St. Mary’s.” “Okay. That was fast work. How’d you manage it?” She laughed.

“Women do these things differently from men. We keep phone numbers and

addresses, and the ladies’ network is a little more sophisticated than the

beer-and-football phone circle. And we tend to keep in touch with each other.”

“I guess that’s right.” “She was around your mother’s age. Her husband was under

your father’s command. Anyway, I just talked to her. She lives in Richmond now.

Not that far away. And she said she’d talk to you.” “Did she remember anything

from that day?” “I didn’t ask. I think it’s better that she tells you directly,

John.” “Okay, Carol, thank you. I really appreciate this.” She gave him the

contact information and then clicked off.

 

Puller called Bristow and she agreed to meet with him later that day.

 

He drove off, heading northwest toward Virginia’s capital city.

 

Part of him felt like he was playing the children’s game of hot and cold. The

farther away from Fort Monroe he drove, the colder the trail seemed to become.

He assumed that whatever had happened to his mother, the answers would lie here.

But to get to that point he would travel wherever he needed to.

 

Five minutes after he hit the highway his phone buzzed. He saw the caller ID. It

was his CO, Don White.

 

He hesitated, not really wanting to answer and be told something he didn’t want

to hear.