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！
ready settling； so he added a second heavy sweatshirt。 He was leaning into a post supporting the roof over the walkway leading to the officers' club when a gray navy pickup pulled up in front of the BOQ and dropped Rita Moravia。 She was wearing an olive…drab flight suit and flight boots。
〃If you're going running；〃 she called； 〃will you wait for me？〃
〃Sure。〃 Toad continued to stretch his right leg； the one with the loins in it。 He hopped around and trotted in place a few steps。 The leg was ready。 On the grass was a bronze bust： Lieutenant Mike McCormick； A…6 pilot killed over North Vietnam。 The BOQ and officers' club were named for him。
Toad was standing beside the bust watching the A…6s in the landing pattern overhead and listening to the throaty roar of their engines when Moravia came out。 She had her hair pulled back into the ponytail。 〃Which way do you want to run？〃 she asked。
〃I dunno。 How about north along the beach？〃 They started off。 〃Were you flying today？〃
〃Yes。 Twice。〃 She picked up the pace to a fast trot。
〃How'd you like it？〃
〃Old airframe； not as fast and agile as the Hornet； of course； but with better range and more lifting capacity。 More plex。〃 An A…6 went over and she waited for the roar to fade。 〃It's a nice plane to fly。〃
On the western side of the road was a beach littered with driftwood and； beyond； the placid surface of the sound。 Just visible in the fading glow of the sunset was an island five or six miles away…it was hard to tell。 Silhouettes of mountains stood against the sky to the southwest。 〃It's pretty here； isn't it？〃
〃Oh yes。 Wait till you see it from the air。〃
〃Why'd you get into flying anyway？〃
She shot him a hard glance and picked up the pace。 He stayed with her。 She was going too fast for conversation。 The paved road ended and they were on gravel when she said； 〃Four miles be enough？〃
〃Yep。〃 Well； he had stepped on it that time； got it out and dragged it in the din and tromped all over it。 What's a pretty girl like you doing in this dirty； sweaty business anyway； sweetie？ Ye gods。 Toad； next you'll be asking about her sign。
On the inbound leg they stopped running several blocks short of the BOQ and walked to cool down。 〃I got into flying because I thought it would be a challenge；〃 Rita said； watching him。
Toad just nodded。 In the lobby she asked； 〃Want to change and get some dinner？〃
〃Thanks anyway。 I gotta study。〃
As he showered Toad realized that somewhere on the run he had jettisoned his nascent plan to bed Rita Moravia。 The Good Lord just doesn't have any mercy for you； Toad； my man。 Not the tiniest pinch。
6
〃The admiral can see you in thirty minutes； sir。〃
〃Thanks。〃 Jake Grafton cradled the phone and doodled on his legal pad。 It was almost 10：30 and Smoke Judy was at his desk。 He had said good morning to Jake and spent an hour on the phone； and now seemed to be busy on the puter with a report； but he hadn't mentioned his sojourns of yesterday。 Jake had toyed with the idea of questioning Judy about where he was yesterday； then decided against it。 Whatever answer Judy gave； truth or lie； what would that prove？ Would a lie incriminate him？ In what？ A murder？ Espionage？ If Judy told the truth； what would the truth be？ That he went to West Virginia yesterday…so what？ And if he denied it…what then？ No； Jake didn't know enough to even ask an intelligent question。
Vice Admiral Henry； however； was in a more interesting position。 His fairy tale about deflecting a murder investigation left him vulnerable。 Vulnerable to what？ To more questions。 He would have to answer reasonable questions or。。？ Or？
I can't recognize truth when I hear it； Jake mused。 What the hell kind of job is this？ Can I trust the admiral？
Do I have a choice？ He tossed the pencil on the desk and rubbed his eyes。 He knew the answer to that one。 He had no choice at all。 He stood and stretched。 His doodles caught his eye。 Airplanes。 Gliders。 Long wings。
In front of the breezeway between JP…1 and JP…2； he caught the shuttle bus and rode it over to the Pentagon。 The chief offered him a cup of coffee； which he accepted。 Then he waved him in to see Henry； who was busy locking his desk and office safe。
〃Good morning； sir。〃
〃Morning。 Don't sit。 We're going to a meeting with SECNAV。〃
