The Hostage (Presidential Agent 2)

"Good morning," Castillo said.

She acknowledged his presence with a slight inclination of her head and the faintest of smiles.

Yesterday she looked sick. Today she looks bitter. And more than a little wary. She obviously would prefer that I not be here. What the hell is she hiding?

"Mrs. Masterson," Castillo said, "this is Special Agent Schneider of the Secret Service. If you have no objection, she'll be with you and the children."

"Hello," Mrs. Masterson said, with a smile that looked genuine. She put out her hand.

"I'm very sorry about your husband, Mrs. Masterson," Special Agent Schneider said.

"Thank you. Would you be offended- What do I call you?"

"Betty would be fine, ma'am."

"Would you be offended, Betty, if I said you're not what comes to mind when you hear 'Secret Service'?"

"Not at all."

Betsy Masterson turned to Silvio.

"I heard a doctor tell a nurse-I guess they think I don't speak Spanish-something about a ceremony at the Catedral Metropolitana. What's that all about?"

"Actually, it's the reason I'm here, Betsy," Silvio replied. "What the Argentine government wants to do is to place Jack's casket in the cathedral-to have him lie in state, in other words, with an honor guard-let the public pay their respects tonight and tomorrow morning, and then, in connection with a memorial mass to be celebrated by the papal nuncio, to award Jack the Grand Cross of the Great Liberator. Either the President or the foreign minister-probably the President-will do that. It's quite an honor."

"Jack didn't like either one of them," she said, then immediately added, "I shouldn't have said that."

"You can say anything you want to say," Silvio said.

"Am I expected to participate in this?"

"All you would have to do is be there, and that's entirely up to you, Betsy. Mr. Castillo and I are agreed that it's your decision. The entire diplomatic corps will be there."

"In other words, it would be what Jack would call a command performance?" she asked, but it was a statement, not a question.

"Jack had a good many friends in the diplomatic corps," Silvio said.

"When Jack thought it was in the interests of the United States, he could make the devil himself think they were close friends," she said.

"That's true," Silvio said, with a smile.

"Jack would want me to participate in something like this, so okay."

"To repeat myself, Betsy, that's entirely up to you."

"Not really," she said. "My father would not understand my not participating. It's always been duty first with him, too. He used to say-and I don't think he was joking-that a diplomat should be like a Jesuit priest, who gives up his personal life and comfort to serve something far more important. And we both know Jack went along with that notion. Which brings me to my family. Have they been told what's happened?"

"I spoke with Ambassador Lorimer shortly after I saw you yesterday," Silvio said. "I didn't get into your abduction, just… what happened to Jack."

"What exactly did you tell him?"

"That Jack had been assassinated by parties unknown," Silvio said. "I'm aware of Ambassador Lorimer's physical condition-"

"That was the right thing to do. Thank you."

"He wanted to telephone, but I told him-I guess this is a diplomatic obfuscation; I really believed it was in a good cause-that you had been sedated, and it

probably would be best to wait until you felt yourself again, at which time you would call him."