Word of Honor (43 page)

He saw several sets of perfect white dentures smile back. For the life of him he could not understand why people that age would want to hear any of this. Yet they were attentive and polite. Conversely, the Boy Scout group of the day before, who were supposed to show the curiosity of youth, not to mention some hormonal interest in the subject of war, were bored and restless. Tyson thought perhaps he didn't have the hang of it yet. He said, "This fence dates back to about the 1840s. You can see here among the finely scrolled ironwork, the federal shield and American eagle, which was a common motif in those days."

Tyson badly wanted a cigarette and/or a breath of fresh air. The massive walls of the caponier held out some of the afternoon beat, but by the same token, the air was stagnant and redolent with cloying floral perfume and dusting powder. Also, the modem track lighting was hot. He supposed it was difficult to vent or air-condition such a structure. No, they didn't build them like that anymore.

A man said, "What personal significance does that fence have for you, Lieutenant?"

"What? Oh, yes. I did say that, didn't I? Well, this fence section is not from Fort Hamilton. It was salvaged from the old Federal Building on Whitehall Street before it was torn down. Now, to most men in the New York metropolitan area the words Whitehall Street are synonymous with induction into the armed forces." He smiled and saw a few of the old men nod and smile back.

"Anyway," he continued, "I remember this old fence from when I reported in for active duty, and I was surprised to see it here. " He smiled again. In truth he didn't remember the fence at all. He'd had other things on his mind that morning than the architecture of that gloomy old processing facility that had sent a million men to the battlefields. He WORD OF HONOR 0 335

looked to his right to see the next station of the cross and caught a glimpse of himself in a glass display case. He was honest enough to admit he rather liked the way he looked in uniform. Most men did. He straightened his tie.

A woman's voice asked, "Did you see combat in Vietnam?"

He turned toward the voice. She was standing at the back of the group, somewhat taller than the generation born at the beginning of the century.

Tyson wondered how long she'd been there. Most of the white heads were turned toward her.

Karen Harper added, "What are all those medals for?"

He cleared his throat and replied, "Mostly good conduct. I got one every time I was good. I have seven medals."

A few people laughed.

Tyson said to his tour group, "Why don't you look around on your own awhile? I'll be right back. " He moved through the group, took Karen Harper's arm, and led her toward the front door. Outside, on the lane between the museum and the Officers' Club, she disengaged her arm from his hand. She, said, "Lieutenants do not take the arm of female majors like that. "

"Do you want a drink?"

"No. The last time I had a drink with you it got in the papers. "

He smiled. "That caused me some trouble ... at home.

"Did it?" She stood silently a moment, then said, "Me too. I mean . . . I have that friend I told you about. The infantry colonel, in Washington. But I shouldn't be telling you this."

Tyson felt just a twinge of jealousy. He'd somehow assumed she had a boyfriend, but he didn't particularly want it confirmed. He forced a smile.

"I'll write him a letter explaining. You write one for me."

"Sure. Listen to me, Lieutenant, I think you're becoming a little too familiar."

"Sorry. I missed you."

"Stop that. Secondly, you're a lousy tour guide."

"I know."

"Third, I have some important things to tell you."

336 0 NFLSON DEMILLE

Tyson drew a deep but discreet breath. He said in a light tone, "So you've finally reached a conclusion in your investigation?"

"I've reached many conclusions." She turned toward the Officers' Club.

"Follow me."

Tyson followed her into the club, through the foyer area to a steep and narrow stone staircase that wound up to the second floor of the club. As they walked Tyson said, "Observe that this level is built of brick, not granite, indicating it was built afterward. The big guns originally sat here when this was an open parapet and--

"I know all of that. I've had this tour. What is going to become of your tour group?"

"They'll get back on the bus and talk about us all the way back to the home."

She suppressed a smile. "You're being mean. I thought they were cute."

