The Forgotten

CHAPTER 40

“Well, well, I was wondering when the hell I was going to hear from you.”

“Just been a little busy, General Carson,” said Puller.

“General Carson? I thought we had moved to Julie.”

“It’s still working hours, ma’am. Wasn’t sure how you felt about that.”

Julie Carson was a one-star stationed at the Pentagon in the J2’s office. The J2 was a two-star who gave the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs the daily briefing. Carson was the vice chair and gave the briefing when the J2 was unavailable. She had helped Puller during his time in West Virginia.

She was forty-one, very attractive, as fit as a triathlete, and as tough as Puller. They had had a rocky start, but things had turned around after they’d found some common ground.

“What I feel is that you can call me Julie.” “Okay. I need a favor, Julie.”

“What, no dinner first?”

“It’s always a question of timing.”

He heard her sigh. “Okay, what do you need?” Puller briefly outlined his dilemma to her in succinct, military-crisp sentences that gave her the minimum amount she needed to follow along. The habit was so ingrained in him that he didn’t even realize he was doing it.

“Damn, Puller. I heard you were out on R and R. What the hell are you doing in Florida in the middle of something else? Do you plan to work your way across all fifty states getting into murder and mayhem?”

“Believe me, this is not by choice. If my aunt weren’t involved, I wouldn’t be down here.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” she said quickly. “So you think it’s foul play?”

“It’s looking more like it, though I don’t have a shred of proof.”

“And the two guys in the car. You really think they’re military?”

“Were or are. I need to find out which.”

“I can run the plate for you today. But it might just be a rental.”

“It probably is. But if so, they had to put some name down for it and show a driver’s license. That might give us enough to go on.”

“I’ll get to work on it ASAP.”

“I appreciate it, Julie.”

“Now that’s what I like to hear.”

“How are things at J2?”

“Actually, I’m fairly bored with the routine.” “Thinking of a transfer?”

“The rest of my military career will be a series of transfers, the choices of which will largely be dictated by other people. That’s how it goes when you’re chasing more stars.”

“Yeah, I got a taste of that with my dad. Probably one reason I opted for the enlisted side. Too much thinking goes on with the stars and bars side of things.”

“You’re an enlisted and enlightened man, Puller.” She paused, and when she next spoke Puller heard a subtle change in her voice, like she was going from Pentagon mode to something more human.

“So what are your long-range plans?”

He said, “Finish up down here and get my butt back to Quantico. I’m sure CID will find things for me to do.”

“I’m sure they will. Military crime never takes a holiday, Puller. Not when you have hundreds of thousands of mostly young men around the world trying to act all macho. Add to that billions of dollars of taxpayer money flying around and things get complicated. Hands go into cookie jars.”

“And around other people’s throats.”

“So you see yourself being a military cop all the way?”

“I haven’t thought that far down the road, quite frankly.”

“You really need to start doing that. You’re not getting any younger.”

For a second Puller thought she was going to say, “We're not getting any younger.”

“Sound advice.”

“Only if you take it. I’ll call you as soon as I know anything on the plate. In the meantime try not to get killed down there. I’m just starting to like you.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“So you said your aunt left you the house?” “What the lawyer told me.”

“A house in Paradise?”

“Guess so.”

“I might have to come down and check it out.”

“Why’s that?” he said.

“Hell, isn’t it obvious? I’ve never been to Paradise before. Like to see if it lives up to its billing.”

“Well, it hasn’t so far.”

Puller clicked off and pondered what to do next. He looked at his watch. Now that he didn’t have to go down to the police station and press charges he had a little free time before his dinner with Landry.

He had some items on his to-do list.

Check out the lawyer Griffin Mason.

Check on Diego and his cousins.

Duplicate the ten-mile there-and-back trip his aunt might have taken.

He made up his mind quickly: check on Diego and his cousins.

Just in case.