BooksBarbecue
Back The Preserve
Chapters (56)
  1. Front Cover
  2. Half-Title Page
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  6. 1.
  7. 2.
  8. 3.
  9. 4.
  10. 5.
  11. 6.
  12. 7.
  13. 8.
  14. 9.
  15. 10.
  16. 11.
  17. 12.
  18. 13.
  19. 14.
  20. 15.
  21. 16.
  22. 17.
  23. 18.
  24. 19.
  25. 20.
  26. 21.
  27. 22.
  28. 23.
  29. 24.
  30. 25.
  31. 26.
  32. 27.
  33. 28.
  34. 29.
  35. 30.
  36. 31.
  37. 32.
  38. 33.
  39. 34.
  40. 35.
  41. 36.
  42. 37.
  43. 38.
  44. 39.
  45. 40.
  46. 41.
  47. 42.
  48. 43.
  49. 44.
  50. 45.
  51. 46.
  52. 47.
  53. 48.
  54. EPILOGUE
  55. AFTERWORD
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

“So, you don’t create any orders?”

Selfer looked up at Lett with sad eyes. “I barely give them.”

“So who does? Lansdale only?”

Selfer looked around, even though they were clearly alone. He crossed his legs one way, then the other. He lit a cigarette. “Lansdale has been reporting to SCAP, GHQ, Tokyo, The Dai Ichi. Got me? Whatever you want to call MacArthur now. But there’s also others. Some of them pass through here.”

“Like those ones out by the pool.”

“Some, yes. A new combined intelligence agency is being established, I’m hearing, and it should prove more powerful than any organ that came before.” Selfer looked at his watch. “But this is all I can tell you. Understand? Mum’s the word.”

“Of course,” Lett said and tried to make it sound earnest. But he was left with the awkward feeling that Lansdale had earlier confided in him just as much or more than he had in Selfer, possibly. He certainly wasn’t going to tell Selfer that. He buried the thought away.

Selfer watched his cigarette burn down. “You’re doing so well. I’m proud of you, you know. I do admire your gung-ho way.”

“I’d just like to get cracking, as Lansdale puts it.”

“Certainly. Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have another meeting to arrange.” As Selfer stood, Lett noticed he had actual wrinkles despite his smooth skin. Crow’s feet. They bore the slight greasiness of sweat. He touched Lett on his forearm. “You’re part of something big,” he added, “and at the vanguard, as well. Remember that.”

“Something I can take back with me?” Lett said, repeating Selfer’s assurance to him back in the darkest days in the Battle of the Bulge. Selfer was already calling him a hero then. What a word that was.

Selfer ignored the remark. Lett wondered if the man even remembered it.

“I’ll do what I can,” Selfer repeated absently and nodded to his words. He lit another cigarette. He hadn’t offered one to Lett. This might’ve been the first time Lett ever saw Selfer’s slick manners slip—not that Lett would’ve accepted. Selfer certainly had things on his mind. Maybe he did have a lot riding on his so-called hero from the European Theater.

“But, if we move too fast,” Selfer said, “or push things too hard—don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Consider me warned. And ready.”

“Fine.” Selfer turned to step out of their pit.

“One more thing, if I may,” Lett said. “Where is Kanani?”

“Who? Oh, yes.” Selfer smiled wide, and the wrinkles smoothed out. “Miss Kanani Alana has been given good duty. She’s still here. Doing more than fine. Now there’s one who needs no cure. I dare say that she’s the remedy.”

9.