'Then what do you need?'
'Wait until the late editions of the morning papers come out and send Jim, the gardener, into Washington to pick up as many different ones as he can lay his hands on. Especially the majors; they'll have their best people on the story and they'll reach other people.'
‘I’ll make out a list for him. Then Kashi will bring them to you.'
It was not until one-thirty in the afternoon that Sabri's wife arrived at the motel in Woodbridge, Virginia. Evan opened the door of Cabin 23, grateful to see that she had driven the gardener's pick-up truck. He had not thought of the diversion, but his two friends from Dubai had known better than to drive his Mercedes past the crowds around his house. While Kendrick held the door, Kashi made rapid second and third trips back to the vehicle, for along with the pile of newspapers from all over the country she brought food. There were sandwiches encased in plastic wrap, two quarts of milk in an ice bucket, four hot plates equally divided between Western and Arab dishes and a bottle of Canadian whisky.
'Kashi, I'm not going to be here for a week,' said Kendrick.
'This is for today and tonight, dear Evan. You are under a great deal of stress and must eat. The box on the table has silverware and metal stands under which you place the Sterno solid fuel for heat. There are also place mats and linen, but if I may, if you must leave here abruptly, please call so I may retrieve the silverware and the linen.'
'Why? Will the quartermaster throw us in the brig?'
‘I am the quartermaster, dear Evan.'
'Thanks, Kashi.'
'You look tired, ya sahbee. You have not rested?'
'No, I've been watching that damned television, and the more I watch, the angrier I get. Rest's hard to come by when you're furious.'
'As my husband says, and I agree with him, you are very effective on television. He also says we must leave you.'
'Why? He said that to me several weeks ago and I don't know why!'
'Of course you do. We are Arabs and you are in a city that distrusts us; you are in a political arena now that does not tolerate us. And we will not bring harm to you.'
'Kashi, this isn't my arena! I'm getting out, I'm sick of it! You say this is a city that doesn't trust you? Why should you be any different? This town doesn't trust anybody! It's a city of liars and shills and phonies, men and women who'll climb over any back with their cleats on to get a little closer to the honey. They're messing around with a damn good system, sucking the blood out of every vein they can tap, proclaiming the patriotic holiness of their causes while the country sits by and applauds what it doesn't know it's paying for! That's not for me, Kashi, I'm out!'
'You're upset—’
'Tell me about it!' Kendrick rushed to the bed and the pile of newspapers.
'Dear Evan,' broke in the Arab wife, as firmly as Kendrick had ever heard her speak. He turned, several papers in his hands. 'Those articles will offend you,' she continued, her dark eyes levelled at his, 'and to speak truthfully there were parts that offended Sabri and myself.'
'I see,' said Kendrick quietly, studying her. 'All Arabs are terrorists. I'm sure it's here in very bold print.'
'Very pointedly, yes.'
'But that's not your point.'
'No. I said you would be offended, but the word is not strong enough. You will be incensed, but before you do anything you cannot take back, please listen to me.'
'For God's sake what is it, Kashi?'
'Thanks to you, my husband and I have attended numerous sessions of your Senate and your House of Representatives. Also, because of you, we've been privileged to witness legal arguments before the justices of your Supreme Court.'
'They're not all exclusively mine. So?'
'What we saw and heard was remarkable. Issues of state, even
