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“I can,” Fulmar interrupted. “And I am.”

He pointed toward the door.

“Out. Now.”

Hall turned for the door.

“This won’t go unchallenged, Fulmar.”

He slammed the door as he left.

After a moment, Ingrid said, “Do you think he’ll cause trouble?”

“No, of course not. He’s not stupid. He knows who I am and now thinks he know

s what I came to you for. He does not want anyone to know what happened here; it’s in his best interest to pretend tonight never happened.”

He paused, then chuckled.

“Hell, when he calms down in the next hour or so he’ll probably become terrified about whether he should file an official report for the discharge of a bureau firearm. They probably track his rounds.”

Fulmar smiled. He drained his drink and put it on the glass-top table.

“I’d better go,” he said. “Thank you—it’s been an interesting evening.”

Ingrid slid up beside him and put her head on his shoulder.

Fulmar felt her thick hair softly flowing from his face to his shoulder. He smelled the sweet lilac of her perfume.

“I feel like I should somehow apologize,” she said, and added softly, “How about, um, we make it an interesting morning?”

Then he felt her hand on his left buttock.

Fulmar looked at her and grinned.

She made her husky laugh.

She added, “It’s what I said before: you know how to handle things. And…I like the way you handled that guy.”

She squeezed his cheek.

Fulmar thought, And I like the way you handle a guy, too.

W.E.B. Griffin is the author of six bestselling series: The Corps, Brotherhood of War, Badge of Honor, Men at War, Honor Bound, and Presidential Agent. He has been invested into the orders of St. George of the U.S. Armor Association, and St. Andrew of the U.S. Army Aviation Association, and is a life member of the U.S. Special Operations Association; Gaston-Lee Post 5660, Veterans of Foreign Wars; China Post #1 in Exile of the American Legion; and the Police Chiefs Association of Southeast Pennsylvania, South New Jersey, and Delaware. He is an honorary member of the U.S. Army Otter & Caribou Association, the U.S. Army Special Forces Association, the U.S. Marine Corps Raider Association, and the USMC Combat Correspondents Association. Visit his website at www.webgriffin.com.

William E. Butterworth IV has been a writer and editor for major newspapers and magazines for twenty-five years, and has worked closley with his father for several years on the editing of the Griffin books. He lives in Texas.

[ ONE ]

39 degrees 10 minutes 2 seconds North Latitude

13 degrees 22 minutes 3 seconds East Longitude

Aboard the Casabianca

Off Palermo, Sicily

2010 19 March 1943