An hour later, General Black lifted his eyes from the cracker on which he was spreading Camembert.
"I want you to stay away from Sanford Felter, Lowell," he said.
"Sir?"
"You heard what I said."
"May I ask why, sir?"
"Felter is our man in the White House," Black said.
"I don't know what that means, sir," Lowell said.
"I was about to say that it doesn't matter if you know or notŽI gave you an order, and I expect it to be executedŽbut
I suppose you are entitled to an explanation. Felter is the President's liaison man with the intelligence community. It's supposed to be a big secret, but he carries the rank of Counselor to the President. I don't want that role of his compromised in any way. Not by somebody making the connection between ihis lobbying activity of yours, or this armed chopper business.
Clear?"
"Yes, sir," Lowell said. "But how do I explain this to Felter?"
"You're a bright fellow, Lowell," E. Z. Black said. "You'IV think of something."
(Two)
Georgetown
The District of Columbia
July 1958
It was nearly midnight when Lowell's Eldorado turned onto street, and he pushed the switch on the dash that triggered automatic door-opening device on his town house garage. d had a little party for a small (30) group of people aboard
55-foot Hatteras. They'd cruised the Potomac starting five. Cocktails, a seafood buffet, and then champaign they watched the fireworks.
worked in the Pentagon most of the day, and the party een a real pain in the ass. What he wanted now, desperitly was a drink. He got out of the Eldorado, pushed the buttonn that closed the garage door, and entered the town house by the kitchen. The servants were gone, but there was a stack of bills awaiting his attention on the kitchen table.
He went out of the kitchen through the dining room, and then through the living room to the bar, where he found a bottle of scotch. He carried it back into the kitchen, mixed a strong drink with very little ice, and sat down at the table and wrote checks. While he wrote the checks, he had two more stiff drinks.
It was hot and muggy, and when he checked the thermostat, he saw that one of the servants, who didn't like air conditioning, had the temperature set at eighty. It came on with a thud, but when he climbed the stairs to his bedroom, it seemed as if every stair he took raised the temperature another two degrees.
It was too god damned hot to even try to sleep. On an impulse, he took a pair of swim trunks from his dresser and carried them back downstairs with him. He undressed in the living room, throwing his clothes on a couch, went into the kitchen, and looked out the breakfast nook windows at the pool.
"What the hell," he said. "Why not?"
He turned on the floodlights and the underwater lights in the pool and walked into the backyard. The backyard was walled with a ten-foot brick fence. He walked down the terrazzo to the deep end of the pool, set his drink down on one of the umbrella-topped tables, and took a running dive into the pool.
Goddamned water must be ninety degrees, he thought. It was like jumping into a hot bath.
He climbed out of the pool halfway down and walked back to pick up his drink.
"Howdy, neighbor!" she called.
Shit, that's all I need. Constance.
Constance was his neighbor. Constance was the wife of very important senator. The senator was sixty-eight, and s he was fifty-eight. Constance was thirty-odd and pretended: was twenty-two. Constance had short black hair which she w pressed close to her skull.
He picked up his drink, put a smile on his face, and turn around.
"Howdy, neighbor!" he parroted. "I hope the lights didn wake you up."
"Couldn't sleep," she said. Then she said, "Don't go away!"
What the fuck is that supposed to mean? he wondered.
He walked back to the house, stopping to look for a towel an the pool house. There was none. He went into the kitchen and toweled himself with dish towels. He hoped that Constance
not going to come over. He waited for the sound of the nes, and when they didn't come in a reasonable time for to have come over, he went and looked out the window. street was deserted.
He could go to bed. The temperature would be lower, if cool. He had to go to work in the morning and he needed
instance, wearing a two-piece bathing suit that would have
appropriate for a late-blooming thirteen year old, came irom the kitchen.
"How did you get over the wall?" he asked, in surprise.
"Love always finds a way," she said.
He smiled at her and went to look. He was mystified.
"At the end by the house," she explained, coming to stand to him. "They made sort of steps in the wall."
"I never noticed," he said.
"There's a lot you never notice," she said.
He smiled.
"Do you want to be wet outside or inside?" he asked, think- he was being clever, offering her a choice between a dip
The pool or a drink. Constance chose to misunderstand.
"That's getting right down to the nitty-gritty right away, isn't it?" she asked. "Can I have a drink first, or should I just get in bed?"
you jest!" he said, making that as much a joke he could.
