Vanvlanderen, from Palm Springs.'
'So blame a mouth drowned in gin.'
'We're beyond gin, Field Agent Rashad. Andrew Vanvlanderen is one of Langford Jennings's most distinguished contributors—read that as a mother lode for the presidential coffers.'
'That's interesting.'
'Oh, we're even beyond interest. Ardisolda Wojak Montreaux Frazier-Pyke Vanvlanderen, an admittedly gifted and obviously talented administrator, is currently Vice President Orson Bollinger's chief of staff.'
'That's fascinating.'
'I think the situation calls for an informal but nonetheless quite official visit from one of our Middle East specialists—you'll be in southwest Colorado, barely an hour away. I choose you.'
'Good God, MJ, on what basis?'
'Threats were supposedly made against Bollinger and an FBI unit was assigned to him. They kept it quiet—too quiet in my judgment—and now the unit's suddenly recalled, the emergency declared over.'
'Coinciding with the attacks on Fairfax and Mesa Verde?' suggested Khalehla, sharply interrupting.
'It sounds crazy, I know, but it's there. Call it the twitching of an old professional's nostrils, but I detect an odour of amateurish offal drifting out of San Diego.'
'Implicating the Bureau?' asked Rashad, astonished.
'No… Using it. I'm working on an inter-agency interrogation. I intend to interview every member of that unit.'
'You still haven't answered me. What's the reason for my going to San Diego? We're not domestic.'
'The same as mine for questioning the unit. With regard to those threats against Bollinger, we're looking into the possibility of terrorist involvement. The good Lord knows that if we're pressed to reveal tonight's events, we have every justification… I don't know where it is, my dear, but somewhere in this madness there's a connection—and a blond man with a European accent.'
Khalehla glanced around the cabin as she spoke. The two attendants were talking quietly in their seats and Evan was staring blankly out of the window. 'I'll do it, of course, but you're not making my life any easier. It's obvious that my boy had an affair with this Vanvlanderen woman—not that it bothers me but it bothers him.'
'Why? That strikes me as an odd sort of morality. It was a long time ago.'
'You're missing the point, MJ. Sex isn't the morality. He was conned, seduced into almost becoming an international crook, and he can't forget it or forgive himself maybe.'
'Then I'll relieve your concerns for the time being. Kendrick must not be told anything about San Diego at this juncture. In his state of mind God knows what he'd do if he even had an inkling of such a connection, and we don't need any loose cannons. Make up something about an emergency business trip and be convincing. I want you to interrogate that very odd lady from left field. I'll prepare a scenario for you by morning.'
‘I’ll handle it.'
'I trust you brought your hat-switch papers out of Cairo, didn't you?'
'Of course.'
'You may want to use them. We're on extremely thin ice. Incidentally, none of our people know you nor do you know them. If I come up with something, I'll somehow relay it through Weingrass in Colorado… Very thin ice.'
'Even Evan realizes that.'
'May I ask how things are going with you two? I warn you, I'm inordinately fond of him.'
'Let's put it this way. We had a lovely two-bedroom suite at Cable Beach and last night I could hear him pacing the living room outside my door until all hours of the morning. I damn near walked out and ordered him inside.'
'Why didn't you?'