〃Okay。〃 Jake had never met F。 George Ludlow； but he had heard a lot about him。 Scion of an old New England family…was there any other kind？…Ludlow was in his early forties； a Vietnam vet with a B。S。 from Yale and a business doctorate from Harvard。 He had spent ten years knocking around the gray…suit defense think tanks before being tapped as Secretary of the Navy three years ago by his father…in…law； Royce Caplinger； the Secretary of Defense。 Nepotism； fumed the Senate Democrats； but they confirmed the nomination anyway： Ludlow's credentials were as bluechip as his family connections and dividends from the family investment trusts。
〃What this meeting about； sir？〃 Jake asked as he and the admiral walked the outer ring of the Pentagon…the B…ring…toward Ludlow's office。
〃Don't know。 When Ludlow wants you； he summons you… now。〃
It was mon knowledge that Ludlow had vigorous hands on the throttle and helm of the navy。 He had firm ideas about what ships and weapons systems the navy needed； how they should be acquired； how they should be employed。 With his insider's knowledge of Washington and the upper reaches of the defense establishment he outraged most admirals。 Those he couldn't win over he shuffled off to sinecures or retirement。 Unlike the usual dilettante who spent a year or two as a service secretary on his way to a bright political future or the vice presidency of a major defense contractor； Ludlow behaved exactly like a man whose present job was the fulfillment of a lifelong quest。 If Ludlow had any other political or business ambitions； no hint of them had percolated down to Jake's level。 His saving grace； or so it appeared to the rank and file； was his strong mitment to the navy as an institution； to its people and its traditions。 This was probably one of the reasons for unease at the flag level； since the admirals were unwilling to defer to anyone as keeper of the faith； the role in which they cast themselves。
The corridor in which the secretary's office was located was decorated for the general public。 Large oil portraits of naval heroes of the past were prominently displayed； Farragut； Dewey； Halsey and many others。 The old admirals stared dourly at Jake and Vice Admiral Henry as they went to their appointment to discuss the navy of the future。
Ludlow's large office was paneled in dark wood； the real thing； not veneer； Jake noticed as he took his first； curious look…and nautical memorabilia were everywhere； on the desk； the credenza； the little sitting desk。 Oil paintings of famous naval scenes…also original； Jake noted…adorned the walls。 The chairs were black leather。 One of them was occupied by a fat gent in his mid…sixties whose skin looked as tough as the chair covering。 Jake recognized him from his picture…Senator Hiram Duquesne； chairman of the Senate Armed Services mittee。 Ludlow was behind his desk and didn't rise from his chair。
〃You gentlemen know the senator；〃 Ludlow said after Admiral Henry had introduced Jake。
Duquesne eyed Jake speculatively。 〃Aren't you the pilot that strapped on El Hakim last year？〃
〃Yessir。〃
〃Sit down； gentlemen。 Please。〃 Ludlow gestured to the chairs。 Jake ended up on Henry's left； Duquesne on the admiral's right Ludlow's executive assistant sat on the sofa with a legal pad on his lap； ready to take notes。
The senator and the two naval officers faced the secretary across his massive mahogany desk strewn with paper。 Ludlow had one leg draped over his chair arm； revealing hairy skin in the gap between the top of his sock and his trouser leg。 In his hands he held a rifle cartridge that still contained a bullet。 He worked the cartridge back and forth between his fingers as he spoke to Jake。 〃Senator Duquesne wanted to meet you when I informed him you would be doing the testing and evaluation of the ATA prototypes。〃
〃Now； as I understand it； George； you people are not going to do your usual T and E routine；〃 Senator Duquesne said。 T and E was Test and Evaluation。
〃No way to keep the lid on or meet our time goals if we did it the usual way。〃
〃You a test pilot？〃 Duquesne shot at Jake。
〃No； sir。〃
Ludlow's leg came off the arm of his chair。 〃He's an attack pilot；〃 the secretary said mildly； 〃one of the very best we have。 He knows carrier aviation as well as anyone in uniform。〃
〃What d'ya know about stealth？〃 the senator demanded。
〃Very little； sir； but I'm learning。〃
〃Horse puckey！ What does the navy need for an attack plane at the turn of the century？ What about range； payload； survivability； maintainability？ How much should the navy pay？〃
〃I…〃 Jake began； but Ludlow was also talking： 〃Senator； policy is my…〃
Senator Duquesne raised his voice。 He thundered at Ludlow：
〃I'll say this again with these gentlemen present。 I'm not happy about this whole thing； George。 Not happy。 You have a program here that you will want funded for three hundred and fifty airplanes at about fifty million each； seven