"I didn't mind you ignoring me when I thought you were ser," she said.
"You thought I was queer?"
"You're so beautiful, I thought you had to be," she said.
crushed," he said.
And then I saw you paddling around with that newspaper xter," she said. "And I just happened to notice that she left car on the street all night."
FAgine trouble," he said.
," she said.
"Would you like a drink?"
"I don't need one," she said. "But if it makes you feel better."
He went to the kitchen to make her a drink. She followi
him, and ran her fingers over a faint, fifteen-inch-long scar his back.
"Where'd you get that?" she asked.
"A long time ago in Greece," he said.
"It's just enough to accent the rest of the perfection," said. Her hand ran down his back and rested on his buttn
Either her fingers or her breasts coming out of the neglij top of her suit or the damp suit itself was enough to give an erection. He was now afraid to turn around.
"Your britches are wet," she said. "If you don't get out
them, you'll catch your death."
"This conversation is getting dangerous," he said.
"Isn't it interesting?" she said.
"Neither one of us could afford anything like that," he
"What you couldn't afford, darling, is me going to my a impotent, but nevertheless insanely jealous husband and
him you made improper and unwanted advances."
She moved her hand around to the front of his trunks, grabb
him, and chuckled deep in her throat.
"Take off your britches, darling," she said. "Like a
boy."
(Three)
Alexandria, Virginia
7 November 1958
The Cadillac Eldorado, which bore a District of Columbia license plate, a bumper-mounted decal authorizing the vehicle to be parked in Lot C-5- 11 of the Pentagon parking area, drove slowly down Kildar Street while the driver swore aloud.
"These fucking rabbit hutches look all alike," he said.
And then he spotted a battered Volkswagen parked behind
a Buick estate wagon. He turned off Kildar Street and pulled
into the driveway and stopped behind the huge Buick and
a nasty thought: Little Men Like Big Cars. He had no idea v
that thought had popped into his mind, and was immedial
ashamed of himself.
The Deputy Chief, Plans and Requirements Section (Fiscal),
Maintenance Sections, Office of the Deputy Chief of for Logistics, was in uniform, the new olive
-green shade uniform. On his shoulder was the insignia of the Military itrict of Washington. There was a major's gold oak leaf on epaulet. He wore the lapel insignia, a silver star on which superimposed the national eagle, of the General Staff Corps, on his tunic pocket was the insignia awarded to officers have served a year on the Army General Staff. He wore
or qualification badges. Pinned to his tunic, above the left pocket was a name tag with white letters on a black background. It read
LOWELL.
He got out of the Eldorado, let the heavy door swing closed on its own weight, and walked up to the door of 2301 Kildar
The chimes played "Be it ever so humble" when he pushed the bell, and as always, he winced.
Mrs. Felter, a slight, feminine, black-haired woman wearing a full apron, opened the inner door. She squealed with pleasure when she saw him, and pushed open the screen door. she pulled him to her and kissed him, not quite on the mouth.
Some things never change," he said.
What things?"
"The first time you ever kissed me, you smelled of freshly baked bread," Lowell said.
Don't knock it, I could open a business."
I would speak at that man you're married to," he said.
He's not home yet, Craig," Sharon Felter said.
I saw the pile of rust," Lowell said. "I thought he was here.
Somebody from the office picked him up," Sharon said. he had to go into Washington." he is coming home?" should be here any minute," she said. "Can I get you a drink?
Will you have one with me?"
She thought that over a moment, and then nodded her head.
"she said, "I suppose I'm expected to ask what you're celebrating."
The visit of an old and dear friend, who, although he lives in Washington, might as well live in Anchorage, Alaska, or someplace, how often he comes to see us."
"I stand before you suitably shamed," he said. "But I know what would happen, if I did this very often? I would ply you with booze and carry you off into a life of sin."
"Would there be room for me?" Sharon replied. not as young as you used to be, you know."
"Touchd, Madame," Lowell said.
"What will you have to drink?" Sharon asked.
"Scotch, straight up," Lowell said. He was surprised
Sharon made herself a scotch on the rocks, a stiff one, measuring the liquor.
"Has that man you live with been teaching you evil ways he asked, nodding at her drink.
"Doctor's orders," Sharon said. When she saw his eyebroi raise, she added: "Cross my heart."
