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Ninety Days Inside The Empire: A Novel by William Appleman Williams

The Admiral Loses More Than a Few Good Men

Page 111

"The guy had guts, though. Got to give him that."

They tossed their bottles over the heads of Marsh and Cat and went back into the building.

"That's them."

"Wouldn't have wasted your time unless I had a pretty good idea. Thanks, Cat. Now we'll see if all this cops-and-robbers stuff makes any difference."

Taking so much care left Marsh behind the news. People had been bragging in certain bars. And the Admiral had tried his best to close it up. The city police laughed friendly at Marsh: "You smarter than that, Judge."

Gillmor had written one angry column but wouldn't go any further.

Marsh felt that it would be useless, but he nevertheless made an appointment with the Admiral.

"Thank you, Sir, for your time, Admiral Breckinridge...."

"Just what is it you want to talk about, Mr. Harland? My yeoman reported that you were rather vague."

"I know who did the job on Lieutenant Wye."

"Why bring that to me, Mr. Harland? Surely you know as a lawyer that it is your responsibility to inform the Sheriff and the police."

"He is one of your officers, Admiral. I thought you'd like to handle it yourself."

"He was off-duty, Mr. Harland, and off the base."

"He was in uniform, Admiral."

"But not on duty. I'm afraid I can't help you, Mr. Harland."

"I was thinking of helping yourself, Admiral. I had the notion that you might suggest to your friend Mr. Crown that it would be nice if he returned your favor about the daughter of one of your other officers. Or, if not that, then maybe a visit to the Officer of the Court."

Breckinridge jerked upright, sending his chair rolling back against the wall. He almost threw a salute in response to the one he anticipated; caught himself and offered a hand.

"Thank you, Mr. Harland, but I don't work that way...I mean the Navy stays out of politics."

Marsh rose slowly, favoring his knee. He ignored the Admiral's hand.

The Admiral recovered. "You get that in the war, Mr. Harland?"

"In a manner of speaking, Admiral."

He turned toward the door, looked back at Breckinridge.

"You've been very patient, Sir, and I thank you. I do have one last thought...."

"All right, Mr. Harland."

"A lot of people are thinking that you just don't care."

Breckinridge was stunned, more by hearing a ghost than by Marsh's effrontery.

-- You losing it, Breck?

He abruptly realized that the man was gone.

Marsh was also down, way down, sliding toward despondency. He stopped in a little park on the bluff and looked out at the Gulf for most of an hour.

-- Well, I've got one last shot.

He drove on down to his office and learned that he had received two urgent calls from Barry Clay. It took his secretary ten minutes to get through to Clay, and then whispered to Marsh that the man was annoyed.

"Where have you been, Marsh?"

"Wasting my time with an Admiral."

"On the Wye business?"

"Seems like nothing else forever."

"No takers?"