Dark Sky (The Misadventures of Max Bowman Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

way.”
    “On both sides, General.”
    “Both sides?”
    “My kids don’t talk to me and my father disowned me.”
    He turned and stared straight ahead again.
    “I see. That must have been very painful for you.”
    I said nothing. There was nothing to say without saying everything and that would take much longer than either of us had the patience for.
    “But it says something about you. You won’t be controlled, will you?”
    I shrugged, but doubted he could see it.
    “Anyway, you did a good job for me a few years ago. That’s why you’re in here.”
    My hair went up again. “I did a job for you?”
    “Through the Agency. You found a couple of retired officers I was trying to track down. I needed to reach out to them on a private matter.”
    “I remember that. It was actually a very easy job, but thank you.”
    The door to the screening room opened and Angela entered carrying two drinks. She gave me a little of the stink eye, but it was fleeting. I wasn’t bothered, especially since she was finally handing me my glass of Jack – and she was generous with the amount. She handed an equal amount in a glass to General Davidson and did a head cock towards me for his benefit.
    “Daddy, he’s a Jack man too.”
    That really warmed the General up. “You must be the son I never had,” he said as I saw a shadow pass over Angela’s face. He raised his glass in the toast position, I raised mine and we both took a large sip.
    “It must be hard for you,” I said carefully. “Your son.”
    With that remark, Angela turned on her heels and got out of the screening room as fast as she could without breaking into a full run. I watched her go, but the General did not.
    “It was hard – and it continues to be hard.”
    “But you have to be proud he died a hero.”
    “I would be if he weren’t still alive.”  He took another sip.
    So that was it. That was why his daughter thought he was going senile.
    Just over ten years ago, First Lieutenant Robert Davidson was killed in action in a firefight back in Afghanistan and was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. Tributes in his honor ran day and night on the news networks because of who his father was. Members of his unit told reporters in detail what a wonderful, brave guy he had been. I remember catching a few minutes of the funeral and seeing General Davidson cry like a baby. As they say, parents shouldn’t outlive their children.  Robert had been his only son. Now Angela was all he had.
    “He’s not dead.”
    The General was looking me straight in the eye, almost daring me to challenge him.
    WTF? One of the most widely-reported deaths since Elvis Presley didn’t happen? This was like saying Hitler was caught running a 7-11 in Queens. And just like that, the panic was back in my gut, because I sure believed that Robert Davidson was dead. Did I happen to mention there was a funeral? And that he was buried in Arlington Cemetery? I guess if it came down to it, the General and I could go over there at midnight and dig him up so we could both sleep easier.
    Maybe this was why everyone was freaking out. If this ever got out, half of America would believe the legendary General Davidson had lost his shit, and the other half would believe the kid was alive and spin it into a new conspiracy theory that would be instantly promoted by Charlie Sheen in a YouTube video.
    I had to stay cool. Discretion. Bedside manner. Discretion. Bedside manner.
    “How can you be sure?”
    “I have sources. That’s all I can say.”
    “Sources. Do I have access to…”
    “No. I don’t want them involved.”
    My head was spinning.
    “General, I at least need a place to start”
    He turned to me.
    “I don’t have one.”
    For the first time, he looked vulnerable. The fire went out of his devil eyes, maybe because of a few tears lurking somewhere in the back of them.
    “No one will take me seriously, but I’m not crazy, Bowman. I needed someone to help me with this,