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All the lights were off in Harlan Albright's house。 Only a gleam of the hall light was visible through the window of his own door。 Camacho picked up the package on his front seat and locked his car； then used his key on the front door。 He shot the bolt behind him。
There was a note by the phone。 Albright had called。
Camacho poured himself a bourbon and added three ice cubes from the tray in the freezer。 He opened the kitchen door and stood there sipping his drink and looking at the shadows in the backyard。 The dog whined and wagged its tail。
Taking his time； Camacho strolled the length of the yard and seated himself in the tire swing hanging from the old oak。 He absently petted the dog and made forting noises as he sipped the liquor and let the alcohol take effect
It would be interesting to see how many of those servos were still in Albright's mad bomber kit。 And the batteries and fuses。
You sure had to take your hat off to Peter Aleksandrovich； a…ka good ol' Harlan； Terry Franklin's sudden end had been a nice tidy job。 No loose ends。 No secondary casualties that might fester into an eventual murder indictment that would make a spy swap impossible； should the worst happen and he get arrested by the FBI。 Terry Franklin had been very neatly and permanently silenced。 Scratch one asset…turned…debit。 Clean up that balance sheet。 Wipe off the red ink； and； mild！ we have a profitable enterprise； as anyone can plainly see。
Good ol' Harlan's house was as dark as a tomb。 The big maples in front shielded it from the streetlights and the oaks and beeches here in back performed a similar service with that little alley light。 So the house was just a looming black shape。
Camacho thought about the stairs up to the bedroom； pictured himself once again slipping up there； careful as a mouse； looking for booby traps； prying open the trapdoor to the attic…he shivered as he thought about it。 Good ol' Harlan would probably rig some more unpleasant surprises； tike plastique that goes boom when the someone ing into a room steps in the wrong place； or forgets to turn the light on and off three times in three seconds。 Good ol' Harlan would be just the man for a little rig like that。
Wonder if Harlan's found the blank film in the camera？ Had Camacho been careful enough with the operation？ Had he tripped a camera he didn't find？ If so； that bulb in the door would e on very soon。
His fatigue hit him all at once。 It was all he could do to walk back to the house； lock the door； and ascend the stairs。 He stripped off his clothes and fell into bed。
〃I don't want to ever get married；〃 Rita said。
〃Me neither；〃 Toad Tarkington agreed fervently。 〃Half the marriages fail； kids in single…parent households； everybody broke…who needs it？〃 It was a pretty Saturday morning and they were on their way to a restaurant for breakfast； with Toad at the wheel。
〃People should be free to have a relationship without being bound；〃 she said。
〃When two people break up they shouldn't have to hire lawyers to fight over the dog。〃
〃Marriage is an obsolete institution。〃
〃It's doomed；〃 Toad pronounced； sounding a good bit like Samuel Dodgers denouncing sin； which was probably unintentional。 But to prove he wasn't a bigot he added； 〃Of course； my parents are happily married。 Thirty…five years this July。 It's a lot tougher nowadays； though。 My sister was only married three years； one kid…the divorce was real messy。 My dad had to help her with the legal fees。〃
〃Did she get custody？〃 Rita asked。
Toad told her about it。 Both of them shook their heads sadly。 Truly； modern marriage was a misery。
〃Two people who love each other don't need all that；〃 Rita sniffed。 〃I want a man who loves me and wants to be with me； not because he has to； but because he wants to。〃
〃It's the has…to part that turns me off；〃 Toad explained。 〃You know； I think it's terrific that you and I think so much alike。〃
〃Well； we're very similar。 We both have middle…class backgrounds； good educations； we're naval officers； we fly。 You're only a year older than I am。 It's no wonder。〃
〃I guess。〃
Toad wheeled her Mazda into the restaurant parking lot and found a space。 He opened the door for Rita and she smiled her thanks； a gorgeous little grin that be returned。 She rested her fingers lightly on his arm as they walked across the macadam。 He held the door for her and she preceded him through。 He had never felt better in his life…so alive； so into all of it。 They loved each other without strings。 And the best part； he told himself； was that they could be so forthright； so frank with each other。 Wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone's relationships were so open and honest？
They were married that afternoon in Oakland； Maryland。
The glider wheeled and soared six feet above the dune； the sun flashing on its wings。 Jake Grafton sat in the sand with the wind at his back。 David and Amy sat beside him； hugging their knees。 He manipulated the levers on the radio control box without taking his eyes from the free…flying bird。
〃Remember to keep the nose up in the turns；〃 David reminded him as the glider reached the tuft of sea grass a hundred feet north along the dune where Jake had been turning。 He had the technique now； he hoped。 He hadn't crashed in ten minutes。 He thought he could stay aloft as long as the wind remained steady。
Back the glider came； crossing silently above their heads。 〃Totally awesome；〃 David murmured。
〃Awesome〃 seemed to be the word this year in the sixth grade。
What had it been when Jake had been twelve years old？ He tried to remember and drew a blank。
Amy Carol stretched out in the sand on her stomach； her chin on her forearms。 Her figure was still a collection of straight lines。 Callie said she would start to fill out soon。 David matched her position； his big feet incongruous beside Amy's petite ones。 No doubt his growth would also spurt in the next year or so； he already had the feet of a good…sized man； though the rest of him had a lot further to go。
〃Your dad's gonna be a pretty good pilot；〃 David told her。
〃He isn't my dad。 He's Jake。〃
〃He's gonna be good；〃 David insisted。
〃That's not so tough to do；〃 she said； sitting up。
〃Oh no？ Why don't you try it。〃
〃Can I； Jake？〃
〃Yeah。 e over here and watch me for a minute。〃 He explained the controls and demonstrated how they worked。 After two passes up and down the beach with Amy watching intently； be turned the box over to her。 She overbanked and nosed the plane in on the very next turn。
David smacked his hands together in exasperation。 〃'Nothing to it。' Girls！〃 He pronounced the last word as if it were spelled 〃gurls。〃
The left wing had torn skin and a broken spar。 The three aviators collected their gear and trudged for the house。 〃Don't worry； Cap'n；〃 the boy said with a disgusted glance at Amy； 〃I can fix it good as new。〃
〃I'm sure you can；〃 Jake told him； grinning。
〃Girls don't know nothin' about flyin'。〃
〃Don't bet on it； Dave。 There's a woman pilot working for me； and she's real damn good。〃
Amy squared her shoulders； threw her head back and marched proudly before them； at long last assuming her rightful place among the exalted s