"It's mean to call them cute too. I don't want to get that old. "

"You may not." They came to a long, roofed terrace whose seaward side was walled-in glass. Bright sunlight flooded through the glass, casting prismatic colors over the floor. Tyson said, "I found two reception rooms up here, either one of which would be perfect for a court-martial. Want to see them?"

"The Washington room and the Jackson room. I know them. "

"Good. What do you think? The Washington has a really neat cathedral ceiling, but the Stonewall Jackson room is rather more intime, if you know what I mean."

"You're in a flippant mood this afternoon."

Tyson looked through the glass. Below he could see the new dining wing to his right, the Shore Parkway beyond that, then the Narrows, spanned by the Verrazano Bridge. A mile away was the Staten Island shoreline. Tyson could make out the gray artillery fort called Battery Weed, which was the sister fort to the one he was standing in. "Nice view." He lit a cigarette and asked, "Do I look as good in uniform as you imagined?"

"I assure you I never gave any thought to how you would WORD OF HONOR e 337

look in uniform. But, yes, you look fine. You didn't get much hair taken off."

"I did. It grows back very quickly. By the way, did you ever find my umbrella?"

"No. I told you I left it on the plane. Do you want me to pay you for it?"

"It was a gift. Why don't you just buy me a similar one? Black. "

"All right. Black." Karen Harper said, "I've been instructed to submit the report of my findings within five days. "

"Good. Then we'll all know where we stand."

"Yes, the waiting is the tough part. I didn't mean to drag this out, but my resources have been limited by the provisions of Article 31 of the UCMJ, which, as you know, stipulates only a preliminary inquiry. Anyway, I'm to recommend one of two things: that the matter be dropped or that there is probable cause to believe that there was a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and that charges be drawn up and forwarded to an Article 32 investigating body for consideration." She continued, "My recommendation would not be binding, as you know."

"But still it carries some force, and you're wondering what the Army wants you to recommend."

She replied strongly, "I don't care what they want-"

Tyson went on, "You're trying to figure out if they want you to be the heavy. If Harper says go with it, then the machinery is set in motion to take the investigation to a grand jury, and it will be you who prodded them into it. But if Harper says 'No go,' then they shrug and reluctantly drop the case even though your recommendation is not binding. Then the media flak is diverted toward you. I don't envy you."

Karen Harper let out a short breath. "Can I speak to you in confidence?"

"Of course. "

She hesitated, then began, "Well, I always thought this thing was partly staged, partly a put-up job. I mean, why would the Army place so much responsibility on one in7 dividual? Why me?"

338 * NELSON DEMILLE

"Now you're thinking."

"This investigation should have been handled from the beginning by a trained staff--CID, FBI, Justice Department, and so forth. It should have lasted only long enough to determine if the facts warranted a grand jury investigation. "

"True. But they've done nothing illegal so far."

"Well ... perhaps not illegal. Just . . . unusual." She looked directly at him. "Let me ask you something. Has anyone . . . anyone from the government approached you . . . with an offer?" Karen Harper waited.

"Well? Has anyone other than me been speaking to you?"

"No.-

"You see, Lieutenant, I don't like being played for a fool any more than you like being a scapegoat."

"I certainly know how you feel."

"And I don't think either of us likes being pawns in a game that we know nothing about."

"No, we do not. Listen, Major, if you thought this was a straight case of seeing that justice was done, then you were naive in the extreme. This case has gone beyond anything we said to one another and any evidence you may have gathered. Don't be surprised if someone approaches you and recommends to you what you should recommend to the Army - "

She turned toward the glass wall and stared off into the distance. Tyson, too, looked out the windows. An ocean liner, the Rotterdam, cut through the Narrows and slid beneath the central span of the bridge, rocking the small pleasure craft in its wake. A jetliner approached from the south, making its descent into Kennedy Airport. Tyson recalled the vacations he'd taken with Marcy, the places where they'd been happy together. And it struck him with full force that that life was gone, that the life to come was shrouded with images of jail, divorce, financial troubles, and the stigma of criminality, proven or unproven.

