“Aaron,” Stone said, “do you wish to harm Pablo?”
“Of course not,” Beck replied.
“Do you wish to invite him to Israel for a chat?”
“I would be happy to extend such an invitation.”
“Do you wish to take him to Israel whether or not he wants to go?”
“Do you really believe we are so ham-fisted as that, Stone?”
Stone smiled. “I have formed the opinion that the Mossad will sometimes go to great lengths to achieve its ends. I am in mind of an assassination in an Arab country that made the news recently, involving numerous Mossad agents carrying stolen passports. On that occasion the Mossad was quite ham-fisted.”
“Let us not revisit the past,” Beck said, spreading his hands. “Why don’t we concentrate on the near future.”
“Why do you wish to speak to Pablo?”
“I’m afraid that my instructions do not allow me to impart that information to anyone but Pablo.”
Their lunch arrived.
“Suppose Pablo agreed to see you with his attorney present?” Stone asked.
“Stone, Pablo is not charged with any crime in Israel; why would he require an attorney?”
“He might require a witness,” Stone said. “And you might be less inclined to press an invitation to your country upon him if an American citizen was present and handcuffed to Pablo.”
“Handcuffed?”
“Metaphorically,” Stone replied. “Let’s get down to brass tacks. What have you to gain from Pablo by such a meeting, and what would Pablo have to gain from it?”
“We wish only to have the answers to some questions,” Beck said. “As for Pablo, he might gain freedom from our attentions in the future.”
“And how long might this conversation last?”
“I’m sure we could conclude it within the same time frame as his discussions with the CIA.”
“And where do you propose that this meeting take place?”
“Perhaps at the offices of our mission?”
“You are assuming that Pablo is still in this country.”
“Yes, but if he is back in Europe, his house in Switzerland would be a satisfactory meeting place.”
“Pablo found his conversations with Lance and his people to be very tiring,” Stone said. “I’m not sure he would wish to endure another such session. How about a nice chat on the phone?”
“I’m afraid I must insist on a face-to-face meeting,” Beck replied.
“Insist?” Stone asked. “And I thought this was going to be a friendly conversation.”
“Forgive my impertinence,” Beck said smoothly.
Stone put down his napkin and polished off his mind. “All I can do, Aaron, is deliver your kind invitation to Pablo, if I should happen to speak to him in the near future.”
“If?”
“I have no way of knowing if he will call again.” Stone stood up. “Thank you for a very good lunch,” he said. “I hope they don’t take it out of your pay.”