It was late, but he hadn’t seen his dad in a while.

 

And so he sat, and wondered which version of his father would awake and greet

him.

 

Puller Sr. the screaming hardass?

 

Puller Sr. the stoic?

 

Puller Sr. with nothing behind the eyes?

 

He would take either of the first two over the last one.

 

There was a knock on the door. Puller rose and opened it.

 

Two men stared back at him. One was in the uniform of a full colonel. One was in

plain clothes. “Yes?” said Puller. “John Puller Jr.?” said the plainclothes.

“That’s right. And who are you?” “Ted Hull.” He took out his ID pack and

displayed it. “CID. Out of the Twelfth MPs, Fort Lee.” “And I’m Colonel David

Shorr,” said the uniformed man.

 

Puller didn’t know him. But there were lots of colonels in the Army.

 

Puller stepped out and closed the door behind him. “My father is sleeping. What

can I do for you? Is this about another assignment? I was supposed to be on