The Sum of All Fears.pdf - Delta Force

'Your husband . . .'
'Buck? He die. I don't know all the things, just that he die – on duty, yes? Is
secret thing. Very hard for me,' Carol said soberly, but without overt grief.
She was over that now. 'Buck was a very good man. So your husban'. You be nice
to him,' Mrs Zimmer added.
'Oh, I will,' Cathy promised. 'Now, we have to make this a secret?'
'What secret?'
'Jack doesn't know that I know about you.'
'Oh? I know there are many secret, but – okay, I un'erstan'. I keep this secret,
too.'
'I will talk to Jack about that. I think you should come to our house and meet
our children. But for now, we keep the secret?'
'Yes, okay. We surprise him?'
'Right.' Cathy smiled as she handed the child back. 'I will see you again,
soon.'
'Feel better, Doc?' Clark asked her out in the parking lot.
'Thank you . . . ?'
'Call me John.'
'Thanks, John.' It was the warmest smile since his kids at Christmas.
'Any time.'
Clark drove west on Route 50. Cathy turned east for home. Her knuckles were
white on the steering wheel of her car. The anger was back now. For the most
part, she was angry at herself. How could she have thought that of Jack? She'd
been very foolish, very small, and so disgustingly selfish. But it wasn't really
her fault. Someone else had invaded their household, she decided as she pulled
into the garage, She was on the phone almost immediately. She had to do one more
thing. She had to be completely certain.
'Hi, Dan.'
'Cathy! How's the eye business, kid?' Murray asked.
'Got a question for you.'
'Shoot.'
She'd already decided how to do it. 'There's a problem with Jack . . .'
Murray's voice became guarded. 'What is it?'
'He's having nightmares,' Cathy said. It wasn't a lie, but what followed was.
'Something about a helicopter, and Buck somebody . . . I can't ask him about it,
but – '
Murray cut her off. 'Cathy, I can't talk about it over the phone. That's a
business matter, kid.'
'Really?'
'Really, Cathy. It's something I know about, but I cannot discuss it with you.
I'm sorry, but that's the way it has to be. It's business.'
Cathy went on with a touch of alarm in her voice. 'It's not something that's
happening now – I mean – '
'It's way in the past, Cathy. That's all I can say. If you think Jack needs
professional help, then I can make a few calls and – '
'No, I don't think so. It was really bad a few months ago, but it does seem to
be getting better. I was just worried that it might be something at the office .