"This should take me about ninety seconds, sir," Neidermeyer said to Castillo, and walked out of the room.
Richardson walked to a telephone on a credenza, took a small notebook from his pocket, found what he was looking for, and dialed a number.
"Colonel Richardson, Sergeant. General Crenshaw desires that a van be sent immediately to the Magnolia House. A driver will not be required.
"Yes, Sergeant, I'm aware that it's unusual. But that is the general's desire."
He listened a moment and said, "Thank you," and hung up.
For Christ's sake, Righteous!
You're a lieutenant colonel. You can give orders for a lousy van all by yourself.
You didn't have to hide behind Crenshaw's stars.
Castillo caught General Wilson's watching eye.
And that wasn't lost on him, either.
"A van has been laid on, sir," Richardson announced.
"Thank you."
Neidermeyer walked back into the living room and handed a handset to Castillo.
"They say twenty-five feet max with no wire, but give it a try."
Castillo looked at the handset, saw H. R. MILLER, JR. on its small screen, pushed the loudspeaker button, and said, "So I shamed you into not taking off early?"
"Where are you, Charley?"
"In Magnolia House at Rucker. And guess who's with me?"
"No, thanks."
"General Wilson and Randy Richardson."
"You're on loudspeaker?"
"Yeah."
"Good evening, sir. Dick Miller, sir. Hey, Righteous, how they hanging?"
"Hello, Dick," General Wilson said. "Good to hear your voice."
Restraining a smile, Wilson added softly to General Crenshaw: "That's Dick Miller's son. He's also a classmate of Randy's."
"Hello, Miller," Richardson said without enthusiasm.
"Anything happen?" Castillo asked.
"I made the deposit to the bank where you were earlier," Miller said. "That airplane's back from you know where. The pilot thereof is crashing in suburbia. He says if you need to go anywhere in the next twenty-four hours, take a bicycle. The copilot's on his way you know where, and the plane that took him will bring J. Edgar Hoover, Jr., back here. That's about it."
"In the morning, I'm going to Mississippi to see the ambassador. Then back here."
"How are you going to get to Mississippi?"
"I rented a T206H."