Stuart Woods - Choke

“I served with thousands of men,” the general said. “Might not remember him.”

“His name is Merkle Connor.”

The general’s face darkened. “Good God, he’s not living in Fort Myers, is he?”

“No, sir, I’m with the Key West department.”

“Is the sonofabitch in trouble with the law?” he asked. “I hope so.”

“I can’t go into that, sir; I just want to ask you some questions about him.”

“What sort of questions?” The general was becoming more and more uncomfortable as they talked.

“Well, sir, Mr. Connor’s service record shows that he was court-martialed in Vietnam, but the charges were dropped and he was transferred. Will you tell me what that was about?”

The general suddenly stood up. “No, sir, I will not. This conversation is at an end.” He turned to his companion. “Mark, I’m going to have a piss; I’ll meet you in the grill.” With that, he turned and strode into the clubhouse.

Daryl stood, gaping, looking after him. “What happened?” he asked the other man.

“Don’t mind Jack,” he said. “He gets wound up about certain things. Sit down, and I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

Daryl sat down and turned his attention to the man. “I’m sorry, sir, your name is Haber?”

“That’s right; I was Jack’s executive officer in Saigon and at two other posts.”

“Did you know Merkle Connor?”

“I did; he worked directly for me, operating a tennis instruction program at the club there.”

“Can you tell me what sort of an officer he was?”

“Lousy. He angled his way into Special Services, and he was okay with the tennis program, but that was it. He had a real problem with authority of any kind, and he was always in trouble, always just on the edge of insubordination.”

“What led to his being court-martialed?”

“He was screwing Jack Morrell’s wife,” the man said.

Daryl’s mouth dropped open. “I met her half an hour ago.”

“Then you can see that she was quite something when she was younger. She still is, in fact.”

“Yes, sir, she certainly is.”

“Connor had been screwing everything in skirts, and Jack had always thought it was funny, until he caught him in bed with Nadia. He would have shot Connor if the lieutenant hadn’t been quick on his feet. As it was, Jack brought charges the next morning-conduct unbecoming.”

“Why were the charges dropped?”

“I talked Jack out of it, convinced him that a court-martial would be an enormous embarrassment. He finally agreed, then did his best to get Connor transferred to a combat assignment. Nobody would have him; he didn’t have any real combat training. I finally got him sent to the Aleutians-it was September, and winter was coming-and I saw to it that he served out his hitch there in an engineering company.” Haber grinned. “His CO, who was an old friend of mine from the Academy, put him to work setting explosive charges on a road they were blasting out of rock. For two years, he never knew if he would live through the working day. I sort of liked that. Jack and Nadia made their peace, and I don’t think he’s heard Connor’s name mentioned since then, until you came along.”

“I’m sorry I upset him,” Daryl said, “and I thank you for the information. Is there anything else you can tell me about Connor’s character?”

Haber thought for a minute. “He was always getting into fights-you know, barroom stuff, the sort of thing you would expect of a combat enlisted man. I got him off with the MPs twice. I’d say, on the whole, he was a very screwed-up young man.”

Daryl stood up. “Thank you, sir; I appreciate your help. Please apologize to the general for me.”

“I’ll buy him a couple of drinks, and he’ll get over it,” Haber said.

The two men shook hands, and Daryl was on his way back to Key West.

When Chuck got home from work the yellow catamaran was once again moored next to Choke, and Meg, her brother, Dan, and his new girlfriend were seated in the cockpit, drinking margaritas.

“Come aboard,” Meg called, with a wave. “Dan, get another glass for Chuck.”

Chuck hopped aboard and flopped down in the cockpit, gratefully accepting the frosty glass. “I’m whipped,” he said. “I’ve got this kid, Billy Tubbs, who wants to be a pro, and he’s gotten to the point where he beats me half the time, and the other half it nearly kills me to win.”

“Chuck,” Meg said, “you haven’t met Charlie.”

Chuck turned to the girl and stuck out his hand. “Charlie what?”

“Just Charlie,” she said, shaking his hand. She was petite and dark-haired, with a gamine figure that looked wonderful in the bikini. “I never saw the need for last names.”

“I guess you have a point,” Chuck said, “but how do you differentiate yourself from all the other Charlies?”

She smiled. “I’ve never had that problem.”

Everybody laughed.

“I guess not,” Chuck conceded.

“Present company excepted,” Meg said, snuggling up to Chuck.

“Where you from, Charlie?” Chuck asked.

“Grew up in the San Fernando Valley; lived in L.A. and Las Vegas for a while after school. Recently I’ve just been traveling.”

“Where’d you travel?”

“From Vegas I worked my way east, stopped in Santa Fe and New Orleans, then went down to Miami. I was in the Bahamas when I met Dan and Meg. Not a moment too soon, either; I was broke.”

“It’s just as well I’m back on Choke,” Meg said. “It was getting a little crowded, anyway, and it wouldn’t have been long before Dan and Charlie would have ditched me on a beach somewhere.”

“Damn right,” Dan said. He held up the empty margarita pitcher. “Shit, and I’m out of lime juice.”

“I’ve got to go to the Waterfront Market for a few things anyway, so I’ll get you some,” Chuck said. “Meg, why don’t we invite this lovely couple aboard Choke for dinner?”

“Suits me.”

“I’ll pick up some steaks at the market, and you go rustle up a salad; the fixings are in the fridge.”

“I’ll take a shower, if we’re going out,” Dan said. “Charlie, we need a few things, too. Why don’t you go along with Chuck?” He handed her some money, which Charlie tucked into her bikini bra.

Chuck and Charlie strolled along the quay to the Waterfront Market, chatting idly.

“What do you think of Key West?” Chuck asked.

“It has more character than most places on the water,” Charlie replied. “Places on the water always remind me of Vegas.”

“But Las Vegas is in the desert,” Chuck said.

“The ocean is a desert; hadn’t you ever noticed?”

Chuck shrugged. “I guess maybe it is, in a way. The sea is full of life, like the desert, but the life is hidden, as in the desert.”

“Key West isn’t Florida, either,” Charlie said. “It hasn’t been paved over yet.”

“They’re working on it,” Chuck replied. “But at least there are others trying to keep it the way it is. If I stay here long enough, maybe I’ll try to help.”

In the market they each got a basket and went their separate ways, stocking up. Chuck had chosen the steaks and selected a couple of bottles of wine and was headed for the register when Charlie appeared from behind a shelf, looking flustered.

“Something wrong?” Chuck asked.

“I just saw somebody I used to know and don’t want to know anymore. Let’s just stay here for a minute until the coast is clear.”

“You wait here; I want to get some bread.” Chuck left her with her cart and went toward the baked goods counter. He was nearly there when Clare Carras passed in front of him, heading for the checkout and looking neither to her left or right. Chuck was happy she hadn’t seen him; he had no desire to talk to her. He got the bread and went back for Charlie.