"Is there something wrong with you?" Major Lowell asked and the concern in his voice was intense and evident.
"Nothing, according to the doctor, that a little scotch and water won't cure."
"I'm not very good at games," he said. "And neither are you. What's wrong?"
"Tension. High blood pressure. Nerves. Lady's complants," Sharon said.
"Because of what he's doing?" Lowell asked, almost grimly.
"All he does is work very hard," she said.
"Has he been up to his disappearing-act spy games
Is that it? And don't tell Uncle Craig you're not supposed to talk about it."
"Just hard work," she said.
"Why he doesn't get the hell out of that business, I'll never know," Lowell said.
There was the sound of a car door slamming, and then the front door opening.
"Hello, Craig," Sandy Felter said, coming into the kitchen
He was in a baggy, gray business suit. He did not seem to be surprised or especially pleased to see Lowell.
"Let me guess," Lowell said. "This week, you're disguized as a bureaucrat."
"What brings you over here?"
"I heard you were out of town and thought it would be a splendid time to seduce your wife."
"Well, this was your chance," Felter said. "The kids are in
Mewark. You could have had her all to yourself if you'd come over earlier."
"I don't think either of you are funny!" Sharon said.
"From what I hear," Lowell said, "wife swapping is all the rage among up and coming D.C. bureaucrats."
"If anybody could check that out, you're the man," Felter
"From what I hear, there have been so many women sag into and out of a certain Georgetown town house the ops thought somebody had opened a store."
"Sandy!" Sharon said.
"He's just jealous, Sharon, that's all," Lowell said. "Some of us have animal magnetism, and some of us don't."
"And some of us are too smart to get involved with senator's iives," Felter said. He took off his jacket and opened the hall
t. The butt of a Colt.45 pistol was visible in the small of nack.
That cannon makes your wife nervous, you know," Lowell as Felter took the pistol from its skeleton holster and laid on the closet shelf. "From the time you leave until the time u walk back in, she has visions of you being ambushed by
NKVD in front of the Falls Church A&P. It's driving her crazy
i don't think that's particularly funny," Sanford Felter said.
"I wasn't trying to be funny. Before you sneaked through door just now, in your inimitable imitation of Humphrey it, I was saying to your wife that it was high time you d playing spy and went back to being a soldier." for the record, Craig," Felter said, coldly, "I am a
in that bureacrat suit, you sure could fool me," Lowell
II.
"To what do we owe the honor of your visit?" Felter asked,
bnough!" Sharon said. "I don't know what it is with you
You're closer than brothers, and you act like... I don't know what."
"How about brothers?" Lowell asked, innocently. There was a moment's pause and then Felter laughed.
"How about giving my little brother a belt?" Lowell asked.
"He looks as if he can use one."
"Sandy?" Sharon asked.
"Why not?" he said. Sharon jumped up and walked quickly into the kitchen to make her husband a drink.
"Mud in your eye," Felter said, taking a sip of his drink.
"Mazeltov!" Lowell replied. Felter looked at him and shook his head.
"You're amazing," he said. "Amazing. That came out antiSemitic."
"Well, screw you," Lowell said. "I was simply trying to be charming."
"If you're trying to be charming, you want something,"
Felter said.
"Right," Lowell said.
"That figures, that figures," Felter said. "What?"
"I was dealing with one of your pals today," Lowell said.
"Oh?"
"Yeah. He came into my office, looked under the desk and in the wastebaskets to see if any Russians were lurking about, and flashed his badge on me.
"What kind of a badge?" Felter asked.
"Craig, I have nothing to do with the CIC. You know that.
"Creepy little bastard, drunk with authority," Lowell said.
"He was asking questions about a friend of mine."
"What friend?" Felter asked.
"I want to know why he was asking the questions," Lowi said. He reached in his pocket and handed over a slip of men paper. "That's the name."
"And what am I supposed to do with this?"
"Find out what kind of trouble my friend is in, and what can do to help," Lowell said.
"You know I can't do anything like that!"
"Yes, you can. You may not want to, but you know y can."
"You can't believe I would even think about doing thing like that," Felter said.
"Get on the god damned phone and call somebody up," Lowell said.
"I'll tell you what I'm going to do," Felter said. "I'm going go upstairs and take a shower. And I'm going to even forget you asked me what you did."
Kiss my ass, Sandy," Craig Lowell said. He stood up, and his drink down.
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