scoonts.theminotaur-第41部分

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tters　would　arouse　suspicion；　so　he　wrote　lots　of　them。　And　it　was　impossible　to　tell　which　contained　a　code　and　which　didn't。　He　was　hiding　in　plain　sight。
　Maybe　that　was　the　key。　Maybe　the　Minotaur　wasn't　just　some　career　civil　servant；　some　clerk。　Maybe　he　was　a　man　in　plain　sight；　out　in　the　open；　known　to　one　and　all。　But　why？　Why　was　he　mitting　treason？　That's　what　the　Soviets　wanted　to　know。
　Camacho　picked　up　the　phone　and　punched　numbers。　〃Dreyfus；　pull　the　files　on　all　the　political　people　in　the　Defense　Department　and　put　them　in　the　conference　room。〃
　〃All　of　them？　Again？〃
　〃All。〃
　〃Yessir；〃　Dreyfus　said　without　enthusiasm。
　Even　a　blind　hog　finds　an　acorn　occasionally；　Camacho　told　himself　as　he　cradled　the　phone。　And　if　there's　an　acorn　in　those　files；　this　time　I'm　going　to　find　it。
　
　The　youngest　child；　a　four…year…old　boy；　threw　a　fit　as　Lucy　Franklin　drove　toward　Dulles。　The　nine…year　old；　Karen；　had　been　deviling　him　all　morning；　and　apparently　he　decided　he　had　had　enough。　He　wailed　at　the　top　of　his　lungs　and　punched　at　his　sister。　One　of　his　swings　connected　with　her　nose。　Blood　spouted　and　she　screamed　too。　Lucy　pulled　off　the　freeway　and　put　the　car　in　neutral。
　〃Shut　up！〃　she　roared。　〃Both　you　kids；　stop　it！〃　Satisfied　with　the　oute　of　the　battle；　the　boy　sat　back　and　stared　at　the　blood　dripping　on　ha　sister's　dress　as　she　sobbed　uncontrollably。　〃Look　at　you　two。　Fighting　again。　Now　Karen's　hurt。　Aren't　you　sorry；　Kevin？〃
　He　didn't　look　a　bit　sorry；　which　made　Karen　cry　harder。　Lucy　got　her　into　the　front　seat　and　held　a　tissue　on　her　nose　until　the　bleeding　stopped。　She　cuddled　the　child。　Karen　had　vomited　twice　during　the　night；　so　this　morning　Lucy　had　kept　her　home　from　school。　The　traffic　roared　by。　〃Say　you're　sorry；　Kevin。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。〃　His　hand　came　over　the　seat　and　touched　Karen's　hair。　The　sobbing　gradually　eased。　Holding　a　tissue　against　Karen's　nose　with　her　left　hand；　Lucy　leaned　over　the　seat　and　cuddled　the　boy。　This　week　had　been　tough　on　them。　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　A