It has been weeks, sir. Months, since—” Worse. “Nothing ever occurred. Or will. I swear. I promise. ” What had Lily informed him? I watched his arms, surveyed the table, considering which means he'd come for me, what he may hit me with. “Sadly—for you—I virtually think that, Belk. yet you are what? Fourteen? What may possibly take place? No, the beautiful Lily provided no perception into concerns carnal among you. quite, it used to be left to me to check all that she said—the variety of instances she used your identify, or integrated you in a ‘we,' or spoke tenderly of ways you either could conspire to maintain me—and ascertain for myself precisely what you had or had now not performed. ” And that used to be his blunders, or hers, or mine: that he'd acknowledged she'd again and again pointed out my identify; or that she had, even in spite of everything those months; or that studying this so delighted and alarmed me that I became the guiltiest colour of crimson a guy can deal with. “Nothing occurred, sir,” I stammered. “Nothing, certainly. with no belief, there's not anything. ” “Surely Lily advised you—” “Oh, that woman,” Gurley stated. “As painful because it used to be for me to listen to her say your identify, i locate it much more grating to listen to hers come from you. Silence. ” And so we sat there. Gurley stared at me for some time, as if i'd holiday less than the strain and confess to—I have no idea what. Had she informed him we might by no means shared greater than a meal? Had she advised him approximately that final night we would had jointly, in regards to the map of her physique that she'd undressed to teach me? i used to be too scared to talk, or circulation, or perhaps glance away. I sat there, swallowing his glance, not able to muster whatever for him in go back. He ultimately swung round in his chair and checked out the map back. “You understand how I hate a undercover agent, Sergeant,” he acknowledged, me over his shoulder. “And via secret agent, I suggest traitor. are you aware what I suggest, Sergeant? ” “Yes, sir. ” “You recognize that i'd nonetheless be serving basically of the OSS, serving in Paris, probably. Or Rome. Or Casablanca. a few a part of the struggle the place there has been as a lot sunlight as wine as ladies . . . ” “Yes, sir. ” He came over the table, eventually, and towered over me. “I'd nonetheless have fucking legs to face on, Belk, had it now not been for a secret agent, for loss of a greater observe, for whoever betrayed me, received me kicked out of headquarters and into this maliciously absurd accountability. Chasing balloons. With a boy sergeant. And an Eskimo—oh, what? Whore. ” He did not hit me. He misplaced whatever with the point out of Lily, and after a second, retreated again at the back of the table. “That's why this upsets me. greater than considering in the event you and Lily did . . . whatever, that you simply mentioned, plotted to—” “I informed her, sir,” although after all I hadn't, “you did not desire taking good care of. i did not comprehend why she was once speaking approximately it. i'll have cared much less. i do not care,” I additional, a moment earlier than figuring out how some distance I had long gone. Gurley drew a deep breath and smiled. “That, too, is touching, Sergeant,” he acknowledged. “No higher method to extricate your self from a good spot than through capturing your self within the foot after which taking goal at your captor. ” He smiled, after which pulled open a dossier drawer and rummaged via it.