“Sir, just as soon as I can I’m going to be on a plane to Paris.”
“You mean now?”
“If that would be possible, sir.”
“Actually, I’ve been wanting to have a private word with you, too,” Montvale said, thoughtfully. “And this would seem to be one of those fortuitous circumstances.”
“Thank you, sir,” Castillo said.
“Especially since General Naylor is here,” Montvale went on.
“Excuse me?” Naylor said.
“We could go to the situation room and use the bubble, but I’m afraid that the three of us going there would attract attention. Wouldn’t you agree, General? Someone would decide that something is going on that they should know about.”
“Mr. Ambassador,” Naylor said, “my aide is waiting outside with a car to take me to Andrews. Just as soon as I can get away from here I’m going back to Tampa.”
“So far as getting away from here is concerned,” Montvale said, “our role in tonight’s events is over. The President has moved on to other things on his agenda. And if something unexpected comes up, he knows how to find us. I really don’t want to waste the next couple of hours smiling at people I don’t really like.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Naylor confessed, smiling.
“I know,” Montvale said. “The Army and Navy Club. We could talk there. Could I impose and suggest we go there?”
“Mr. Ambassador, I really have to get back to Tampa,” Naylor said.
“General, I just saved us from two hours—at least—of smiling at people we don’t like. Can’t you spare me thirty minutes? I’d really like for you
to be there when the colonel and I have our little chat.”
“Yes, of course,” Naylor said.
“Playing the game, I suggest we leave in our own vehicles,” Montvale said as they approached the portico.
“Secretary Hall brought me here,” Castillo said. “May I ride with you, General?”
“You can use the pool,” Montvale said.
“Sir?”
Montvale answered by speaking to one of the Secret Service uniformed police guards at the door.
“We’ll need my car, General Naylor’s, and Colonel Castillo will need one from the pool,” he ordered.
“Yes, sir,” the guard said. Then he spoke to his lapel microphone. “Send up Big Eye’s car, Tampa One’s car, and one from the pool for Don Juan.” Then he turned to Montvale. “They’ll be right here, sir,” he said.
Thirty seconds later, a dark blue GMC Yukon XL pulled up.
“I’ll wait for you in the lobby,” Montvale said to Naylor. “All right?”
“That’ll be fine.”
As Montvale got in the Yukon, a dark blue Chevrolet Suburban pulled up behind it.
A full colonel wearing the insignia of an aide-de-camp got out of the front passenger’s seat as a staff sergeant came out from behind the wheel to snatch the covers from the four-star bumper plates.
Castillo, as a reflex action, saluted the colonel.
“Jack, take the car to the Army-Navy Club,” Naylor said. “I’ll ride with Maj…Colonel Castillo.”