Donald Kent Eckhardt
Who is Temper? Mary Temperance Link, the captivating daughter of United States Senator Wilson Link, could be described as an adult Nancy Drew or perhaps a youthful Miss Marple--but Temper, a profeminist whose crusades against weapons of mass destruction often exasperate her father, is unique.
The Atomic Hell Puzzle, a compelling tale of romance and mystery right out of the news, is set at the dawn of the new millennium. Wounded Russian pride, economic chaos, and a visceral hatred of NATO have embittered the Russian military. The worldwide action takes place in locations that include Paris, Washington, D.C., Geneva, San Francisco, Aspen, New Orleans, Beverly Hills, and Russia's impenetrable Yamantau Mountain. This story could be described as a puzzle wrapped in a thriller surrounded by a cozy mystery.
With the security of the United States in jeopardy, Temper, her father, astronaut Rowdy Marshall (guarded by his little angel dog), and their cohorts race against time to solve the intriguing puzzle created when vital directed-energy scientists disappear from the Livermore nuclear weapons lab, then Rowdy's grandfather, a venerable United States Senator, is mysteriously assassinated. The sleuths (including Senate staff members Tom Brousard, a hungry cajun, and Kami Walton, a Hawaiian sexpot), set out to unravel the mystery and are ensnared in a SVR (KGB) maelstrom that leads them to ancient Pueblo Indian ruins near Los Alamos, onto the ski slopes of Lake Tahoe and Switzerland, into the depths of the NORAD/USSPACECOM Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, and through the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada's Gold Country. Will the mole LUDLUM or bioterriorists Carlis and Daniella strike again? Can the American people be protected from germ, chemical, or nuclear-armed ICBMs? Has SHAHMAT checkmated NATO?
SVR agent Harrison Starre's infatuation for Temper and her affection for Rowdy serve only to confound the antagonists. Can Temper survive to run for the golden olive wreath and men's world record in the first New York City World Peace Marathon? Track the clues to the story's exciting climax as the sabotaged space shuttle Constitution lifts off from its California spaceport to deploy its crucial payload!
Since earning his doctorate in law from The University of Texas in 1966, the author has practiced law and has served as an attorney-mediator and arbitrator. Many of his articles on alternative dispute resolution have been published. While writing The Atomic Hell Puzzle, the author has lived in California, Washington, D.C., New York, as well as Texas and has traveled extensively in Europe to realistically plot the action and recreate the settings for this novel.
Kami saw that Will, who was sitting directly across the table, was engaged in a deep conversation with one of Senator Marshall's sons. Will was her boss and now her lover too--she did not want to make him mad--but she had a compulsion to put a move on Rowdy. She knew it was stupid, but it had to be done--she had to have him--a sexual marathon with Rowdy; she could almost taste it. Kami alertly spotted Rowdy's napkin fall to the floor, and she recovered it with a mercurial sweep. She replaced it on his lap, then expertly brushed her target and squeezed gently; she felt such control, such power--she wanted to possess him. The shocked expression on Rowdy's face almost caused her to burst into laughter--lucky he didn't choke to death on his drumstick or worse, give her away.
Kami listened intently as Senator Marshall vividly recalled for her benefit the fateful Sunday morning at Pearl Harbor when his ship was attacked and sunk, all others present having already heard the story. World War II! December 7, 1941! He had been on shore leave and was returning to his ship early Sunday morning along the main highway linking Hickham Field to Honolulu to catch the liberty launch to the USS California at 0800 hours. He described the dive bombers beginning to swarm over Ford Island just as he reached Pearl Harbor's main gate. The symbol of the Rising Sun seemed to fill the sky--they were Japanese planes. The vision of black smoke and intense flames billowing from the sinking California, the Arizona, the West Virginia, the Oklahoma. Flames spreading on the water--sailors screaming with pain trying to out-swim the inferno! He rose from his chair and demonstrated how he had leaned over the stern of a fireboat to help an injured sailor climb aboard.
After the Pearl Harbor story, Kami was unable to pay much attention to Senator Marshall's educational account of the War of 1812, even though she had politely asked the question, as Will had suggested; a mental picture of Rowdy covered with olive oil, competing naked like an ancient Olympic athlete, kept forcing its way into her mind. She could hear Senator Marshall saying that the United States had declared war on Britain in large part because the British Navy, which then controlled the seas, was attempting to cut off U.S. trade with Napoleon during Britain's war against France. Kami blew Rowdy a pouting kiss as she excused herself for a visit to the ladies room for some needed facial repair.
When Kami returned, she was annoyed to find that Senator Marshall had invited both Will and Rowdy to his secluded, classic-filled library for some "serious conversation," and she had been excluded. The Senator's sons had adjourned to the tennis court for some timely exercise, and Kami was left to endure the predictable conversation in which she had no immediate interest.
