with you.” He hesitated. “By the way, Commander, are you staying here
in the city tonight?”
“No, sir. I expect I’ll go back to Jefferson.”
“Duty?”
“No. Just no particular reason to stay.”
Kriangsak pursed his lips. “You know, I could arrange for-”
“Well, well, well!” a slurred voice brayed from close by. “Look who’s
here! Our own hero of Wonsan!”
Tombstone turned and saw Bayerly, obviously drunk, leaning heavily
against an ornamental palm. Several other people in the lounge were
looking in his direction.
The man’s unexpected appearance was a shock to Tombstone. What in the
name of all that was holy was Bayerly doing here?
“Thought … thought I’d find you here, ol’ buddy,” Bayerly said. He
was wearing his whites, his lieutenant commander’s shoulder bars askew,
and clutched a glass of ice and amber liquid in one hand. He lurched
forward three steps and dropped his free hand on Tombstone’s shoulder.
He turned and seemed to see the That officer for the first time. “Who’s
your gook friend here? Hey … bet y’didn’t know my ol’ buddy
Tombstone here was a genuine American Navy Cross hero, did you?”
“You are drunk, Commander,” Tombstone said, his voice low and level. “I
suggest you get back to the-”
“Uh-uh. No way.” Bayerly grabbed an empty chair from a nearby table,
slid it up close, and sank into it. “Gotta drink the health of our
goddamned hero here first, don’t we?”
Colonel Kriangsak was watching Bayerly with narrowed eyes. “Sir, I
believe Commander Magruder has an excellent idea. I can call some of my
men who will escort you back to the Jefferson. It appears to me you
could use a good night’s sleep.”
Bayerly ignored the That officer. “You know what being’ a hero is,
Tombstone Magruder?” He held up his drink and examined it closely.
“Bein’–being’ a hero is being’ in the right place at the right time.
Did you know that?” He turned and smiled at Kriangsak. “You shoulda’
seen my buddy Tombstone here at Wonsan. He got the dream duty, let me
tell ya! Flyin’ lead for an alpha strike over Wonsan, while yours
truly flew CAP over the carrier.
Hey, CAP’s not a hot-shit glamor job, but someone’s gotta do it, right?
Can’t all be aces, right?”
His voice had been getting steadily louder. Tombstone rose. “Colonel,
I’m sorry about this. Thanks for seeing me … but I’d better get
Commander Bayerly back to the Jefferson.”
“I don’t need your help, goddamn it!” Bayerly stood suddenly, knocking
the chair over with a crash. The transformation in his face, from
drunken amiability to murderous fury, was so abrupt that Tombstone was
taken aback.
“You’ve ruined me, you bastard! You’ve ruined me!”
“Look, Made It-”
“CAG yanked my flight clearance. Because of your report. ‘Pending
investigation,” the man says … but you know how the Navy works, don’t
you, Magruder? It’s all for one and one for all, ain’t it? Just as
long as you’re part of the fuckin’ Navy club! As long as you have the
right name … and an admiral for an uncle to help you over the rough
spots!”
“Shut up!” Tombstone snapped, his voice intense. It felt as though
every eye in the lounge was on the two of them, and he saw a couple of
That waiters hurrying across the room in their direction. “Come on,
Bayerly. We’re going for a walk!”
“It’s fine for the boys in the club! But screw up once … just once,
and if you don’t have the right connections, barn! You’re fucked!”
“Is there a problem, sir?” the headwaiter asked.
“I’m sorry for the trouble,” Tombstone said. He started guiding Bayerly
away from the table. “My friend here had a little too much to-”
“Damn right I had too much! You ruined me, you sanc … sanct …
sanctimonious son of a bitch! How’s it feel to be a hero? Hey! Tell
me!
Why aren’t you ballin’ your new girl friend, Magruder? You know, that
stacked, sexy blond with her own TV show … Is that one of the perks
of being’ a goddamned hero …?”
Tombstone’s grip on Bayerly’s shoulder tightened. He whirled the man