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,
    I think that tonight I miss you more than I ever have before. It’s because Sam and Ann Carter came for dinner tonight. They’re such close friends and they mean so much to me when you’re away, but tonight she was quiet, always changing the subject whenever we talked about you and where you might be. And Sam was very, very quiet, and you know how he’s the life of the party whenever he’s had two drinks.
    Maybe that’s the first thing that began to scare me. He nursed one drink all night, and spent most of the time just listening to our small talk. And whenever I’d talk about you, he wouldn’t look me in the eye. I even asked once if you were all right, and then he did say that yes, absolutely, you were fine. Then he got a call and had to go back to the Pentagon at ten o’clock at night. They seemed almost relieved when they left.
    Before writing this letter, I went in to check on the kids. Your daughter always sleeps like a lamb, and young Sam had just fallen asleep. He was out with his friends for a while. And that’s the other strange thing. You know how Sam Carter just dotes on our son because he hasn’t any children of his own. Well, tonight, he didn’t have much to say to him at all. He didn’t ask him about school or sports, or if he still wanted to go to the Academy, or any of the things they kid each other about. And when young Sam left the house this evening, Sam went over to him and put one hand on his shoulder and squeezed it and shook hands with him, something he’s never done before. It was almost like he was taking your place and saying, “Now you’re grown up, son.”
    I don’t want to sound negative or act like a hysterical wife, but I know now you’re in some kind of danger. And just before I sat down to write this, Bobbie Collier called to ask if I’d heard from you at all. It seems that Bob has pretty free use of the phone at the Moscow embassy since she’s been back in Washington to visit, but he hasn’t called for the last few days. She said she called Sam to see if he had heard anything, and he just told her that Bob might not be calling as regularly for the next couple of days, but not to worry or say anything to anyone else. The only other person she thought she could call was me, and I told her how strange Sam and Ann were tonight.
    So I think you can understand why I’m concerned. I was almost going to remind Sam of what he told me when he stood up for you at our wedding—that he’d make sure to keep you out of trouble after what you got yourself into in Vietnam, because he knew how bitter I was then about the Navy after my first husband was shot down. But then I decided that might give him the wrong idea. I know that now you’re an admiral and running your own task force, you may always be near danger. I also know that something is happening out there and I wish you were here with me, loving me and watching the kids grow up. Young Sam really needs his father around, too. He’s into those years when boys are becoming men, and you told me how confusing they were, and what your father meant to you. Well, Sam’s right there now, and there are things you can do for him and say to him that I can’t. So please take care of yourself, my love. There’s three of us here that love you and need you very much. And, just in case you’ve been at sea so long and might have forgotten, it’s getting cool at night now and I need someone to warm me up.
    There’s so much more I want to say to you, but I think it’s better if I write again after I’ve had time to sort things out. I’m sure everything will turn out well and you’ll be back with us soon.
    With all the love you can handle,
    Maria

C HAPTER  T WO

    T he nest of dirty gray destroyers, four abreast, were starkly outlined against the brackish water of Hampton Roads and the gray Saturday-morning skies. They were offset even more by their larger, more modern counterparts two piers down, high-bowed frigates and