The Retirement

“Damn, it’s good to have you back with us, young man,” she said, releasing him from the hug only to grip his shoulders, holding him at arm’s length. She looked him up and down the way any mother would, giving him a once-over. “You’re as handsome as ever. Wait until I get ahold of that bastard of a father of yours. He obviously knew you were alive to call you back here for this. At least he told your uncle Matt to be on the lookout for you.”

Becky nodded toward one of the four men at the table.

“What the hell is going on here, anyway?” blurted out Mitchell, only to fall silent when Putnum placed a hand on his shoulder. His outburst drew everyone’s attention, even the four cardplayers. They immediately went back to their game, while Becky kissed Justin one more time on the cheek and moved off to hug Putnum.

“Admiral, it’s so good to see you again. As always, you come riding in with the cavalry to save the day. I assume he called you, too?”

Putnum chuckled. He released the woman he had met on the Nimitz so many years before and said, “It’s good to see you, too, Rebecca—and yes, I got a call as much to warn me as to get me to send in the good guys. It seems an old nemesis is rearing his ugly head again.”

“What the hell?” blurted Mitchell again. “Am I the only one here who doesn’t know what’s going on?”

Becky released Putnum and moved over to Mitchell, extending her hand. The look of surprise at the gesture was only topped by the reaction to her introduction. “You must be Tom Mitchell. The war hero said you would be the angry one. I’m Becky O’Keefe.”