Code to Zero Page 0,51

too strange. Will might begin to think he was nuts. Instead he said: 'I'm going to call Cape Canaveral.'

'Great idea.' Will picked up the phone on the desk and dialled zero. 'Will McDermot here. Can I make a long-distance call on this phone? Thank you.' He handed the phone to Luke.

Luke got the number from information and dialled. "This is Dr Lucas.' He felt inordinately pleased to be able to give his name: he would not have thought it could be so satisfying. 'I'd like to speak to someone on the Explorer launch team.'

"They're in hangars D and R,' said the male operator. 'Please hold the line.'

A moment later a voice said: 'Army security, Colonel Hide speaking.'

'This is Dr Lucas - '

'Luke! At last! Where the hell are you?'

'I'm in Washington.'

'Well, what the bejesus are you doing? We've been going crazy! We got Army Security looking for you, the FBI, even the CIA!'

That explained the two agents searching in Union Station, Luke thought 'Listen, a strange thing has happened- I lost my memory. I've been wandering around town trying to figure out who I ,am. Finally I found some physicists who know me.'

'But that's extraordinary. How did it happen, for Christ's sake?'

'I was hoping you could tell me that, Colonel.'

"You always call me Bill.'

'Bill.'

'Okay, well, I'll tell you what I know. Monday morning you took off, saying you had to go to Washington. You flew from Patrick.'

'Patrick?'

'Patrick Air Force Base, near Cape Canaveral. Marigold made the reservations - '

'Who's Marigold?'

Your secretary in Huntsville. She also booked your usual suite at the Carlton Hotel in Washington.'

There was a note of envy in the colonel's voice, and Luke wondered briefly about that 'usual suite', but he had more important questions. 'Did I tell anyone the purpose of the trip?'

'Marigold made an appointment for you to see General Sherwood at the Pentagon at ten a.m. yesterday - but you didn't keep the appointment'

'Did I give a reason for wanting to see the general?'

'Apparently not'

'What's his area of responsibility?'

'Army security - but he's also a friend of your family's, so the meeting could have been about anything.'

It must have been something highly important, Luke reflected, to take him away from Cape Canaveral just before his rocket was to take off. 'Is the launch going ahead tonight?'

'No, we've got weather problems. It's been postponed until tomorrow at ten-thirty p.m.'

Luke wondered what the hell he had been doing. 'Do I have friends here in Washington?'

'Sure. One of them's been calling me every hour. Bern Rothsten.' Hide read out a phone number.

Luke scribbled it on a scratchpad. I'll call him right away.'

'First you should talk to your wife.'

Luke froze. His breath was taken away. Wife, he thought I have a wife. He wondered what she was like.

"You still there?' Hide said.

Luke started to breathe again. 'Uh, Bill...'

Yes?'

'What's her name?'

'Elspeth,' he said. "Your wife's name is Elspeth. I'll transfer you to her phone. Hold the line.'

Luke had a'nervous sensation in his stomach. This was dumb, he thought. She was his wife.

'Elspeth speaking. Luke, is that you?'

She had a warm, low voice, with precise diction and no particular accent. He imagined a tall, confident woman. He said: Yes, this is Luke. I've lost my memory.'

'I've been so worried. Are you okay?'

He felt pathetically grateful for someone who cared how he was. 'I guess I am now,' he said.

'What on earth happened?'

'I really don't know. I woke up this morning in the men's room at Union Station, and I spent the day trying to find out who I am.'

'Everyone's been looking for you. Where are you now?'

'At the Smithsonian, in the Aircraft Building.'

'Is someone taking care of you?'

Luke smiled at Will McDermot. 'A fellow scientist has been helping me. And I have a number for Bern Rothsten., But I really don't need taking care of. I'm fine, I just lost my memory.'

Will McDermot stood up, looking embarrassed, and whispered: 'I'm going to give you some privacy. I'll wait outside.'

Luke nodded gratefully.

Elspeth was saying: 'So you don't remember why you took off for Washington in such a hurry.'

'No. Obviously I didn't tell you.'

'You said it was better for me not to know. But I was frantic. I called an old friend of ours in Washington, Anthony Carroll. He's in the CIA.'

'Did he do anything?'

'He called you at the Carlton on Monday night, and you arranged to meet him for breakfast early on Tuesday morning - but you didn't show up. He's been looking for you all day. I'm going to call