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He hurried after her。 〃Hey…〃
〃For a whole week you were dead！ You had killed yourself chasing those damned Arabs and I was left here all alone！〃 He put his hand on her arm and she jerked away； whirling to face him。 〃You knew how much I loved you and。。。 and。。。 when they called and said you were alive； the memorial service was scheduled for the next morning。 I was going to bury you。 You were dead！〃 He enveloped her in his arms and she pressed her face against his shoulder。
After a while she stopped trembling and he murmured； 〃Still love me？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃A little bit or a whole lot？〃
〃I haven't decided。〃
With his arm around her shoulder； he started them walking north again。 In a moment he paused and kissed her； then they resumed their journey with their arms locked together。
Something white。 Whatever it was that blocked Toad's gaze； it was white。 He closed his eyes and the pain and nausea washed over him； enveloping him。 Ye gods。。。 Something hard and cold against his cheek…he opened his eyes again…and white。 Lotta light。。。 He moved。 Shit！ He was lying in a fucking bathtub。
He raised himself slowly。 His head felt like it was ing off。 He was still dressed in his khaki uniform； but it was wrinkled and had vomit on it。 He still had his shoes on。 Oh God； he felt worse than he had ever felt in his entire twenty…eight years； felt like he had been dead for a week or two。 He sat up slowly。 His head was being hammered on by an angry King Kong。 After a moment he grasped the shower handles and faucet and hauled himself erect He swayed as the blood pounded in his temples with every beat of his heart。 Then he tried to step out of the tub。 He tripped and sprawled heavily on the Boor； striking his head against the bottom of the sink cabinet He lay there； too sick and dazed to move。
Amid the pain he heard the door open。 〃Good morning。〃 A woman's voice。
Toad flopped over and squinted against the ceiling light。 Rita Moravia！
What had he done to deserve this？ It's true； life is all misery and pain。
〃I'd appreciate it if you would transport yourself to your own room； Tarkington。 Now。 I don't want anybody to get the wrong idea about you and me。〃
He tried to speak。 His mouth was dry and tasted of sour vomit。 He cleared his throat and licked his lips。 〃How'd I get here？〃
〃Four men carried you in here last night。 We thought someone should keep an eye on you during the night。 I volunteered。〃
〃Aren't you a sweetie。〃
〃I want you out of here； Tarkington。〃
He hoisted himself up and staggered past her。 He was going to have to find another bathroom pretty damn quick。 He went through the little sitting room and got the door open and was hustling down the hall when he heard her voice behind him。 〃We're flying at two this afternoon。 Meet you in the lobby at ten till twelve。〃
Jake sat on the crest of the low dune and watched the glider moving north； away from him above the dune。 He had its nose pointed obliquely forty…five degrees out to sea； but the velocity of the ining wind was such that the plane stayed more or less over the dune。 He was holding her low； only eight or ten feet up； to take advantage of the upward vector of the breeze as it crossed the low sand hill。
〃Better turn her back this way；〃 advised the eleven…year…old aviation expert from up the street。
Jake banked the plane。 〃Keep the nose up；〃 David urged； his voice rising。 Jake fed in back stick。 Too late。 The right wingtip kissed the sand and she cartwheeled。 David was up and running instantly。
The boy was examining the wreckage when Jake reached him。 The rubber bands that held the wings to the fuselage had popped off； which undoubtedly minimized the damage。 〃A hole in the wing Monokote and a busted spar in the right horizontal stabilizer；〃 the youngster advised cheerfully。 〃Not bad。 Yippy…skippy！ You gotta remember to feed in a little back stick on the turns。〃
〃Yeah。 Let's take it over to my house and fix it。〃
〃What kind of planes do you fly in the navy？〃 David asked as they walked down the beach with the pieces of the glider in their arms。
〃A…6s mostly。 Last year I flew the F…14 some。〃
〃Wow； those fighters！ Did you see Top Gun？〃
〃Uh…huh。〃
〃My dad bought that movie for me。 I must have watched it a couple dozen times。 When I grow up I'm gonna fly fighters。〃 He paused； apparently considering the implications of this bold statement。 〃What's it really like？〃 he asked； not quite so confident。 Jake was still trying to explain when they rounded the corner and he saw the strange car in the driveway。 When he saw the blue Department of Defense bumper sticker with the three stars on it； he knew。 Vice Admiral Henry。 He led the boy inside。
The admiral was wearing jeans and a heavy jacket today。 He and another man in a coat sat at the dining room table with Callie drinking coffee； David marched over to her and held the wing so she could see it。 〃He let the nose fall in a turn and crashed。 We can fix it； though。〃
〃Good morning； Admiral。〃
〃Jake； I'd like you to meet Luis Camacho。〃
〃Hi。〃 Jake leaned across the table…and shook hands。 Camacho was in his early fifties with no tan； a man who spent his life indoors。 Even though he wore a jacket his spare tire was evident； but his handshake was firm and quick。 He didn't smile。 Jake got the impression that he was not a man who smiled often。
〃Nice place you have here；〃 Camacho said。
〃We like it；〃 Callie said。 〃Would you all like a quiet place to talk？〃
The admiral stood。 〃I thought we could take a walk along the beach。 Be a shame to drive all the way over here from Washington and not walk on the beach。〃
The three men left David working on the glider at the kitchen table。 He was telling Callie about servos and receivers when they went out the door。
〃Nice day；〃 Admiral Henry muttered as they walked toward the beach trail at the end of the street。
〃They're all nice here；〃 Jake said。 〃Raw and rainy at times； but nice。〃
〃Luis is from the FBI。〃
〃Got credentials？〃 Camacho produced them from a pocket and passed them to Jake； who looked the ID card and badge over carefully and returned them without ment
Henry stopped at the end of the little path that led through the waist…high dune and looked right and left； up and down the beach。 He turned right； south； and walked with his hands in his pockets toward the area with the fewest people。 He didn't even glance toward the ocean。 Out on the horizon a large containership was making its way north； perhaps to round Cape Henlopen and go up the Delaware。
〃Yesterday you wanted to know what really happened in West Virginia after Harold Strong was killed。〃
〃Yessir。〃
〃I told you the truth； but I left a few things out。 Camacho here was with me that morning。 We met with Trooper Keadle and the local prosecutor； guy named Don Cookman。 They weren't happy campers。 They knew murder when they saw it and cooperation smacked of cover…up。 So Luis got on the phone to Washington and the director of the FBI drove up along with the forensic team。 We got cooperation with a capital C from then on。〃
〃Go on；〃 Jake prompted when the admiral fell silent。
The admiral turned to face him。 〃You're asking too damn much； Jake。〃
〃I'm not