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Terry was so distant； saying little； shouting at the children as they ran through the house and made their usual noise。
He was a volcano about to erupt。 His tension and fear were tangible； visible； frightening to the children； terrifying to Lucy。 Even as she sat here on the freeway； the unreasoning panic that Terry caused washed over her again。 What had he done？ What would he do？ Would he hurt the children？ Would he hurt her？
〃Mommy； don't cry。〃
〃I'm not crying； sweetheart。 I just have something in my eye。〃
〃I'm okay now；〃 Karen said； casting an evil glance across the seat back at her brother。
〃No more fighting。 You two love each other。 No more fighting。 It makes me sad to see you two trying to irritate each other。〃
Now Kevin's hand touched her hair。 〃Let's go get Grandma。〃
〃Yes。 Let's do。〃 She started the engine and slipped out into traffic。
At lunch Toad and Rita shared a table： just the two of them。 From a table fifty feet away Jake Grafton watched the body language and gestures as he listened to George Wilson and Dalton Harris talk baseball。 So Toad Tarkington had fallen in love again！ That guy went over that precipice with awe…inspiring regularity。 The impact at the bottom was also spectacular。
You really had to tip your hat to the guy。 He arrives； takes in the female situation at a glance； then immediately makes a fool of himself over the best…looking woman in sight。 Jake allowed himself a grin。 The ol' Horny Toad。
Back in the office after lunch； Jake called Tarkington over to his desk。 〃I've been looking over this memo about the A…6 system。 How did it go when you turned off the radar and Doppler？〃
〃Well； sir； without the Doppler to dampen the velocities； the inertial tends to drift somewhat。 But without the radar all you have is the IR and it's tough。 When it isn't raining or snowing you can run attacks okay once you've found the target。 The nav system just isn't right enough to let you find the targets without the radar。 The IR doesn't have enough field of view。 With a global positioning system to stabilize the inertial you might have a chance； but not now。〃
〃It looks to me like you've got a handle on the major problems。 This evening how about jumping a plane and flying up to Calverton； New York？ With mander Richards。 The guys at Grumman are expecting you two。 I want you to look over the A…6G system and play with it and let me know what you think。 e back Monday。 Tuesday you and I are going to take a little trip out West。〃
The lieutenant's face reflected his dismay。
〃That's not going to put you out or interfere with anything； is it？〃 Jake tried to appear solicitous。
〃Geez； CAG。 The whole weekend…〃
〃You didn't have anything going； did you？ I mean； you haven't been around here long enough to…〃
〃Oh no； sir。 I just thought I'd do my laundry and all。 Maybe take in a movie。 Write a letter to my mom。〃
Jake couldn't hold back a smile。 〃Running out of clean underwear； huh？〃
Toad nodded； trying to maintain a straight face。
〃Buy some more。 See you Monday； Toad。〃
〃Yessir。 Monday。〃
At four o'clock Jake received a call from mander Rob Knight。 〃Could you e over to my office？〃
〃Well； I was getting ready to go home。〃
〃On your way？〃
〃Sure。〃
Jake locked the files； turned off the lights and snagged his hat on the way out。 Smoke Judy was still there。 〃Lock up； will you； Smoke？〃
〃Sure； Captain。 Have a good weekend。〃
〃You too。〃
Jake walked to the Pentagon。 He was getting very familiar with this route。 The parking lot was emptying as he crossed it and he had to do some dodging。
On the fourth…level corridor the pile of used furniture was still gathering dust。 Jake turned right on the D…Ring and walked down three doors。 He knocked。
Rear Admiral Costello opened the door。 〃Ah； Captain； please e in。〃
The room was packed。 People were sitting on desks。 Everyone had a beer can in his hand。 Vice Admiral Henry was there； Costello's three aides…all captains fresh from carrier mands and waiting for the flag list or new orders…together with the four office regulars and two admirals Jake didn't know。 He accepted a beer and found himself talking to Henry。 〃Glad you could join us； Captain。〃
〃Delighted； sir。〃
It was Happy Hour。 These men who had spent their lives in the camaraderie of ready rooms needed two hours at the end of the week to review the week's frustrations and reduce them to manageable proportions。 Soon the subject turned from shop to mutual friends； ships； ports； and planes they had flown。
Just before six Jake excused himself。 He and Callie were going to the beach this evening。 Tyler Henry grabbed his hat and started with Jake for the door。 As Jake opened it； Henry paused and took a long； smiling look at the bulletin board。 He was looking at a photo。 It was a black…and…white eight…by…ten of singer Ann…Margret holding a microphone in her hand and singing her heart out； wearing a sleeveless shorty blouse and no pants at all。
〃I was there；〃 Henry said。 〃Kitty Hawk； '67 or '68。 That woman。。。〃 He pointed at the picture。 〃She's all lady。 She's my favorite entertainer。〃
The photo was autographed and signed。 〃To the guys of OP…506。〃 Yes； thought Jake Grafton； remembering those days。 No doubt that was a great moment for her； performing before five thousand screaming sailors； but it was an even greater moment for them； a moment they would remember and cherish every day of their lives； each and every man jack of them。 Of course； bombing North Vietnam twelve hours a day； some of them didn't have very many days left。 The loss rate then was almost a plane a day。 No doubt Ann…Margret had known that。
〃Mine too；〃 said Jake Grafton； and together with the admiral walked into the corridor where he said goodbye。 The admiral went back toward his office as Jake set off alone for the subway。
At six o'clock； as Jake Grafton was boarding the subway at the Pentagon station； Luis Camacho closed the last of the files piled up on his desk。 It was hopeless： 218 files； 218 political appointees in the Department of Defense； including the service secretaries and unders and assistants。 He had selected just eighteen files： the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition； his political aides； and the assistants and under secretaries in SECDEF's office。 And SECDEF。 All these men had held their positions for at least three years。 But it was still hopeless。
If one of these men was the Minotaur； no hint of it came from the FBI background investigations that had been pleted for the Senate confirmation process。 The mon thread was that they were pillars of the establishment； the kind of men generations of mothers prayed their daughters would marry。 All eighteen were white； well educated； leaders in their local munities； respected by all those similarly situated。 Several had previously held elected or appointed office。 Most were family men or divorced family men。 Thirteen of them had graduated from an Ivy League school。 Tennis was the most popular sport and golf a close second。 Several were yachtsmen。 Every single one of them could be labeled independently wealthy； most from old family money； a few from small fortunes they had made themselves。
It was sickening。 Wealt