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She was walking away again。 Toad turned back toward base ops。 Ten feet away a lieutenant mander stood looking at him； shaking his head。
〃You know； Lieutenant； when I discuss intimate apparel or personal hygiene with a lady friend； I usually try to find a slightly more private place。〃
Toad turned beet red。 〃Yessir；〃 he mumbled through clenched teeth and stalked by with his head down。
Samuel Dodgers forked his food without wasting an erg of precious energy。 The utensil bit into the mashed potatoes and peas in one swift； brutal motion； then soared aloft by the most direct route to the waiting depository； where it was wiped clean in the blink of an eye and dispatched down for another load。 A man working this hard should devote his attention to the job at hand； and Dodgers wisely did so。 If he heard the conversation around him； he gave no sign。
Toad Tarkington gave Rita a hopeful wink when her eyes shifted to him from Dodgers and his rapidly emptying plate。 Her eyes mapped down to her food。 She pressed her lips firmly together and inhaled deeply through her nose； which strained the cloth and buttons on her khaki shirt。 Toad sourly noted that the younger Dodgers shared his interest in the physics of Rita's bust expansion。 It wasn't that she was extraordinarily endowed； but rather that she was so perfectly proportioned。 Her gorgeous breasts formed symmetrical mounds that seemed。。。 just so exactly； perfectly right； with the gentle swelling just visible in the deep V formed by the neckline of her shirt。 Toad gave those twin masterpieces yet another glance as he sliced more meat from his pork chop and pondered the vicissitudes of love。
〃Well； Toad；〃 he heard Jake Grafton say； 〃are you satisfied with this tour of duty？〃
〃Yessir。 You bet。〃 The captain was looking at him with an amused expression on his face。 〃Just challenging as hell； sir。〃
This remark drew a grunt from the gourmet at the other end of the table； who appeared to be finished anyway。 Dodgers laid down his fork and used his napkin on his mouth。 As far as Toad could see； he hadn't missed with a single gram。 〃The road to hell may be challenging； sir； but the road to heaven is more so。〃
〃Uh…huh；〃 Toad Tarkington said； and attacked the remnants of his chop。
〃The pathway of the righteous is narrow and difficult； and many there are who find the way too treacherous； too steep； too rigorous。〃 Dodgers was rolling； his phrases sonorous and heartfelt。 〃The pathway of the righteous is strewn with the temptations of the flesh； of the spirit and of the heart； all exits from the difficult； righteous way； all exits to that short； smooth road that leads down straight to hell。〃
〃A soul freeway for the pink Cadillac。 Amen；〃 Toad muttered； and didn't even glance at Rita when she kicked him in the shin。
〃The pathway of the wicked is that straight； steep ro…〃
〃I'm sure；〃 Jake Grafton interrupted firmly。 Looking at Rita； he asked； 〃Have you got the flight to Fallen planned？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 She described the route； mentioning navigation aids； time en route and her estimate of what her fuel state would be when she arrived over the Electronic Warfare range。 Jake asked everyone present if they had been to NAS Fallen； and proceeded to tell anecdotes of his many visits there throughout his career。 Toad Tarkington knew Grafton was going to monopolize the conversation through dessert just so he wouldn't have to listen to Dodgers' preaching。 Apparently no one had ever told the physicist that three things were never discussed at a wardroom table…women； politics and religion。
Grafton was going easily from anecdote to anecdote when Rita finished eating and excused herself。 Toad lingered； engrossed in the captain's tales。 The younger Dodgers ordered dessert and asked several questions： even his old man seemed somewhat amused by Grafton's tales of ten…cent craps in Mom's saloon and midnight motorcycle rides through the desert by half…drunk fliers trying to sober up so they could fly at 5 A。M。
Dr。 Fritsche lit a cigar and sighed contentedly。 He too seemed to find Grafton's tales of his younger days very pleasant this warm evening in a navy wardroom a hundred miles from the sea。
Like Jake Grafton； I love this life； Toad found himself thinking。 As he listened he recalled his first two…week weapons deployment with his squadron to Fallen； before his first cruise。 It was in Fallen that the ties to wives and girlfriends were temporarily broken and the twenty…four…hour…a…day camaraderie began to weld friendships among the junior officers that would last a lifetime。 The challenge was to fly the planes as weapons； two or three flights a day； and on liberty to play as hard as they flew。 As Jake Grafton described it and Toad remembered it； it was a gay； carefree； exciting life； the perfect existence for a youngster growing into manhood。
When Jake wound down； Toad smiled at everyone and excused himself。 Walking toward the BOQ he found himself whistling again。 I'm doing a lot of that lately； he thought； and laughed aloud。 He was spending his life wisely and well。 He liked the thought so much he roared heartily； and then chuckled contentedly at his own foolishness； his animosity toward Rita this afternoon forgotten。
There was no answer when he tapped on Rita's door。 Perhaps she was in the head or down in the laundry room。 Oh well； he would try to call her later。
When he opened the door to his room the lights were on and Rita was sitting in the chair by the small desk。 Her hair was down over her shoulders and she was wearing only a teddy； a filmy little thing that。。。 Toad gawked。
〃Well； close the door before everyone in the building stops by to visit。〃
〃How'd you get in？〃 Toad asked； still staring。
〃Just asked for a key at the desk。〃
He got the door closed and latched and sat down on the end of the bed； close to her。 The furniture was early Conrad Hilton； and there wasn't much of it。
He cleared his throat as she stared straight into his eyes。
〃I was writing a letter；〃 she said； her eyes never wavering from his。 〃To you。〃
〃Uh…huh。〃
〃I can finish it later。〃
