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r husband's a med student who's going into pediatrics。 And Nancy Stroh； who married that new dentist from Newport…you knew about that； a perfectly gorgeous wedding in May…her mother told me just last week that Nancy's practically pregnant。 And Kimberly Hyer。。。〃
Mr。 Moravia slipped out into the hallway and Toad followed…
〃She looks very tired。〃
〃She's had a long day；〃 Toad said。
〃Is she going to recover pletely？〃
〃No way to tell。 The physical therapy will start in a few weeks and we'll know more then。 Right now she's pretty desperate to get out of that lower…body cast。 The itching and all is driving her nuts。 That's a good sign； I think。〃
Ten minutes later； as they finished coffees from a vending machine； Toad suggested； 〃Maybe we'd better go get your wife and say good night to Rita。 She wears down pretty quickly and she'll need some sleep。〃
〃We can visit some more in the morning；〃 the older man agreed。
Walking back toward the room； Toad said； 〃Rita turned out a little different than her mom。〃
〃Different generations。〃 Mr。 Moravia shrugged。 He was a philosopher。
〃They want different things；〃 Toad said； probing gently。
〃Every generation does。〃
〃Rita'll keep flying if the doctors let her。〃
〃I believe you。 Madeline's just blowing off steam。 Rita knows that。 Where are we going to eat tonight？〃
The next morning； a Friday； Toad acpanied the Moravias to the hospital； then had Mr。 Moravia drop him at a Metro station。 They were going to the National Gallery。 Toad went to the office。
Even the subways were stifling in the August heat。 Toad's white uniform shirt threatened to melt before he reached the air…conditioned sanctuary of the lobby in Crystal City。
The elevator took forever to respond to the call button。 He waited impatiently。 For seven weeks now he had been speculating on the cause of the accident； and Jake Grafton and Helmut Fritsche and Smoke Judy had all refused to enlighten him on the telephone。 They had been nonmittal。 〃We're investigating。〃 That was the party line。 Toad jabbed the up button again。 He wanted some answers。
He gave the secretary the hi sign and marched straight for Grafton's office。 The door was closed； so he knocked； then opened it and stuck his head in。 〃'Lo； Captain。〃 Two men he didn't know were sitting in the guest chairs。
〃Be with you in a few minutes； Toad。 Good to see you back。〃
Tarkington went to his desk and impatiently pawed the stuff in his in basket。 Routine read…and…initial crap。 He threw his hat on his desk and sat staring at Grafton's closed door。
The secretary came over to his desk。 〃How's Rita？〃
〃She's up at Bethesda。 I think she's gonna be okay。〃
〃It was big news around here that you two were married。〃 She grinned and leaned forward conspiratorially。 〃None of us had any idea！ It's so romantic。〃
〃Yeah；〃 said Toad Tarkington。
〃We're all just delighted that she's doing so well。 We've had her in our thoughts and prayers every day。〃
〃Thank you；〃 Toad said； finally pulling his eyes from Grafton's door and giving the woman a smile。 〃Know anything about that accident？ Why it happened？〃
〃It's all very hush…hush；〃 she confided； her voice low。 She glanced around。 〃I just haven't seen anything on it； but it was so temblor。〃
After he assured her he would convey her good wishes to Rita； she went back to her desk。 She was sitting there sorting the mail when Smoke Judy came in。 Toad went over to him。 〃mander； good to see you。〃
〃Hey； Tarkington。 How's your wife？〃
〃Gonna be okay； I think。 mander。 Say〃…Toad drew the senior officer away from the secretary's desk…〃what can you tell me about the accident investigation？ What went wrong？〃
〃Toad； all that is classified special access； and I don't know if you have access。 All I've seen is the confidential section of the report。 You'll have to talk to Captain Grafton。〃
〃Sorta off the record； it was the E…PROMs； wasn't it？ I figure EMI dicked them up。〃 EMI was Electromagnetic Interference。
Judy grinned。 〃Ask Grafton。 Give my best to your wife。 And congratulations！〃
〃Thanks。〃
Grafton's door opened and Toad stood。 He watched the two men in civilian clothes who came out。 Their eyes swept the office as they exited； casually； taking in everything at a glance。 Toad forgot about them as soon as they were out of sight。 He was walking toward the door when Jake Grafton stuck his head out and motioned to him…
〃How's Rita？〃
〃Settled in at Bethesda； sir。 The reason I wanted to see you〃…Toad carefully closed the door…〃is that I want to know why that plane went out of control。 What have you guys found out？〃
