LITMIR.BIZ

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walked down the flight back toward Operations, or Ops, Dana risked everything: “Where do you come from, Lieutenant?”

      Disgruntled, Griff gave her a sidelong look. “Jerome, Arizona.”

      “Hot country?”

      “Yeah, and if you’re stupid, it can kill you.”

      Delighted that he was at least talking to her, Dana eagerly took the lead. Knowing something about Griff might help her anticipate what he would be like in the cockpit. She had no idea what a “screamer” was, but her survival reflex told her that any bit of information that might help turn a negative situation into a positive one was worth pursuing.

      “Why is that?”

      “Jerome sits on the side of Mingus Mountain. Below is a desert valley. I was taught from the time I was old enough to walk, always to carry a canteen of water and a hat with me.”

      “So if the car broke down, you weren’t caught without water in the desert?” Dana saw his surprised look. For an instant, she thought she saw admiration in his gray eyes at her quick grasp of the situation. Just as quickly, his eyes became hooded again.

      “Yeah.”

      “So, how big is Jerome?”

      “Small. Maybe a thousand people live up there.”

      “You’re a country boy, then. And you like your privacy.”

      Uncomfortable at Dana’s insight, he ignored her remark. “Jerome was a copper-mining town. My dad was a miner until the shafts closed down.”

      “And your mother?” Dana hoped to find out more about Griff’s negative attitude toward women. She held her breath, hoping he’d respond.

      “She was an invalid. While she was in labor having me, she suffered a stroke.”

      A lump formed in Dana’s throat. She heard the regret—and maybe guilt?—in Griff’s icy tone. Softly, she offered, “I imagine it was hard on you growing up thinking you’d caused your mother’s illness.”

      Griff slowed his walk, remembering the times he’d sat with his bedridden mother. Her entire right side had been paralyzed, making it tough for her to get anywhere without help. “I spent a lot of time with her when I was young. She taught me to read at an early age. I was reading Erle Stanley Gardner mysteries to her when I was twelve.”

      A tremor passed through Dana—of understanding, of sympathy for Griff. “She must have loved your sensitivity and thoughtfulness.”

      Catching himself, Griff gave her a strange look. Just what was Dana up to? He halted at the guard gate. “Ensign, I’ve got work to do. Dr. Collins has ordered you to report for flight training next Monday.” Abruptly, he swung away, heading back to his office. Dammit, how had he let Dana into his personal life? The soft blue of her eyes had touched him deeply, the compassion in them bringing up a wealth of wonderful old memories. His mother had died when he was fifteen. Until that time, he’d faithfully come in and read to her from her favorite authors every night. It had been his way of showing his love.

      Griff mulled over Dana, Carol and his mother as he walked toward admin. Carol had never really asked him about his childhood. She’d been more interested in his career as a fighter pilot. He’d been the one to bring up his mother, and Carol had made the appropriate sympathetic sounds and comments. But Dana’s eyes mirrored the tragedy he’d felt as a child growing up. She understood. Shaken, Griff tried to ignore that discovery about Dana. How had he let himself fall under her spell?

      * * *

      When Maggie and Molly returned to the apartment that evening, Dana proudly showed them the cardboard cockpit she’d drawn and set up on a kitchen chair. Bringing up another chair, Dana sat down.

      “We can all practice with this mock-up,” she told them excitedly. “I used the trainer manual and drew in all the dials and gauges.” With a grin, Dana looked up at her friends. “I figure if one of us calls off the preflight checklist and emergency maneuvers, the person sitting here can go through it.”

      “Smart move,” Maggie congratulated enthusiastically, eyeing the mock-up.

      “It’s perfect!” Molly said. “And you’ve done such a good job, Dana.”

      “I had to do something,” she explained wryly. “Turcotte wasn’t about to let me sit in the cockpit. He knew I wanted to, but walked away from the opportunity to let me do it.”

      “How about your eye?” Molly asked, setting her books down on the kitchen counter.

      Dana told them the whole story. Maggie grinned devilishly.

      “So, the Turk has some redeeming qualities, after all.”

      “Maybe,” Dana hedged. And she told them about his family situation.

      “Weak mother,” Maggie murmured, opening the refrigerator and pouring them all some iced tea. She handed the glasses around and sat down at the Formica-topped table. “Maybe that’s why he thinks all women are weak.”

      Dana squeezed fresh lemon into her tea and sat down with Maggie. Her friends were both still in flight suits. She was glad she’d changed into a pair of yellow shorts and a sleeveless white blouse earlier. “It’s a start.”

      Molly was sitting at the mock-up. She looked toward them. “Is Turcotte married?”

      Dana shrugged. “I don’t know….”

      “Intriguing question,” Maggie said. “You know Manny’s a real gossip. I’ll ask him to do some snooping around for us.” She jabbed a finger at Dana. “I asked my IP today about Turcotte and he got real tight-lipped. All he’d say was that he was tough as hell. I think if we give you our experiences this week in the cockpit, we can help you prepare to start flying with Turcotte next week.”

      “Not only that,” Molly added excitedly, “but you’re going to blow him away when you have cockpit start-up and shutdown procedure down pat. He won’t expect you to know that, Dana.”

      “Probably thinks I’m out getting a tan, partying and playing around,” she agreed.

      Maggie got up. “Well, it’s my turn to cook, ladies. How about Swanson Hungry Man frozen dinners?”

      With a groan, Dana laughed. “At the academy, we had three squares a day over at the chow hall. Here, we’ve got to get into the routine of fixing our own meals. What a drag. Are we spoiled?”

      The laughter lightened the kitchen, and Dana got up and out of Maggie’s way. They had set up a roster of duties. Each woman had her own particular chore to complete each day. The camaraderie was binding, just as it had been at Annapolis. They were a family, believing deeply in one another and relying on each other’s abilities.

      Moving to her bedroom, Dana changed into her swimsuit, and pulled on jeans and a blouse over it.

      “Going to swim in the gulf?” Molly asked, poking her head around the open door.

      “Yes. It’s the only way to get rid of tension, as far as I’m concerned.”

      Frowning, Molly leaned against the doorjamb, her arms crossed on her chest. “It’s really tough luck drawing the Turk. I’m sorry, Dana. Maggie and I have super instructors. Neither one is a screamer. Our first flights were nerve-racking but exciting. I got a 2.1 and Maggie got a 2.2.”

      “Somehow, I don’t think it will be wonderful for me next Monday. Griff’s not interested in teaching me how to fly. He only wants to see me fail.” Grimly she pressed her lips together as she picked up her colorful towel. “I’m going down to the beach for at least an hour.”

      “Okay. Be careful. I hear there are a lot of sharks and jellyfish in the water around here.”

      With a laugh, Dana slipped past Molly. “I grew up on the Pacific Ocean, remember? I’ve had my brushes with sharks and been stung by enough jellyfish to become

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