Well, at least those who had never been in the real thing called it that. Captain Jack also learned that, shockingly, one movie star was actually leaving his wife for another movie star. And then he read of the revelation that a rock musician had been found lip-synching during a live concert. And that a car bombing had killed three Israelis in that never-ending struggle. Retribution would be swift, proclaimed Israeli officials. Yes, it would, Captain Jack knew. You didn’t screw with the Israelis. Captain Jack was a very brave, battle-scarred man. Yet even he avoided directly antagonizing the Israelis.
Buried in the far back pages of the newspaper, Captain Jack read how AIDS in Africa continued to kill millions. He next skimmed an article on how civil wars on that continent had claimed millions more. Half the world lived in complete poverty, stated another story. Thousands of children were dying every day simply because they had nothing in their bellies.
Captain Jack put down the paper. He was not much of a moralist; he’d killed many people in his lifetime. If there was a heaven and a hell, he knew where his eternal lodgings would be.
He heard the children first, but didn’t look in that direction. Next he listened to the swing being swung, and then the whirligig started going round and round. He smiled at the screams of delight from the young ones.
Finally, the sounds of the children quieted down. More minutes passed, and then he heard car doors open and close. Next he listened to the footsteps coming toward him. They were measured, calm treads. Then came a slight squeak from the bench directly behind his as the person sat down. He immediately lifted up his paper.
“I think the Steelers could go all the way this year, don’t you?” he said.
“No, my money is on the Patriots,” the other replied.
“Are you sure?”
“I am very sure of what I say. If I were in doubt, I would say nothing.”
With their identifying code out of the way, Captain Jack got down to business.
“Things are good with the Franklins?”
“Yes, very good,” Djamila replied.
“Routines all square, no curves thrown at you?”
“Their life is simple. He works all the time. She plays all the time.”
He caught the edge behind her words. “Oh, you think so?”
“I know so.” She paused and added, “Americans disgust me.”
“Do they, now?”
“They’re pigs! They are evil, all of them!”
He said one word in Arabic that froze Djamila.
“Listen to me,” Captain Jack said firmly. “A few Americans are bad and a few Muslims are bad. But most want to live in peace and relative happiness, make a home, have a family, pray to God and die with dignity.”
“They destroy my country! They say Iraq is united with Al Qaeda and Taliban. That is insane. Hussein and bin Laden were mortal enemies; we all know that. And fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers, they are Saudis. Yet I do not see American tanks roll down streets of Riyadh, only Baghdad.”
“Deposing a man they helped keep in power, I know. But Iraq doesn’t own a chunk of America as the Saudis do. Besides, all ‘great’ civilizations slaughter others who stand in their way. You can talk to the American Indians about that one. But if you want to hear about Muslim cruelty against other Muslims, go see the Kurds.”
“You tell me this. You tell me this now! Why? Why!”
Captain Jack’s voice was calm but still very firm. “Because the anger you mistake for passion is the one thing that could destroy all that we’ve worked for. I need you to focus, not hate. Hate makes you do irrational things. I do not tolerate irrational thinking, do you understand me?”
There was silence.
“Do you?”
Djamila finally said, “Yes.”
“The plan has changed. It’s actually a little cleaner now. I want you to listen very carefully. And then you will practice this new routine, over and over until you can do it in your sleep.”
When he finished telling her of the new details, she said, “Like you say, it is easier. It is the way I would go to the Franklins’ house.”
“Exactly. But we have to account for everything. On
“‘A storm is coming,’” Djamila answered. “But I do not think it will be necessary.”
“But if it
She hesitated, then asked, “And if the storm comes?”
“Then you will do what you were brought here to do. But if they catch up to you” — he paused — “you will have your reward. As a
Djamila smiled as she gazed at a point in the cloudy sky where a bit of the sun was easing through. No one had ever referred to her as a
She was still staring at this spot when Captain Jack left.
He’d learned enough.
CHAPTER
28
“I THOUGHT THE CASE WAS closed,” Jackie Simpson said as she and Alex drove away from WFO in his car.
“I never said that.”
“The Bureau found the drugs; you filed your report. You said you were going back to catching counterfeiters and standing post. I remember it pretty clearly because it’s when you also gave me that fabulous career advice.”
“I got a call from Anne Jeffries last night. She said the drugs were bullshit. She threatened to sue us.”
“She’s full of crap. And she can’t sue us for doing our job. Hell, it’s not like we planted the heroin in Johnson’s house.”
Alex glanced over at her. “But what if someone else did?”
She stared back at him skeptically. “Planted drugs? Why?”
“That’s for us to find out. Right from the get-go this case hasn’t made sense.”
“It makes perfect sense if you accept the fact that Patrick Johnson made a ton of money dealing drugs; he was getting married and didn’t see a way out.”
“If he didn’t see a way out, why did he agree to get married in the first place?”
“Maybe despite her dowdy looks, little Annie is Superwoman in bed and wouldn’t give it up anymore without a ring on her finger. So he pops the question and then has second thoughts. He feels trapped and decides the only way out is to bite the bullet.”
“You’re joking, right?”
“You don’t know a lot about women, do you?”
“Meaning what exactly?”
“Meaning that being only a man’s lust repository gets a little old after a while. Women want permanent relationships of the diamond variety. Men want conquests.”
“Thanks for stereotyping the entire human race; it was very informative.”
“Well, here’s another theory for you: Johnson was dealing drugs, but with his marriage he wanted to quit the business. It’s not the sort of business you just walk away from. As a wedding gift his associates gave him a bullet instead of a toaster.”
“On the island where he had his first date? How would they have known?”
“Maybe from Anne Jeffries, the lady who is now protesting so much that her sweetie was never involved in drugs.”
“So she’s lying to us?”
