David Baldacci - Hour Game

Michelle became very alert when she saw Eddie and his ragtag company explode out of the woods shrieking the famous rebel yell. They were met by a volley of fire by their Union opponents, and half the men fell to the dirt, dead or dying. Eddie wasn't hit in the initial fire, and he and about a dozen of his men raced on. Eddie jumped the wooden breastworks and engaged in furious hand-to-hand combat with three Union soldiers, dropping two of them as Michelle looked on enthralled. He actually lifted one of the men up and threw him into a bush. As his soldiers were dropping all around him, Eddie pulled his saber and did some intricate swordplay with a Union captain, finally running him through.

So realistic was it all that when Eddie turned to seek out another foe and took a rifle round right in his gut, Michelle felt all her breath rush out. As Eddie dropped to the ground, she felt an almost overpowering urge to pull her own weapon, rush forward and shoot the man who'd just killed Eddie.

She turned and found Bailey's gaze on her. "I know. I felt the same way the first time I saw him get killed."

For a few minutes none of the men moved at all, and Michelle felt herself growing nervous. Then Eddie sat up, leaned over and spoke to the fallen man next to him, stood and walked over to join a relieved Michelle and Bailey.

He took off his hat, wiped his sweaty brow.

"That was absolutely amazing, Eddie," said Michelle.

"Aw, shucks, ma'am, you should've seen me at Gettysburg or Antietam. Now, there I was in fine form."

You looked pretty fine today, thought Michelle, and then she caught herself, King's remonstrations coming back to her: he was married. Even if his wife apparently didn't care for him, he was still married.

"How do you know who dies or not?" she asked.

"It's all pretty much planned out before. Most reenactments are held Friday to Sunday. On Friday people start gathering and the generals go around to everybody, tell them what they need, who's going to be where, who dies, who doesn't. A lot depends on who shows up and with what-horses, cannon, stuff like that. Most everybody here is experienced, so there's not much of a learning curve. And the fighting is choreographed, at least for the most part; but there's always some room for improvisation. The guy I picked up and dumped in the bush? That was a little payback on my part. The last battle the little shit smacked me in the head with his sword handle. Said it was an accident. I had a knot on my head for a week. So I accidentally picked him up and threw him into that thornbush."

She looked over where the "dead" men were still on the ground. "Are there rules about how long you have to stay there?"

"Yes, but it's flexible. Sometimes the general tells you beforehand you have to stay down until the battle's over. Or if we have ambulance carriers that show up; we may be taken off the field that way. They're filming today, so it's all a little trickier, but the cameras switched to another skirmish after I got killed, so I cheated a little and jumped ship." He added with a shy grin, "The scenery's a lot better over here."

"Compared to dead bodies? I don't think I'll take that as a compliment," said Michelle, returning his smile.

They later watched Eddie on horseback where he led his men on tactical probes of the Union line. The horsemen flashed by, racing up and down knolls and jumping obstacles in their way.

Michelle turned to Bailey. "Where'd he learn to ride like that?"

"You'd be surprised at what the man can do. Have you seen any of his paintings?"

"No, but I really want to."

Eddie rode by later and tossed his plumed cavalry hat to Michelle.

"What's that for?" she said, catching it.

"I wasn't killed. You must be my good-luck charm," he called out before dashing off again.

A ladies' tea and fashion show followed. After that was instruction on dances of the Civil War era. Eddie partnered with Michelle and helped teach her the intricate steps of several. A formal ball followed that was supposed to be for reenactors only, but Eddie had a Civil War-era dress he said he'd bought from one of the sutlers that he gave to Michelle.

She looked at it in surprise. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"Why, milady, if we're crashing the ball, you have to have the proper accoutrements. Come on, you can change in the truck. I'll stand guard so your reputation will remain intact."

Eddie had gotten an outfit for Chip Bailey too, but the FBI agent announced he had to leave.

"I'll drive her home, then," said Eddie. "I can't stay for the second day of the battle anyway. I'm leaving tonight."

Michelle looked a little uncomfortable with this, but Eddie said, "I promise I'll be the perfect gentleman. And remember we have Jonas in the trailer as a chaperone."

They spent the next two hours dancing and eating and drinking.

Eddie finally sat down, his big chest heaving while Michelle looked barely out of breath.

"Okay, girl, you've got some wind, I'll say that."

"Well, I didn't fight in a war today."

"I'm beat and my back is killing me. I've been riding horses and doing this fighting stuff way too long. You ready to call it a day?"

"I am."

Before they left, he took a Polaroid of her in her ball gown. "I'll probably never see you dressed like that again," he explained, "so I might as well have proof of it."

She changed back into her regular clothes before the drive home. On the way they talked, first about the battle and reenactments in general and then about Michelle's background and family.

"Lots of brothers, huh?" said Eddie.

"Too many, sometimes. I was the youngest, and though he'd never admit it, my dad dotes on me. He and my brothers are all cops. When I decided to join the ranks, he was none too pleased. He still hasn't quite gotten over it."

"I had a brother," he said quietly. "His name was Bobby. We were twins."

"I know, I heard. I'm sorry."

"He was a great kid. He really was. Sweet, do anything for you, he was just not all there. I loved him. I really did and I miss him like hell."

"I'm sure it really devastated your whole family."

"Yeah, I suppose it did," he said.

"And I guess you and Savannah don't have much in common."

"She's a good kid too, really bright, but she's sort of lost. Hell, I can't blame her, look at me."

"I think you've done all right for yourself."

He glanced over at her. "That's quite a compliment coming from you, an Olympian-turned-Secret-Service-agent and now a hotshot detective. How do you like working with Sean?"

"He's great. I couldn't ask for a better partner and mentor."

"He is one smart man. But let's face it: he's lucky to have you. " Michelle looked out the window, obviously uncomfortable.

"I'm not being fresh, Michelle. You two work well together. It's nice to be part of something like that. I guess I'm just envious."

She looked over at him. "If you're unhappy, you can change that, Eddie."

"I am unhappy in some ways," he said. "But I don't think I have the courage to make a change, not a real one. It's not just Dorothea. She goes her way and I go mine. Lots of marriages are set up just like that, and I can deal with it. But I've got my mother too. Let's say I head out of here, what happens to her?"

"She seems like a person well able to take care of herself."

"You might be surprised, especially now with everyone pointing fingers at her."

"Sean and I are going to meet with her and go through that. Obviously, whatever she said to Lulu worked. If Lulu believes she had nothing to do with Junior's death, other people will start to believe it too."

"It's not just Junior's death, it's my father. It's no secret that they had a rocky marriage at times, so some people suspect she killed him. I'm not sure that's something she can survive."