She swung her leg over the bench seat. Just as she reached the screen door, Shelby sprinted from the house, cordless phone in hand. "It's Command Post, asking for the Colonel."
"Thanks, Shel." Julia took the phone from her.
"Ma'am, this is Airman Vance from Command Post. I'm looking for Colonel Dawson."
"He's TDY." Julia tucked the phone under her chin and scooped Patrick from the swing.
"But he'll be home tonight. Can I take a message?"
"No message, ma'am. We're just initiating a pyramid recall exercise. Only a practice. I should have checked the board first." The squeak of a spinning chair eased over the airwaves. "Now I see he's on his way back from South America. Sorry for bothering you.
I'll just go to the next on the list. Have a nice evening, ma'am."
The dial tone buzzed in her ear.
South America?
Surprise mingled with dread. He'd said he would be in Florida. Either he'd lied or he'd fudged the truth by calling a stopover in Florida their final destination because the mention of a South American mission would bring memories of Lance's crash.
She wanted to let it go at that, but so many things tickled her sixth sense. Lori and Kathleen both showing up uninvited to keep her company while the guys flew.
Wonderful, but why today?
Lori's stiff-shouldered stance took on a whole new complexion that had nothing to do with simple back strain from pregnancy. Why was Gray flying with them on a TDY
mission when he'd come to South Carolina on vacation?
"South America."
Both women sat up straighter. Not even a hint of surprise flickered across their faces. Just concern.
"Kathleen, why are they in South America?" Julie tucked Patrick closer, stealing comfort in his solid baby weight against her hip. "Lori?"
Neither answered.
Insidious panic nibbled at her insides. Kathleen would be privy to military secrets, but if Lori knew too then Zach had withheld information he could have shared.
Julia strode across the yard, kicking a ball aside. "Tell or I'm going right up to that flight line and causing a scene like nobody's ever seen. Believe me. I'll do it."
The two women exchanged glances before Kathleen forged ahead. "They flew down to South America to clear up some unanswered questions about Lance's crash."
Julia's stomach lurched. "Unanswered questions?"
"The accident review board never found a conclusive reason for the crash. Sometimes that happens and we never know, so they just blame it on pilot error. The Colonel isn't satisfied with that answer."
How like Zach to carry his responsibility to his men all the way to the grave. She had to admire him for it even while she longed to slug him for closing her out. "Why all the secrecy?"
"Maybe he didn't want to dredge everything up for you until he closes the case conclusively. Who knows how men's minds work?"
Too many memories paraded through her head of another husband who'd evaded the truth, using extended TDYs and the "can't tell you where I am, babe" excuse to cover affair. She couldn't handle that game-playing again. Even while she had to believe Zach wouldn't actually cheat on her, she still hated the sick feeling all the lies brought roilling through her.
"Why the secrecy about today's flight?" Julia didn't intend to quit without an answer.
Lori avoided her by jumping up to check on her daughter behind the playhouse.
Unease shifted to something darker, something all the more frightening because of the unknown. "Kathleen? You'd better tell me, because it can't be any worse than what I'm imagining."
Kathleen stared back as two cars rumbled past before resolution settled over her face. "It's a common practice to retrace a route when there's been a crash to try and identify what went wrong."