Today’s
excerpt is from Too Many Women, Book #1 of the Becker Trilogy. A couple of old
‘war stories’ come out as Bob is trying to get sleeping arrangements for the
night sorted out. Enjoy and have a wonderful day.
m.j.
Drink in hand,
Bob thought a second. “Okay, on sleeping
arrangements—since Sergeant Major Gowen and…”
“Hold it right,
there, Master Sergeant Becker,” Leo said as he interrupted, “I told you at the
plane, ‘Leo’ is fine. We aren’t
active-duty Marines any longer…now knock it off. In case you have overlooked it, I’m now
working for you, sir.”
Bob laughed a
laugh of surrender on the subject, but before he could respond, Terri asked,
“Who’s paying for Leo and Horace?”
Bill and Bob
answered, almost simultaneously, “You are.”
“How much?”
Dan joked, “A
lot.”
Terri looked at
him. “How much for you and Janet, and
your plane?”
“Nada. That’s on the house, as it were. We’re trying for the national good service
award for the year. Actually, we hadn’t
seen Bob in a while, and always good to see the guy who saved my bacon.”
Terri asked,
“How so?”
Bob joked, “Ten
grand.”
Not knowing…nor
caring…what that was about, Dan proceeded to tell the story of how Bob had
carried him out of harm’s way while he was severely wounded. When he finished, he looked at Bob. “Now, do you want to tell us why you treat
Leo as the Second Coming, Bob?”
Bob looked at
Leo, who nodded, “Go ahead…just nothing classified.”
“We—Leo and
I—belonged to a SEAL team together—one whose number has become public
knowledge, thanks to a blabbermouth President.
We had an incident in a hereby undisclosed location. Leo kept me from making the mistake of my
life, saving said life, and several others.
I argued with him. He hit
me. He was right; I was wrong. How’s that, Leo?”
“The damnedest
load of horseshit I ever heard…except for me hitting you, and you being wrong
in your assessment of the situation—and being man enough to recognize your
mistake after the fact, and admitting it.
Which, by the way, is why I recommended you for promotion.”
Dan looked at
Leo. “The whys and wherefores of the
deal would give away your assignment, right?”
“Yeah. Subject closed.”
Bob nodded his
agreement with what Leo said, then smiled.
“Okay, back to where I started, to get to sleeping arrangements, before
I was interrupted by Sergeant Major—just kidding Leo. Since Leo and Horace will be staying on, they
get the other two bedrooms in my place.
Dan, you and Janet will have to bunk with Bill. Same for Alan and Bert.”
Terri offered,
“I can sleep in the maid’s room, if you want Dan and Janet to spend the night
here, Bob.”
“I thought we
had that one settled, Miss Hawksworth.
You sleep in the room next to mine.
Want you as close as possible, in case
something hits the fan.” Then, after a
pause, he softened and added, “Terri, thanks for the offer, but I really do
want you close to me. And tomorrow thru
until we get your ‘former’ husband, I want you close to one of the other
guys…like glue…if I’m not around.”
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