spun and made for the stairs。 〃I'm locking the bedroom door。 If you try to get in； I'll call the police。 Liar。 Cheat bastard。〃
He lost it。 It had been that kind of evening； 〃You crazy cunt；〃 he roared。 〃You don't know shit。 I went down to the corner for a goddamn beer and when I get home you're fucking loony crazy。 I haven't cheated on you！ I haven't fucked another woman since that night I knocked you up at the drive…in。 You don't have any goddamn evidence at all； you crazy lunatic。〃
He heard the bedroom door slam and the kids sobbing。 He threw himself onto the living…room couch。 Some days…it's absolutely crazy how some days just go bug…fuck nuts。 You almost get arrested； smash up the front of the car； your wife demands a divorce because you're cheating on her when you're not。 What else？ What else can fucking happen before midnight？
The drop was empty。 He stretched out on the couch and contemplated that fact。 He closed his eyes and tried to relax。 He could hear Lucy putting the kids to bed upstairs。 Finally the noises stopped。
He would have to call them。 In Miami they had given him an emergency telephone number that he had memorized and a verification code。 He would call。 He looked around for the evening paper。 On top of the TV。 He flipped to the sports section。 The code was simple； the location and opponent in the next scheduled game of the Bullets； Orioles or Redskins； whichever was in season。 They had been insistent； he was never to call except in an emergency and then only from a pay phone。 Well； this was sure as hell an emergency。 But he wasn't going back out onto those streets tonight； no way。 Even if he could work up the courage； Lucy would use a butcher knife on his crotch when he got back。
He went into the kitchen and dialed the phone。 On the third ring a man's voice answered with a recitation of the telephone number。 The voice was tired； the English perfect。 〃Six…six…five； oh…one…oh…five。〃
〃This is Poor Richard。〃 He had picked his code name himself。 Easier for him to remember； they said。 〃It wasn't there。 It wasn't at the dr…〃
〃Verify please。〃 The voice was hard； exasperated。
〃The Bullets play the Celtics tomorrow night at Capital Centre。〃
〃I'll call you back。 Where are you？〃
〃Seven…two…nine； seven…four…oh…one。〃
〃You're at home？〃 The voice was incredulous； outraged。
〃Yeah； I…〃 He stopped when he realized he was talking to a dead instrument。
Shit。 He would have to call again。 He had to find out what the hell was going on。 A pay phone。 Lucy was going to e sweet…Jesus holy…hell screaming unglued。 What a night！ He picked up his jacket and eased the front door shut behind him。
From her seat on the top of the stairs； Lucy heard the door close。 She had started to e down earlier but stopped when she heard him enter the kitchen and pick up the phone。 She had heard his side of the conversation and she sat now trying to figure it out。 〃Poor Richard〃 he had called himself。 It wasn't there。 The Bullets play the Celtics？ A code of some sort？
What is he into？ she asked herself； her horror growing。 He had looked so stunned when she said she knew。 That look was the verification she needed that he was cheating on her。 But how did that fit with a code and nonsense sentences？ Was he placing bets with a bookie？ No； he wasn't spending money she didn't know about。 Something to do with his job at the Pentagon？ Could he be spying； like those Walkers several years ago？ No； that wasn't possible。 Or was it？ He would do it if he could get away with it； she decided。 In their eleven years of marriage she had found him a man who always put himself first。
What else could it be？ My God； what other possibilities were there？
The sun was still embedded in the gray scud over the ocean on Saturday morning when Jake and Callie walked through the gap in the low dune on their way to the beach。 Callie trailed along behind him on the narrow path； her hands tucked into the pockets of her windbreaker。
He strolled as he always did； his eyes moving restlessly across the sky and the sea and the naked sand and ing to rest often on her。 Whenever she was with him she drew his eyes。 It had been that way since they first met； one of the little unconscious things he did that told her without words what she meant to him。 This morning walking beside him she was acutely aware of his glances。
〃How did your little interview with the soul stripper go yesterday？〃
〃He says I have to e to grips with your decision to ram that transport in the Med last fall。〃
Jake stopped and turned to face her。 He looked bewildered。 〃What the hell are you worrying about that for？〃
〃For a week I was a widow。〃
He turned away and looked out to sea。 It was a moment before he spoke。 〃You may be again someday。〃 He faced her。 〃Women live longer than men these days。 I don't have a crystal ball； Callie。 Jesus； we can't stop living because we're mortal。〃 He gestured angrily。 〃I may get hit by a meteor ten seconds from now。 I may get run over by some drunk when I step off the curb at…〃
He stopped because she was walking away from him； along the beach； her arms wrapped around her cheat。
He hurried after her。 〃Hey…〃
〃For a whole week you were dead！ You had killed yourself chasing those