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would see。
Callie's hand found his and he gave it a squeeze。 He led her down into the surf； where the ice…cold water swirled about their feet Toad Tarkington said to say hi。
〃He called？〃
〃Stopped by yesterday afternoon。 He's going to the Pentagon too。〃
〃Oh。〃
〃If you teach summer school； we'll see more of each other this summer；〃 he said。 〃We'll be together every evening at the apartment in Washington as well as every weekend here。〃
Her hand gripped his fiercely and she turned to face him。
He grinned。 〃Monday morning； off I go； wearing my uniform； vacation over…〃
She hugged him and her lips made it impossible to continue to speak。 Her hair played across his cheeks as the ebbing surf tugged at the sand under him。
3
It was almost 9 A。M。 when the subway train…the Metro…ground to a halt at the Pentagon station。 Jake Grafton joined the civilian and military personnel exiting and followed the thin crowd along the platform。 Rush hour for all 23。000 people who worked in this sprawling five…story building was long over。 The little handful that Jake acpanied seemed to foe made up of stragglers and visiting civilians。
Just ahead of Jake a man and a woman in casual clothes led two small children。 When they came to the long escalator； the kids squealed joyfully and started to run up the moving stair。 Each parent grabbed a small arm； then a hand。
The sloping staircase was poorly lighted。 As he looked at the dim lights； Jake noticed the plaster on the ceiling was peeling away on spots。
At the head of the escalator two corridors led in； one from either one； and more people joined the procession； which trudged ever upward on long； wide staircase toward the lights above。
At the head of the stair was a large hall； and the abeam of people walked up； some heading for the main entrance； some moving cautiously toward the visitors' tour area。 The couple that Jake had followed led their progeny in that direction with an admonition to behave。 Jake approached the two Department of Defense policemen scrutinizing passes at the security booth。 〃I have an appointment with Vice Admiral Henry。〃
〃Do you have a building pass； sir？〃
〃No。〃
〃Use those phones right over there〃…he pointed at telephones by the tour windows…〃and someone will e down to escort you。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Jake called and a yeoman answered。 Five minutes； the yeoman said。
Jake stood and watched the people。 Men and women wearing the uniforms of all four services came and went； most walking quickly； carrying briefcases； folders； gym bags and small brown paper bags that must have contained their lunches。 People leaving the interior of the building walked by the security desk without a glance from the two armed DOD policemen。
〃Captain Grafton？〃
A small black woman in civilian clothes stood at his elbow。 〃Yes？〃 he said。
〃I'm your escort。〃 She smiled and flashed her pass at the guards and motioned Jake toward the metal detector that stood to the left of the security booth。 He walked through it； nothing beeped； and the woman led him through the open doors into another huge hallway； this one lined with shops。 Directly across from the entrance was a large gedunk…a store selling snacks； magazines and other sundries。
〃I was expecting a yeoman。〃
〃The phone started ringing and he sent me down。〃
As she led him along the corridor； he asked； 〃How long did it take you to learn your way around in here？〃
〃Oh； I'm still learning…I've only been here five years。 It's confusing at times。〃
They went up a long ramp that opened onto the A…Ring； the central corridor that overlooked the five…acre interior courtyard。 As they proceeded around the ring； Jake glanced through the windows at the grass and huge trees and the snack bar in the center。
〃Have you ever been here before？〃 she asked。
〃Nope；〃 said Jake Grafton。 〃I've always managed to avoid it。〃
After she had gone what seemed like a hundred yards or so； she turned right and ascended a staircase with a ninety…degree bend in it and at the top turned right。 They were still on the A…Ring； but on the fourth level。 After another fifty feet she veered left down a corridor； then right onto another corridor that zagged away at an angle。 〃Now we're walking back toward the outside of the building；〃 she said。 〃There are five concentric rings in the Pentagon。 The inner is the A…Ring； and next is B； and so forth； with the outer being E。 They are connected by ten radial corridors like the spokes of a wagon wheel。 It's supposed to be efficient but it does confuse newers。〃 She grinned。
This corridor had little to mend it。 It was lit by fluorescent lights； and over half the tubes were dark。 The walls were bare。 Not a picture or a poster。 Dusty； tied…down furniture was stacked along one wall。 It looked as if it had been there since the Elsenhower administration。 Catching Jake's glance； the guide said； 〃It's been there for three months。 Some of the offices got new furniture。 This is the old stuff。〃 The piles were posed of sofas and chairs and scarred and battered metal…gray desks。 〃These places on the ceiling where the plywood is？〃 Jake looked。 The plaster was falling off from water seepage from the roof and asbestos was being released。
At the end of the corridor stood a magnificent large painting of Admiral Dewey's flagship； Olympia； entering Manila Bay。 Spots illuminated it。 The guide turned right and Jake followed。 The overhead blue mantel proclaimed： 〃Naval Aviation。〃 Here the hallway was well lit； painted a yellowish pastel and decorated with pictures of past and present naval and marine aircraft。 This straight stretch was long； a third as long as the outside； of the building。 Almost at the end； his guide turned left into a large office。 The sign over the door said： 〃Assistant； Chief of Naval Operations； Air Warfare。〃 Beside the door was a blue sign that read： 〃OP…05。〃 This was the office of the senior U。S。 Naval Aviator； Mr。 Naval Aviation。
The room was large and contained numerous windows facing south across the huge parking lot toward Arlington。 Wooden desks； blue drapes； wainscoting on the walls。
A mander greeted Jake。 〃I'm a little early；〃 Jake said； glancing at his watch。
〃I'll see if the admiral's free。〃 He was。 Jake was escorted in through a swinging double saloon door。
Vice Admiral Tyler Henry rose from his chair and came around his desk wearing a warm smile to greet Jake。
〃Good to see you again； Captain。〃 The men had met on several occasions in the past； but Jake was unsure if Henry would remember。 After he pumped Jake's hand the admiral motioned to a chair。 〃Please； be seated。 Have any trouble getting here this morning？〃
〃I rode the Metro this morning； sir；〃 Jake said as the admiral seated himself behind his desk。 It was dark wood； perhaps mahogany。 A matching table extended outward from the main desk； forming the leg of a T。 It was at this table Jake sat。
〃Good idea。 Parking places are all for car pools and flag officers。〃 He pushed the button on his inter box。 〃Chief； did mander Gadd sweep the office this morning？〃
〃Yessir；〃 was the tinny reply。
〃Are the window buzzers on？〃
〃Yessir。〃
〃Please close my door。。。 Window buzzers are little security gizmos