After securing the massive mahogany doors, lighting his well-worn brier pipe, and pouring his guests their after-dinner cognac, Senator Marshall's expression changed from that of a gracious host with infectious Christmas spirit to that of a gravely concerned United States Senator.
"Will, what I'm goin' to tell you an' Bannister IV here may cause both of you to think I'm gettin' senile," Senator Marshall said with his pipe clenched in his teeth. "Don't! I know what I'm sayin'. I can sense it. It's like a massive jigsaw puzzle, with important pieces missin' and no picture to see. I've been pickin' up bits of information from the alphabet soup--CIA, FBI, NSA, DARPA, Space Command, and others. They're as coordinated as a couple dancin' together, each one steppin' to a different beat, and Congress is worse. We've no time to handle truly national problems as the foundin' fathers envisioned. National defense gets lost in the pork barrel, buried by an onslaught of do-gooder programs. Hell, the Executive Branch spends all its time tryin' to plug leaks and fool the media. After 38 years in the Senate, I have a nose for trouble. I can smell it! It's like death and fear--and tobaccah; it has its own distinctive odor. Somethin' strange and sinister is happenin'," he said in an almost frightened tone, causing Will and Rowdy to lean forward with anticipation. "Those Russians are up to no good, but there's more to it than that. I can't quite put my finger on it, yet. The buclons, as Temper calls 'em, ain't put it all together yet either. Will, some of the missin' puzzle pieces were supplied by Number IV here and my friend Arkady; I'm gettin' close, and it scares me."
"But Grandfather," Rowdy interjected, "I only told you this morning about the missing scientists. What is your puzzle I've helped solve?"
"Yes, Senator," broke in Will, who had been listening intently and patiently, but could no longer stand the suspense, "what is it you've deduced?"
Senator Marshall didn't respond immediately; his mind lapsed into deep thought, as he mumbled, "If only we could see the whole mosaic." Several seconds passed before Senator Marshall banged his pipe upside down into the ash tray and spoke authoritatively: "The CIA and National Security Agency keep pickin' up the word SHAHMAT in those coded transmissions from the Russian Embassy in Washington and their Lourdes spy center near Havana. It's like a global chess game. Somethin' big is brewin' in Moscow, and I believe there's a great deception bein' perpetrated right here in our own government. I don't like it; I've got to find out what's goin' on. I'll bet my last can of tobaccah it's some kind of a Bolshevik plan. It's that General Romanev fella, even if nobody in our government seems to think he's in control; I don't trust him as far as I can throw a tank. Time may be runnin' out!" he said with great concern. "I'm bettin' pieces are bein' moved to their final positions. Early tomorrah mornin' at my office; I'll find the answers I need--I bet I've had 'em all the time. Will, when I put it all together I'm gonna get all my Armed Services Committee members back to the Hill for an emergency meetin'. I plan to contact the President tomorrah! I sure hope he's on the right side; some funny things are goin' on, and I'm gonna get to the bottom of 'em if it kills me. Will, can you be in my office in the mornin' at nine-thirty? I think maybe you should join me at the White House."
"Of course, Senator, but can't you tell us more now?" Will asked with frustration. "What do you suspect?"
"Come on, Grandfather, don't leave us hanging. No one will get any sleep tonight," Rowdy pleaded. "I'm going straight away to Los Alamos; I won't be here tomorrow."
"I've a few more ideas to think through before I tell y'all my theories; wait till I'm ready--I've a couple things I'm gonna verify. If it all fits, and I suspect it will, we may have to act swiftly and courageously, if there's still time. Number IV, I need more information about those directed-energy fellas; I'll call you in Los Alamos."
Will and Rowdy continued to exhort the Senator to divulge more information, but answers to all inquiries were postponed.
Kami was relieved to see Will and Rowdy finally emerge from the study. As Will thanked Senator Marshall and his family for a delightful Christmas dinner, Kami pressed her goodbyes on a very uneasy Rowdy; then she and Will departed.
Will carefully navigated the Spindrift into its berth along the north shore of Pocahontas Creek. He was still deep in thought, reflecting on the uncharacteristic sense of national emergency portrayed by Senator Marshall. During the ride across Chesapeake Bay, Kami had inquisitively tried to find out what had so quickly dampened the spirit of their Christmas Day outing and why Will's mood was so somber. Will would tell her only that Senator Marshall thought he had pieced together what could be a dangerous Russian plan, like a global chess game, and that after confirming his suspicions early tomorrow morning at his office, Senator Marshall planned to confer with the President. Kami astutely asked Will only a few more questions, and there was little conversation during the 45-minute drive back to Washington. She sensed that Will wanted to be alone, and they mutually agreed that it would be better for her to spend the night at her Foggy Bottom apartment rather than Will's home in Georgetown. What had started as a festive, happy holiday, had ended as an unusually tense and mysteriously ominous Christmas Day.
