The Hostage (Presidential Agent 2)

"Sherlock, this is the President."

"Jesus Christ!" Castillo blurted.

"No. Just the President," the President chuckled. "And I'm glad I did, Sherlock. I could not have asked for a more succinct and comprehensive report, and I know that any report that came close to being as good as the one you just gave Secretary Hall would have taken a lot more time to reach me."

"Sir, I'm sorry-"

"No need to be, Charley. I have just one question."

"Sir?"

"What about Mr. Masterson? Is he-and their children-being protected?"

"Yes, sir. Mr. Darby-he and Mr. Masterson are close-told me that he's having some of his people sit on Mr. Masterson, hopefully without his being aware that this is going on. And there's Argentine cops and SIDE people all over, too."

"Their FBI?"

"Yes, sir. Much like it. Both Mr. Santini and Mr. Darby tell me they're good at what they do."

"When you see Ambassador Silvio in the morning, you might tell him of my concern."

"Yes, sir, I will."

"Well, I guess that's it," the President said. "You're doing what I sent you down there to do, Charley, and doing it well."

"Thank you, sir."

"Mrs. Hall wants me to pass on her regards, and I'm sure my wife would like to add hers."

"Yes, sir."

"Goodnight, Charley," the President said. "Interesting guy," the President observed.

"And a very nice one," Mrs. Janice Hall said. "You could hear his concern for that poor woman and the family in his voice."

"Until she actually met him, Janice could not stand men to whom women are drawn like moths to a candle."

"You can go to hell, Matt," Mrs. Hall said.

"I think sending him down there was one of my better ideas," the President said, and then added, "As was leaving him with Matt."

"Excuse me?" the first lady asked.

"When he got that airplane back, my first thought was to bring him into the White House. Then I realized that wouldn't be smart. Can you imagine what pressure would be on him if he worked here? Everybody in this building would be trying to (a) control him, and (b) keep him off my phone and out of the Oval Office. Having him working for Matt fixes all of that." [SEVEN] Room 1550 The Four Seasons Hotel Cerrito 1433 Buenos Aires, Argentina 0625 23 July 2005 Castillo had left a call for seven-which would give him two hours to get dressed, have breakfast, and get to the embassy by half past nine-and when he glanced at his watch as he reached for the ringing telephone and saw what time it was, he felt a chill. It was too much to hope this call was going to be good news.

"?Hola?"

"Castillo?" It was Darby's voice, not at all charming.

"Yes."

"You didn't answer your cellular," Darby accused.

"What's up?"

"There will be a car waiting for you by the time you can get downstairs."