Command Decision by William Wister Haines Read Free Book Online Page A

could see that he was going to have to stop and explain to Garnett as he went along. It was unsafe not to. Garnett was already firing his first question at the returning Dennis.
    “Would someone mind explaining to a visitor what this Operation Stitch is?”
    Dennis hesitated appropriately and then, as Kane kept his abstracted silence, spoke briefly.
    “Kind of a three-horse parlay, Cliff. Posenleben, Schweinhafen and”—he glanced pointedly at Jenks and Prescott—“one other.”
    “I thought I was reasonably familiar with your directive,” said Garnett. “But I don’t remember those.”
    Kane still ignored it. Dennis spoke dryly.
    “Some things aren’t in directives, Cliff.”
    “Evidently.” Garnett turned squarely to Kane. “I’m surprised that the United Chiefs haven’t been informed of this, General Kane.”
    Evans, listening delightedly behind his impassivity, had difficulty in suppressing a start. That guy might look like an actor but nobody spoke to major generals that way by accident. Locking his face muscles he waited for Kane to blast the Brigadier out of the room. Kane turned to Garnett with a rueful, disarming smile.
    “I was going to send them a provisional plan but I didn’t know General Dennis intended implementing it so soon.”
    Evans saw Dennis stiffen and saw the color change under the thin blond hair at the back of his neck. But it was the Major with the face like a toad’s belly who spoke, ingratiatingly, to Garnett.
    “The whole idea was General Dennis’s sir.”
    “And I’ll explain it myself, Major,” said Dennis abrasively. “General Kane, do you wish to detain Captain Jenks further, sir?”
    Kane wished that Captain Jenks had been stillborn. He had just begun to figure out the line for Washington and the press when this was thrust back into his face. But Garnett was watching this, too, closely.
    “Did you go on the mission yesterday, Jenks?”
    “I did. It was a bloody massacre. Today will be worse.”
    With a spasm Kane realized that this was probably true.
    “Any news from today, General Dennis?”
    “Strike signal from Colonel Martin, sir. It said: ‘Primary plastered.’”
    “I mean about losses.”
    “Ted indicated fighting. No details yet, sir.”
    Unexpectedly Evans now saw Garnett wheel on Dennis.
    “So Ted is flying missions?”
    “He led the Division today. Yesterday too.”
    He knew only too well what was coming. Garnett’s sister was married, unhappily, to Ted Martin. Dennis had been Martin’s best man. No matter how scrupulously everyone behaved, the alignment of sympathies was obvious. Garnett, with good, reason, worried about the marriage. Dennis hated being dragged into it. But now that Prescott had pulled Kane a little to one side for some detailed reminder Dennis could see Garnett gathering himself for the chance.
    “You know about Helen, of course, Casey?”
    “Sure. Any news yet?”
    “Not when I left but she’s due any minute. Ted shouldn’t be flying missions at all, let alone just now.”
    He knew that Garnett himself knew better than this. Yet he couldn’t help resenting the intimation that he himself had not thought of that. He spoke more curtly than he intended.
    “He gets paid to. General Kane, have you any further need of Captain Jenks?”
    Whatever Prescott had whispered to Kane had restored his composure somewhat. He was speaking again to Jenks and with more confidence.
    “And after the terrible strain of yesterday you felt unable to take the responsibility of flying a crew again…. You were under shock?”
    Jenks got it instantly. “We were all under shock, sir. Two days running beyond fighter cover when you had practically promised us…”
    “That’s not exactly what I said.”
    Jenks checked quickly. “Well, sir we all knew you’d never ask a thing like that, just to make a record. When we learned you’d released the Division to General Dennis and then this came up everyone was shocked.”
    “Everyone else went,”