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Dreyfus took a chair and launched into his prepared remarks。 〃I've asked for this time； sir； to ensure you know what is going on with the Minotaur investigation。 The answer is almost nothing。 For months now we've been spinning our wheels； begging puter time to try and crack the Minotaur's letters to the Soviet ambassador； following a few people hither and yon all over Washington； monitoring some phone lines； wasting an army of manpower and bushels of money； and we are going essentially nowhere。 I thought you should know that。〃
Bigelow wiped the jam from his lips with a napkin； sipped coffee from a white mug labeled 〃World's Best Dad〃 and took another bite of doughnut。
His attitude rattled Dreyfus； who got out his pipe and rubbed the bowl carefully。 〃Our best lead was a navy enlisted puter technician in the Pentagon； a guy we thought was tapping the puter for some of this stuff。 Name of Terry Franklin。 Yet Camacho never let us pick the guy up。 So we sat and watched him do his little thing； and we were diligently following him； right on his tail； in March when his car blew up with him in it。〃
Bigelow finished the doughnut and used a moist finger to capture and convey the last few crumbs to his mouth。 Then he dabbed his Ups a final time and used two napkins to scrub the powdered sugar and flecks of jelly from his oak desk。 He put this trash in the wastebasket and； sighing contentedly； rearranged his bottom in his chair。
〃And。。。？〃 said P。 R。 Bigelow。
〃A hit man wiped a walk…in witness to a drop with Franklin。 Camacho talked to her a couple times； but she got eliminated before we could get her to look at any photos。 A professional hit。 Two twenty…two caliber slugs in the skull。 We've got the autopsy and lab reports and we've talked to neighbors up and down the street。 We've got nothing at all。 We're absolutely dry on this one。〃
〃Anything else？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Lloyd Dreyfus with an edge in his voice。 He was beginning to lose his temper and didn't care if it showed a little。 〃One of the staff officers in the navy's ATA project…a mander Judy…is trying to peddle classified inside info to interested defense contractors。 We got interested in this officer when the project manager was murdered over in West Virginia one Friday evening in early February。 That murder is unsolved…no one is doing anything on it…and Camacho doesn't appear to be doing any follow…up on Judy's contacts。 He hasn't even turned the file over to the fraud investigators or NIS。 We know some of the people Judy's talked to and。。。〃 Dreyfus threw up his hands in frustration。
〃Finished yet？〃
〃Yes； I think that about covers it。〃
〃So you asked for this appointment on the off chance that Camacho has been lying to me about the activities of his office； purposely bungling the search for this mole； wasting millions of dollars and thousands of man…hours on wild…goose chases。〃 Dreyfus opened his mouth to interrupt； but Bigelow held up a hand。 〃I grant that you can probably phrase it more tactfully。 You notice I did not suggest that you came up here to tattle and gain some personal advantage。 You are a better man than that。〃 He sighed heavily； almost a belch。 〃Of course there is another possibility。 Perhaps you just wanted to see if I was so stupid as to be satisfied with the progress of the investigation to date。〃
〃I…〃 The upraised palm stopped him again。
〃I am satisfied。 Camacho has kept me fully informed of the activities of his subordinates； of which you are one； by the way。 His lines of inquiry have been initiated with my knowledge and； where necessary； my approval。 He has discussed his concerns with me and I have informed him of mine。 He has followed orders to the letter。 I am pletely satisfied with his performance。 He is one of the most talented senior officers in the bureau。〃
Dreyfus just stared。
〃Before you go back to work； do you wish for me to arrange a meeting for you with the Director？〃 Bigelow managed to make his face look interested and mildly amused at the same time。 Yes； Lloyd； you miserable； disloyal； alarmist peckerhead； you jumped from the top of the cliff； but you seem to nave had the luck to Strike a bush a few feet below the edge； which arrested your downward progress。 Do you wish my help in pleting your suicidal plunge？
Dreyfus shook his head no。
〃I suggest that you not mention this little conversation to any of your colleagues。〃
〃Yessir。〃
〃I don't want to see you in this office ever again； Dreyfus； unless you have your supervisor with you； or unless I send for you。〃
〃Yessir。〃