Karen Harper broke into his thoughts. "I must tell you, Lieutenant, and you already know, that I've found sufficient facts to recommend that a grand jury consider the charge of murder."

WORD OF HONOR 0 339

"Then do it."

"But I've also begun to . . . suspect that the government is tampering with this case. And if that is true, then your rights may have been violated somewhere in this process-"

"Oh, look, Major, my rights were violated from the day the obstetrician slapped my ass without provocation. But sometimes the authorities have to do certain things for the general good of society and even for the good of the individual they are slapping around. Where did you get your legal training? In a convent?"

"You sound as though you're defending the government. "

"I'm certainly not doing that. But I do understand that they're engaged in damage control."

"Did you make some sort of deal with the Army or the Justice Department?"

"No.-

"Would you consider any sort of deal?"

"Depends on the deal. You never take the first one."

"So someone did approach you? That's illegal during an Article 31

investigation. Only I may approach you and only with your permission.-

"You may stand on ceremony. I'm trying to stay out of Leavenworth. "

"How were you approached? What were the circumstancesT9

"is this still off the record?"

She replied, "No. I can't hear anything like that off the record. I would have to report that."

"Then drop it."

She nodded reluctantly, then said, "Can I give you some basic advice?"

"You'll have to take a number."

She ignored this and said, "Get a qualified lawyer. Not Sloan. I've spoken to him, and he's out of his league on this. Get a good JAG lawyer or a certified military lawyer."

"That's excellent advice, Major. A little odd coming from my investigator but excellent nonetheless. I assume that means you're through with me."

"Yes. I'm going back to Washington tomorrow to finalize 340 * NELSON DEMILLE

my report. That's one of the reasons I wanted to speak to you. To see if you want to include a written or oral statement in the report."

Tyson thought she could have asked that over the telephone. "I'll think about it." He inquired, "Aren't you due to be released from active duty?"

"I was. But I'm not being released. After I submit my report I am officially through with this case. However, if they need any clarifications they'd rather not have to subpoena me from civilian life. So I'm being held until the final disposition of this case."

"Tough break. I suspect, also, that the Army doesn't want you making any clarifications to the press, which is the real reason they're holding on to you, In other words, you've seen and heard too much to be allowed to go free. That should have occurred to you when you accepted this case. Well, they'll let you out eventually. "

"I'm not upset about being held on duty . it changes my civilian plans a bit though. I was supposed to join a law firm ... here in New York."

"I'll look you up if I need a new will."

"But my problems are insignificant compared to yours.

"Your problems will be a lot more significant if you pursue your theory or suspicions that the government is tampering with this case. They'll eat you alive, Major. So take some advice from an older man who's survived many corporate jungles as well as the Asian jungle. Don't try to be a hero. Let me worry about what the government is up to.,,

"I'm not concerned about you personally, you understand. I'm only concerned that justice-"

"Please. That word stimulates my gag reflex these days. Look, just play the game, keep your back to a solid object, and watch out for anyone heading for the door or the light switch. "

She snorted. "That's nonsense."

"There are times, Karen, I wish you were a man and other times I'm glad you're not."

"That's sexist and entirely too personal. You may not use my first name."

They both stayed silent, then Tyson asked, "Other than WORD OF HONOR 1 341

the trouble you had with your friend, was there any official trouble?"

She rubbed her lower lip, then replied, "Well, yes. That's why they wanted me to wrap it up."

He laughed.

"It's not funny."

"Men and women are funny." He added, "Who's giving you a hard time? That stuffed shirt, Van Arken? I've heard and read a few things about that character."

She didn't respond but said, "I think they may have you under some sort of surveillance."

"That's all right. I'm not skipping the country, meeting with foreign agents, or sleeping around."

"Good. May I have a cigarette?"

"Another one? You had one last week." He took out his pack and shook one loose. She took it, and he lit it. She drew on it and exhaled, then coughed. She caught her breath and said, "You should quit."