Read Up Country for Free Online

him, “Give me the original letter in Vietnamese, and I’ll have it translated.”
    “That’s not necessary.”
    I smiled. “So, there’s something in the letter that is not for my eyes. But you want my help, and you’re holding a lot back.”
    “It’s for your own good. Whatever I’m not telling you is irrelevant to the mission of finding Tran Van Vinh.”
    “It’s relevant to something , or you wouldn’t be so cloak-and-dagger about it.”
    Karl said nothing.
    I asked, “How long ago did you get this letter from the VVA?”
    “Two days ago.”
    “And I assume you’ve begun the search of army records?”
    “Yes, but that’s going to take a week or two. Also, there was that record storage fire—”
    “Karl, that 1973 fire has been used to cover up more crap than any fire in history.”
    “That may be, but there are missing files. Yet, I think that in a few weeks, we’ll be able to come up with a list of First Cavalry army captains who may have been in that place at that time. The list of army lieutenants who were actually killed in action in Quang Tri City on or around 7 February will be much shorter and more detailed. I can’t imagine more than two
or three names on that KIA list. There is a presumption that the captain and the lieutenant were in the same unit, so that could narrow down the names of the captains who could be suspects. That’s why I think this is not such a long shot.”
    I replied, “Well, you may come up with a prime suspect, but you’ll never get a conviction.”
    Karl replied, “Let’s find the witness and the suspect and worry about the consequences later.”
    I thought a minute, then said to Karl, “As you mentioned, I was there at the time. And, FYI, the city itself was garrisoned by the South Vietnamese army, not Americans. Our guys were at firebases around the city. Are you sure these two Cav officers were in the city?”
    “The letter strongly indicates that. Why?”
    “Well, then maybe these two Americans were attached to the South Vietnamese army as advisors—Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. MACV. Right?”
    “That’s a possibility.”
    “So, that narrows it down even more. Do some desk work here before you go sending somebody into ’Nam.”
    “We want parallel and concurrent investigations.”
    “It’s your show.” In fact, I strongly suspected that the CID had been working on this much longer than Karl was indicating. I also suspected that the CID had already narrowed down the list of possible suspects and the possible victim, and maybe they already had their prime suspect. But they were not telling Paul Brenner about that. What the CID wanted now was for me to find the only eyewitness to this crime. I said to Colonel Hellmann, “An interesting case, and my bloodhound instincts are aroused. But I don’t need the frequent flier miles to Southeast Asia. I can think of a few other guys who’d love to go.”
    “No problem.” Hellmann changed the subject and asked, “Are you still seeing Ms. Sunhill?”
    I love it when people ask you questions about things they already know. I replied, “Why don’t you ask her?”
    “To be honest, I already have. She indicates that there seems to be some problem with the relationship, which is why I thought you might be open to an overseas assignment.”
    “I am. Aruba. And stay out of my personal life, please.”
    “Ms. Sunhill is still CID, and as her commanding officer, I have a right to ask certain personal questions.”
    “That’s what I miss about the army.”
    Karl ignored this and asked, “By the way, are you looking for a civilian job in law enforcement?”
    “I might be.”
    “I can’t imagine you doing nothing in retirement.”
    “I’ve got plenty to do.”
    “I might be able to help you with a government job. The FBI hires a lot of former CID. This overseas assignment would look very good on your résumé.”
    “Not to mention my obituary.”
    “It would look good there, too.”
    Karl