〃Let's both get back to work。〃 P。 R。 Bigelow nodded toward the closed office door and Dreyfus took the hint。
By mid…May the dance of the dwarves at the Pentagon had reached a critical frenzy。 A thousand details were beginning to e together for a trip into the desert with the prototypes in June。 The airplanes had been moved weeks earlier to the Tonopah Test Range in Nevada； the same secret field where the air force had tested its stealth prototypes。 Also known as Area 58； or Groom Lake； the field lay about a hundred miles northwest of Las Vegas on a huge government reservation with excellent physical security。 Here the contractors' field teams readied the planes in separate hangars and installed telemetry devices。
Toad and Rita would leave for Nevada two weeks before Jake and the rest of the staff。 They had intensive sessions planned with pany test pilots and engineers to learn everything they could about the planes and how they flew。 The Saturday night before they left； Jake and Callie had them to dinner at the house in Rehoboth Beach。
〃How do you like being married？〃 Callie asked Rita in the kitchen。
〃I should have had a brother；〃 Rita confided。 〃Men are such sloppy creatures。 They don't think like we do。〃
On the screened…in porch； Jake and Toad sipped on bourbon and Amy slurped a Coke。 〃So how's married life； Toad？〃
〃Oh； so…so； I guess。 Isn't exactly like I thought it would be； but nothing ever is。 Rita can think up stuff for me to do faster than I can do it； and we only live in an apartment。 If we had a town house or something with a basement and a lawn； she'd have worked me to death by now。〃
Amy Carol thought this remark deliriously fanny and giggled hugely。
〃Why don't you go visit with Mom and Rita？〃
She stood regally and tossed her hair。 〃I do believe I will join the ladies； but she isn't my mom。 I wish you'd stop calling her that。〃 She flounced off toward the kitchen。
〃The day she〃…Jake pointed after the departing youngster…〃gets married； I am going to get down on my knees and give thanks。〃
〃That bad； huh？〃
〃She's about driven Callie over the edge。 That poor woman had no idea what she was getting into。 No matter how much love she pours on Amy； the kid still does exactly as she chooses。 She intentionally disobeys and cuts up just to get her goal。 And Callie never gets mad； never pops off； never gives her anything but love。 She's gonna go nuts。〃
〃Maybe she should get angry。〃
〃That's what I think。 And Callie insists she doesn't want my help or advice。〃
〃They're all alike；〃 Toad said； now vastly experienced。 Amy was back in five minutes； hopping from foot to foot； so excited she bounced。 〃Can we fly the glider now； so I can show Rita？ She's a pilot。〃
Toad gasped。 〃She is？〃
〃You're teasing me；〃 Amy said； stamping her foot。
〃The wind's wrong；〃 Jake pointed out。 〃It isn't ing in from the sea。 This evening it's a land breeze。〃
〃David said we might be able to fly the glider above the house in a land breeze。 He said the wind just goes right up and over our house。〃
〃I never thought of that。 Well； run down the street and see if he can spend a half hour consulting with us。〃 As Amy scampered off； Jake told Toad； 〃There's an aviation expert right down the street who is kind enough to offer advice from time to time。〃
The aviation expert was apparently unoccupied at the moment He showed up wearing a monster…truck T…shirt bearing the legend 〃Eat Street。〃 His shoelaces were untied； his cowlicks fully aroused； and his grin as impish as ever。 He listened carefully to Jake's plan。
〃Sounds to me like it might work； Cap'n；〃 he said with a sidelong glance at Toad。 〃Might ding up your plane a tittle； though。〃
〃I'll risk it if you'll fix the damage。〃
〃Callie！ Rita！〃 Amy called excitedly。 〃We're going to fly。〃
Jake readied the plane for flight in the front yard under David's supervision。 Eight rubber bands were stretched to hold the six…foot wing to the fuselage。 Batteries were tested and inserted； the cover closed； switch on； controls waggled to the fall extent of their travel using the radio control box： Amy checked each item after Jake performed it while David briefed Toad on proper launch procedure。 In five minutes they were ready for the sky。 Toad climbed the ladder from the garage and scaled the sloping roof until he sat perched on the ridgepole with the plane in hand。
〃Pretty good breeze up here；〃 he informed the crowd below； which now included Callie and Rita。
〃Don't you jump off there； Darius Green；〃 Rita called as Toad sucked on a finger and held it aloft
〃As you can plainly see； dear wife； I'm not wearing my wings tonight；〃 Tarkington replied lightly。 He flapped hi