One of the Boys Read Online Free PDF

especially cautious. She gave Pete a cheerful wave as she left the common work area and went down a short flight of stairs to the director’s office.
    Her boss was waiting for her. She liked Ed Harrington. He was one of the original good ole boys—a local who had gone to the University of Alabama for his engineering degree, then come right back to start work at Eglin. He’d climbed his way up the bureaucratic ladder until he was promoted to this, the highest-ranking civilian position on base. He exuded a crusty, tough aura that didn’t fool Maura for a minute.
    â€œWhat’s up?” she asked as she strolled into his office. She was halfway to the big, overstuffed chair in front of his desk before she noticed the other figure standing off to one side.
    â€œHave you met Colonel McAllister?” Ed asked.
    â€œYes,” Maura managed to say.
    She was beginning to feel haunted.
    Oblivious to the sudden electricity in the air, Ed chomped on the unlit cigar that never left his mouth and waved them both to a chair.
    â€œJake just got called in to see the general concerning a special project we’re working on. The old man wants us to pull out all the stops. I’ll let him explain.”
    McAllister took the seat opposite Maura’s. He was in uniform—dark blue slacks, light blue short-sleeved shirt with the silver eagles glistening on his shoulder tabs—and didn’t look particularly happy about this special project. Maura soon understood why.
    â€œWe’ve been tapped to test a new mount for the Maverick missile on the F-117.”
    â€œThe Nighthawk?”
    Maura’s pulse kicked up. She’d cut her teeth on the swept-wing Stealth fighter.
    â€œWith all that’s going on in the Middle East,”McAllister continued, “the air staff wants to move up the test milestones. The general’s put me in charge of the project.”
    â€œSo how does this involve me?”
    â€œI’ve told Ed I need his best test manager for this project. He tells me that’s you.”
    The compliment should have tickled her. Coming from anyone else, it would have.
    â€œI haven’t done much work on the Maverick,” she hedged. “Surely one of the other engineers who’ve handled the missile would be better for this project.”
    â€œWe don’t need missile expertise as much as we need someone who knows the F-117,” Ed explained. “You worked the Nighthawk at Lockheed, Phillips. You know the plane’s material structure. I want you on this one.”
    Maura sat back in her chair. Excitement rippled through her at the prospect of working a modification to the weapons load of the Stealth.
    â€œPete Hansen has been working on the project part-time,” Ed advised. “I want you to take the lead from here on, full-time. Pete can help, if necessary.”
    In his earnestness, Ed puffed energetically on his cigar. After a few seconds of wasted effort, he remembered it wasn’t lit, pulled the thing out of his mouth and stared at it in disgust.
    Maura bit back a grin at her boss’s disgruntled look and flashed a quick look at Jake. His gray eyes held banked laughter, but he managed to keep astraight face. The tension between them eased a bit, only to come back in full force with his next words.
    â€œI think we can work together as professionals on something as important as this,” he said quietly.
    His meaning was clear to Maura even if it went right over Ed’s head. Nobody, but nobody, had ever questioned her professional integrity before.
    â€œYes, Colonel, I’m sure I can find a way to work with you on this.”
    Her voice dripped ice. Even Ed now noticed the tension crackling between them. His shaggy brows rose in a question. But before he could speak, Jake got to his feet.
    â€œI’ll need a complete rundown of where the project stands by tomorrow, including a synopsis of the simulations done to date. Call