Later, over a simple’ dinner served by Kyoko on’the screened porch, he told her some more about his own upbringing. She was curious about Hiroshi and his wife. Train told her the story of how the couple had corrie to Aquia.
“Before my mother died in 1959, my parents maintained a pretty full social schedule up in Washington. They kept a town’ house up in Georgetown a weekends. My father had British I think. I was a lot closer to Hi mother died. When both my parents were g(
clear that they were expected to stay on in their retirement years.
“I’ll bet Kyoko wonders when you’re going to get married,” Karen said with a mischievous smile.
“Wonders and occasionally nags, in her own incredibly polite way,” Train said, returning that smile. Then he surprised himself.
“Tell me about Frank,” he said. “I sense a loose end there.
She looked away for a moment, long enough to take a deep breath. “Yes, there is.” She told him the story, faltering when she came to the part about where he had been when his heart killed him, and the possible reasons why.
I’ll in still tom about it,” she said. “I think he loved me.-
He was certainly a loving man. And you’ve seen the house, the nice cars, all of that. And yet ..
He nodded slowly. “Now you wonder if you should pull that scab until you find the truth, or leave it be and get on with your life.”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Advice?”
She looked at him expectantly.
“You had ten years. If he was unfaithful, he cared enough about you to keep it very discreet. You seemed to have been good friends as well as husband and wife. He left you more than well provided for. There are worse men than I that.
She nodded, visibly stifling a few dozen buts.
“And there are better men than that, too, Karen.”
re She was about to reply to that when Kyoko came in to move the plates.
Suddenly, Train was yawning. His yawn immediately triggered hers.
“Tree time in the jungle, I think,” she said.
“Tell Kyoko if you need anything,” Train said, standing.
“Breakfast at eight, okay? Then we can kick around next steps.
“Make it nine,” she replied, yawning again. “I think I’m ps include going to sleep forever. And I assume next Ste going back to see Jack Sherman, right?” she asked.
“Yes, only this time I’m going to get some answers out of him that make sense.”
“How, by beating him up again?”
“I didn’t beat him up. He walked away.”
She gave him an arch look. “Maybe this time let me do the talking,” she said, getting up. “Remember, the objective is to find out what’s going on.” Train was suddenly too tired to argue. They said good night. Kyoko led Karen upstairs, and Train headed for the library. He was exhausted but too wound up for sleep. He decided to get a brandy and review the NIS file before turning in. He was just putting away the decanter of Armagnac when Hiroshi appeared in the doorway.
“Hiroshisan,” Train said as the old man came into the study. They exchanged bows, and Hiroshi sat down on the front three inches of one of the upholstered chairs, his back straight as a board and his hands folded politely in his lap.
“So, I need to tell you what’s going on,” Train said.
“This is a serious matter?” Hiroshi asked.
Train knew that Hiroshi would never have dreamed of coming right out with a direct question unless he was very concerned. “Very serious, Hiroshisan. There have been two murders. A senior naval officer is being made to look like a murderer by a man from his past-. It appears to be a matter of revenge for something that happened in Vietnam many years ago. The lady upstairs, Commander Lawrence, was assigned to find out if the accusations were true. I was assigned to help her. Because she became involved, she became a target, too. She cannot be safe until the man behind all this is captured, or killed.”
“It is a killing matter?”
“It is for one of the government agencies involved. But the matter is complicated by the fact that some government agencies are at war with one another. I think one agency might be trying to gain advantage over the other by exploiting this matter. This man is something like a ninja who is no longer under control.”
“Ali,” Hiroshi said. Ninja, he understood.
“But my military superiors have told me not to pursue this man, and not to interfere in the pursuit efforts of others,” Train continued.
“My’military superiors are apparently willing to sacrifice the senior officer in order to avoid having the Navy involved in yet another scandal.”
“Does this senior officer agree to the sacrifice?”
“No. He feels it is unfair. But in a certain sense, he is not blameless, either. And now there are indications that his son may be involved in this matter. Exactly how, I don’t know. And to cap it off, the senior officer has disappeared, which will probably renew suspicion against him. It is very complicated.”
Hiroshi thought about all this. “What will you I do?” he asked.
“There are some aspects to this case that don’t make sense,” Train replied ‘ “Commander Lawrence feels the senior officer is being unfairly set up, and I’m beginning to agree with her. We plan to talk to the senior officer’s son.”
“Will he talk to you?”
“One way or another, he will. We think he was involved in what happened last night. And if he was, then maybe we can expose at least him to the police, which might then force the Navy to do the right thing by the senior officer.”
Hiroshi thought about that for a moment. Then, as usual, he came back to the real issue. “But what of the ninja who seeks revenge?”
“His own superiors are supposedly hunting him. But if he comes after me, or, more importantly, after Karen Lawrence, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”
Hiroshi thought some more about it. “And if you remove this man, would this not please your superiors? As well as all the other superiors who want to find this man?”
Train grinned. “You have, as usual, hit the nail on the head. I thought that Is what my boss had in mind. He may yet want that, but he is not permitted to say it.”
“Your boss is a most devious boss,” Hiroshi observed, getting up. “I will release the night dogs now. When will you leave in the morning?”
Around ten or so. I’ll need time to go over my plans with Commander Lawrence. And I badly need some real sleep.”
Hiroshi nodded again. “This woman has no husband?” he asked. “He died about a year ago-She remains sad.”
Hiroshi cleared his throat. “What?” Train asked. “Kyoko says not that sad.”
Train eyed the old man. “Don’t you start, Hiroshi.”
“Kyoko says Train-sama must open his eyes. Hiroshi says Kyoko is interfering old woman. Hiroshi says-“
“Hiroshi says good night.”
There was the barest hint of a smile on the old man’s lips.
“Hiroshi says good night, Train-sama.”
Train smiled to himself as the old man closed, the double doors behind him. Kyoko had been after Train to get a wife for’about ten years now, and old Hiroshi had probably been threatened with severe chastisement if he failed to pass along her message about Karen. Not that sad. He chuckled.
Then he put in the diskette and forced his weary eyes to focus on the screen. He had to enter a standard NIS access code and then his personal security identifier code before the file would open.
The file began with a biographic history. John Lee Sherman. Lee and Sherman, now there was an interesting apposition of last names. Born in San Diego, California, January 1967. Parents William Taggart Sherman, Marcia Kendall, aka Beth Sherman. There followed a laundry list of residences tracking the admiral’s duty stations, and a schools list, which terminated in 1986 With graduation from Washington -and Lee High School. A homeboy. Right here in the Washing I ton area.