〃What's it going to be about？〃
〃I'm sorry about the scene today in the parking lot。 I just wanted…oh； I…let's forget it； shall we？〃
〃Sure；〃 he said。 〃It was only a little pothole on the hard； righteous road。〃 His gaze was drifting lower and lower。 〃Not enough to get us sidetracked onto that short； steep road that leads down。。。 down straight。。。〃 Her nipples were visible through the lace of the teddy； ripe； red。。。
Rita stood in one smooth； fluid motion。 〃I want to make love to you；〃 she murmured as she peeled off the teddy； 〃but I don't want to be too forward。〃
He pursed his lips and nodded。 〃Uh…huh。〃 He reached out and she slid into his arms； her skin all silky and smooth。
〃Should we turn off the lights？〃 she suggested as he caressed her breasts with his lips。
〃You're pretty enough for lights；〃 he said； and pulled her down on the bed beside him。
〃I don't want you to get the idea that I just want you for sex；〃 she said tentatively。
His mouth was full of breast； so the best he could manage was a reassuring noise。
〃The sex is great； of course； but I want us to have something else。〃 She ran her fingers through his hair； then smoothed the stray locks。 〃You're a pretty terrific guy； and it's more than sex。 That's what I was trying to get at this afternoon in the parking lot。〃
Toad reluctantly took a last lick at that swollen nipple； then shifted his body until his eyes were inches from hers。 〃Are you trying to tell me you're in love with me？〃
She frowned。 〃I suppose。 It hasn't happened quite the way I always dreamed it would。 Girls have their fantasies。〃 She took a tiny little nip on her lower lip。 〃I hope I'm saying this right。 You don't mind； do you？〃
〃I'm delighted。 I'm falling in love with you and I'm glad you feel the same way。〃
〃I love you；〃 Rita Moravia said softly； savoring it； then gently pulled his mouth onto hers。
When she was asleep； Toad eased out of bed and peered through the curtain。 He was restless。 Why had he said that…that falling…in…love stuff？ Only a cretin tells a woman that just before he beds her。 He sat in a chair and worried a fingernail。 He was getting in over his head again and he had his doubts。 Was he just scared？ Nah； a little frightened maybe； nervous； but not scared。 Why is it all women want to fall in love？ He wondered what Samuel Dodgers would say on that subject。
Dreyfus laid it on Camacho's desk and sat down to light his pipe。 Camacho knew what it was： his boss had called him。 It was a copy of a letter。 The original was at the lab。 He opened the folder that the lab technicians used for copies and glanced at it。 There was no date。 The envelope was postmarked Bakersfield； California； three days ago。 The message was in florid longhand； yet quite legible。
Dear Sir；
I think it's my duty to inform you that my daughter's husband； Petty Officer First Class Terry Franklin USN； is a spy。 He works at the Pentagon。 puters； or something like that。 I don't know how long he has been a spy； but he is。 My daughter Lucy is sure he is and so am I。 He got a funny phone call once that Lucy overheard and he got really really mad when he found out Lucy mentioned her suspicions to a neighbor。 Lucy is afraid of him and so am I。 He is crazy。 He is a spy like that Walker fellow。
We are good citizens and pay our taxes and know you will do what has to be done。 We are sorry for him but he did this himself。 Lucy had absolutely nothing to do with this spy thing； and that's why I am writing this letter。 I wanted her to write it but she said she just couldn't； even though she knows it has to be this way。 Please arrest him and keep Lucy and the kids out of it。 Please don't tell the newspapers he is married。 His name is Terry Franklin and he works at the Pentagon and he is a spy。 And PLEASE； whatever you do； don't tell Terry we told on him。 He is crazy。
Sincerely；
Flora May Southworth
〃Can you get a divorce in California if your spouse is a spy？〃
Dreyfus snorted。 〃You can get a divorce in California if your spouse farts in bed。〃
〃Progressive as hell。〃
〃Right out front。〃
〃Better call out there and have an agent go interview them。 Tell him to stay all afternoon and take lots of notes。〃
〃You don't want them going to the press？〃
〃Do you know what the mittee is going to want to do about this？〃
〃Well； they sure are gonna have to do something。 Now we got the mother…in…law writing us letters。 They probably talked to their minister and a lawyer and every neighbor in a five…block radius。〃
〃Not letters。 A letter。 One letter with no hard facts and a variety of unsubstantiated allegations。 We get two dozen letters like this every month from people out to get even with someone in a sensitive job。 I repeat； do you know what the mittee…〃
〃No。〃 He spit it out。
〃So we had better do our best to convince Mrs。 Southworth we are going like gangbusters on this hot tip。 Pledge confidentiality。 Better send two agents。 Tell them to be thorough。 Then two days later go back for a follow…up interview with more questions。 New questions； not repeats。〃
〃A major break like this； maybe you want to send me out there to see that they do it right？ I could go by bus； get there in a week or so。〃
Camacho ignored him。 He picked up the letter and read it again。 Then he pulled a legal pad around and began making notes。 Dreyfus got the message and left in a swirl of smoke； closing the door behind him。
Camacho threw the legal pad at the door。
14
With its twin engines bellowing a roar that could be heard for several miles； the Intruder departed the earth with a delicate wiggle； a perceptible rocking of the wings that Rita Moravia automatically smoothed with the faintest side pressure on the control stick。 She had let the takeoff trim setting rotate the plane's nose to eight degrees nose…up and had stopped it there with a nudge of forward stick in that delicious moment when the weight of twenty…five tons of machine and fuel was transferred from the main landing gear to the wings。 This was the transition to flight； a shimmering； imprecise hesitation as the machine gathered its strength and the wings took a firm bite into the warm morning air。
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