Page 116 of Casualties of War
“Notfor the next hundred years they won’t,” Donaldson muttered.
“Stow it, Donny,” Locke said.
“Sorry, sir.”
“Locke, the map,” Parris said.
Locke pulled a folded map from his thigh pocket and spread it on the sand in front of her. Everyone gathered around.
Parris focused on the tip of the island. It looked like a sharp point, only the scale of the map was high. She glanced at the scale and measuredthe tip with her eye. “About five miles across at the tip. It’s a lot of ground for twenty of us to cover. Although, the scanners will zero in for us. There will be a trace for them to find. If they’re using people, there will be a landward entrance and it should light up the dial like a Christmas tree.” She divided the map and assigned teams to each section.
Adán cleared his throat.
Parrislooked up.
He wore an apologetic expression again. “I don’t want to step on toes…”
“You’ve got a stake in this, too,” Parris told him. “Everyone does. That’s why I’m doing this here and not off conferring with Locke in my office. Speak freely.”
“Wouldn’t scanning the cliffs from the sea be easier?” he asked.
“Miles easier,” she said. “Except the only boat we have is a dinky rowboat. We don’thave the time it would take to row the length of the cliffs. There’s twenty miles of them, judging from the map.”
Adán nodded. “I just happen to know where there is a larger dinghy just lying on a beach waiting for someone to grab it. One that takes more than four and has a ninety horse power outboard motor attached to it.”
Parris sat up. “Where?” she demanded.
