按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
The lab man checked the back of the photo for the number of the negative。 He excused himself and left。 Camacho sat in his chair and stared at the face。 Thick cheeks； rounded chin； the suggestion of a fleshy nose。 He had seen that face before。 He picked up the phone： 〃Dreyfus； bring in the mug book of Soviet embassy personnel。〃
It took twenty minutes； but Camacho and Dreyfus finally agreed。 The man in Mrs。 Jackson's photo was Vasily Pochinkov； assistant agricultural officer at the Soviet embassy。
〃These black dudes。〃 Camacho tapped the stack。 〃Take these over to the D。C。 police and go through the mug books。 They'll be in there。〃
〃Your father agreed that under the circumstances I should e。〃
〃Thank you； Mother。 Thank you；〃 Lucy said。
〃You should thank your father too。 He was going to use this money for a down payment on a new car。〃
〃Yes；〃 Lucy said； trying to hold back the tears。
〃He loves you too； Lucy。 He always wanted what was best for you。〃
〃I know。 Mom。〃
〃I'll be there day after tomorrow at one o'clock。 Dulles。〃 She gave Lucy the flight number。 〃Can you meet me？〃
〃The kids and I'll be there。 Thanks so much； Mom。 I really need you。〃
〃I know； baby。 I know。 Just don't tell Terry I'm ing。〃
From his window seat Jake stared at the mountains and forests through the gaps in the cloud cover as the Boeing 727 descended into the twilight。 The mountain ridges ran off to the northeast between valleys now dark and murky； enlivened only by the twinkling jewels of towns and villages。
Over the Shenandoah Valley the 727 pilot broke his descent。 Jake felt the gentle adjustment in nose attitude and the power addition。 Now the left wing rose and the pilot eased to a new heading； still in a descent。 This long glide back to earth was the best part； Jake decided； the best part of the flight after hours in the stratosphere。 He closed his eyes and became one with the plane as the pilot leveled the wings and made another power adjustment。 He could feel the controls； the stick and throttles in his hands； the…
〃Is your seat belt fastened； sir？〃
〃Oh yes。〃 Jake moved the newspaper on his lap so the stewardess could visually check。 She smiled automatically and moved on。
Your return from the sky should be gentle and slow so that all the bittersweet flavor can be savored。 The airspeed and altitude that held you so high above the earth should be surrendered gradually； not…Arggh！ What's the use？ Why long for things that cannot be again？ Stop it； Grafton！ Stop wishing and longing and tasting the things of the past。
Power back； almost to idle。 He heard the high…pitched whine of the flap motor and checked the wing。 The pilot was milking them out as he turned yet again； no doubt following instructions from Air Traffic Control。 The earth was only three or four thousand feet below and headlights of cars and trucks were visible。 Farmhouses； towns； highways； dark woodlots； all slipped past beneath as the pilot in the cockpit of the airliner milked the flaps out further and eased left in a long sweeping turn that would probably line him up for the approach into Dulles。 Jake waited。 He was rewarded with a trunk and hum as the gear doors opened and the main mounts were lowered into the slipstream。
You miss it too much； he told himself。 Too much。
Callie was waiting when Jake stepped out of the shuttle bus onto the concourse。 He saw her and grinned； and walked right into the fat lady ahead of him。 She had stopped dead and bent over to scoop two children into her arms。 The children piped their wele to their grandmother as the line…of people behind came to a jerky halt。 Callie watched with a wide grin on her face。
〃Hi； Mom；〃 Jake said as he put his arm over her shoulder。
The grin got even wider and her eyes sparkled。 〃Hi； Dad。〃
〃We're not really going to do that； are we？ Call each other Mom and Dad？〃
〃Maybe。 Every now and then。〃
〃Miss me？〃
〃A teeny tiny little bit。 I'm getting used to having you around。〃
10
The plane to Washington was full。 By some quirk。 Toad was assigned a window seat and Rita was given the middle seat beside him。 She asked about an aisle or window seat and was told by the harried agent that there were no more seats。 Rita looked up and down the counter at the lines of people waiting to check baggage and get seat assignments； then turned back to the clerk and grinned。 〃That'll be fine； thank you。〃
Moravia had her hair pulled back and rolled tightly。 Her white boater hat sat squarely； primly on the top of her head。 She had used some makeup this morning。 Toad noticed； and a glob of it showed on her right cheek where she had failed to feather it in。 It was the only imperfection he could see。 Her navy…blue blouse and skirt showed off a healthy figure in a modest yet sexy way。 Toad took a deep breath and trailed along as they left the ticket counter。 He had to stride to get up beside her。 〃Let's get something to read；〃 he suggested。 〃We have time。〃 She was agreeable。 At the newsstand Toad looked longingly at the Playboy and Penthouse magazines with their covers hidden under a piece of black plastic to keep from titillating schoolboys or heating up old ladies。 Maybe he should buy one and read it on the plane。 That would get Moravia all twitchy。 He glanced over to where she stood looking at newsmagazines and slicks for upscale women。 No。 He devoted his attention to the rack of paperbacks and finally selected one by Kurt Vonnegut。 Slaughterhouse…Five was Toad's favorite book。 Vonnegut knew life was insanity； just as Toad did； deep down； in the place where he lived。 Today he chose one called Galapagos。
When the boarding announcement came； the seats near the gate emptied as everyone surged toward the stewardess guarding the entrance to the jetway。 Toad took his time and held back。 Two people sandwiched themselves between him and Moravia as they ambled toward the door； a guy in a business suit with shoulder…length hair and a woman in her fifties with bad knees。 Yet somehow when Toad turned in his boarding pass he ended up right behind Moravia going down the jetway。 There was another line waiting to get through the airplane's door。 He queued behind her。 The people behind him pressed forward。 His nose was almost in her hair。 She was wearing a delicate； heavenly scent。 He inhaled it clear to his toenails。
They inched down the crowded aisle toward their seats。 The air was stifling； too may people。 Toad felt the walls closing in on him。 There was a woman already in the aisle seat in their row； and when Toad finished stuffing his attache case and bat into the overhead bin； he found Moravia was already in her seat。 The woman on the aisle ignored him。 Toad muttered his excuses and edged in front of their knees。 Rita looked up from the operation of removing her hat and for the first time since he had known her gave him a warm smile。 〃Sorry。〃
〃No problem；〃 Toad said as he settled in beside her； acutely aware of her physical presence。 Too aware。 He adjusted the air nozzle in the overhead and turned hers on too。 〃Is this okay？〃
〃Thank you。 That helps a lot。〃 She smiled again； beautiful white teeth framed by lips that。。。 Toad looked at his novel a while； couldn't get inter