Jake Grafton stood with his back to Toad； facing the window。 In a moment he rubbed his nose； then tugged at an earlobe。
〃What have you found out； sir？〃 Toad asked again。
〃Huh？ Oh。 Sorry。 The E…PROMs were defective。〃
〃EMI。 I'll bet。〃
〃No。 The chips were defective。 Won't happen； can't happen； not a chance in a zillion； but it did。〃 Grafton shoved both hands into his pockets and turned around slowly。 He stared at a corner of his desk。 〃Defective when installed。〃
Something was amiss。 〃When did you learn this？〃 Toad said。
〃Uh； we knew something was wrong with the chips when we saw the telemetry； but。。。 ah。。。〃 He gestured vaguely at the door。 〃Those guys who were just here。。。〃
〃Who were they？〃
〃Uh。。。〃 Suddenly the wrinkles disappeared from Jake Grafton's brow and he looked straight at Toad's face； as if seeing him for the first time。 〃Can't tell you that；〃 he said curtly。 〃Classified。〃
〃CAG； I've got a wife who may be crippled for life。 I need to know。〃
〃You want to know。 There's a hell of a difference。 Glad you're back。〃
Toad tried to approach the subject from another angle； only to be rebuffed and shown the door。
Jake Grafton went back to the window and stared without seeing。 Agents Camacho and Dreyfus had been informative； to a point。 No doubt it was a rare experience for them； answering the questions instead of asking them。 And all those looks and pauses； searching for words！ A performance！ That's what it had been…a performance。 Produced and acted because Vice Admiral Henry demanded it。 Well； as little satisfaction as they gave； they were still virgins。
So what did he know？ The E…PROMs were defective。 The data on the chips was that of preliminary engineering work done several years ago。 Somehow。。。 No。 Someone in this office or at TRX had given that data to the manufacturer。 The agents had skated around that conclusion； but they didn't challenge it。 They couldn't。 〃Who？〃 was the question they had refused to answer。 He had run through names to see if he could get a reaction； but no。 They had just stared at him。
〃Does this have anything to do with Captain Strong's death？〃 He had asked them that and they had discussed the possibilities； in the end saying nothing of substance。 They should have been politicians； not federal agents。
The only fact he now had that he hadn't had before was that the data on the chips matched preliminary engineering work。 For that they had e at Henry's insistence？
〃Why in hell；〃 Jake muttered； 〃does everything have to be so damned plicated？〃
At 2 P。M。 Smoke Judy decided to do it。 The desk beside him was empty。 Les Richards was at a meeting and would be for another hour； at least。 Most of the people in the office were busy on Captain Grafton's report or were in a meeting somewhere。
He inserted a formatted disk in the a…drive of his terminal and started tapping。 The code word for the file he wanted was 〃kilderkin。〃 He didn't legally have access to this file。 The code word that Albright had supplied was a word he had never heard before。 Before he typed it； he wiped his hands on his trousers and adjusted the brightness level of the screen。
He had been debating this all week。 He had a hundred grand of Albright's money plus the bucks he already had。 He could walk out of here this evening； jump a plane at Dulles tomorrow and by 7 A。M。 Monday be so far from Washington these clowns would never find him。 Not in fifty years； even if he lived to be ninety…three。
He would be stiffing Albright； of course； but the man was a spy and wasn't going to squeal very loudly。 And what the hey； in the big wide world of espionage； a hundred thousand bucks must be small change。
Or he could copy this file and give it to Albright on Monday night。 Roll the dice； pass Go and collect another hundred and fifty。 Then he would have a total of almost three hundred thousand green American dollars； in cash。 Now； for that kind of money you could live pretty damn good in one of those little beach villages out on the edge of nowhere。 Get yourself a firm； warm something to take to bed at night。 Live modestly but well； loose and relaxed； as light as it's possible to get and keep breathing。
If he copied this file he would not be able to ever e back。 If he walked without it； the heat would dissipate sooner or later over that E…PROM chip flap and he could slip back into the country。
Do you pay a hundred and fifty grand to keep your options open？ Without the money he would eventually go broke and have to e back。
He typed the word。 〃Kilderkin。〃 There was the list。 Three dozen documents。 He looked at the list carefully。 Something caught hi