By Order of the President (Presidential Agent 1)

What color beret does General McNab wear these days? Black or green?

Whatever color pleases him, obviously.

“No,” Castillo said. “What you can do is point me in the direction of the booze and send the sergeant home.”

“Yes, sir,” the aide said, not quite able to conceal his surprise at Castillo’s abruptness.

Castillo picked up on it.

Jesus Christ, what’s the matter with me?

“Sergeant, I’ve had a bad day,” Castillo said. “What I’m going to do is have one drink and then get in bed. There’s no sense in you sticking around for that.”

“Yes, sir,” the sergeant asked. “Sir, what are your breakfast plans?”

“Nothing beyond a cup of coffee. Is there a coffee machine in the kitchen?”

“Yes, sir. But I’d be happy . . .”

“Is there someplace I can call you if I need you?”

“The number of the protocol office is taped to the telephones, sir, if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Sergeant,” Castillo said and smiled at him.

When the sergeant had gone, Castillo looked at Captain Brewster.

“I didn’t mean to snap at the sergeant,” Castillo said.

“I’m sure there’s no problem, sir,” Captain Brewster said.

“I can fix myself a drink and get in bed by myself, Captain, ” Castillo said. “There’s no reason for you to stick around, either.”

“I can stick around outside the suite if that would make you more comfortable, sir, but . . .”

“But General Gonzalez said stay with him, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

Castillo walked into the small kitchen, where he had seen a line of bottles on a counter under the closets.

“I know how that is. I been dere, done dat, got duh T-shirt,” Castillo said.

Captain Brewster smiled.

“You want one of these?” Castillo asked, holding up a bottle of scotch.

“I better not.”

&n

bsp; “As one dog robber to another, I won’t tell your general.”

“ ‘Dog robber’?”

“General McNab told me, when I was wearing the rope,” Castillo said, touching his shoulder where the aiguillette of aides-de-camp hung from the epaulets of dress uniforms, “that when he had worn the rope as a young officer aides-de-camp were known as ‘dog robbers’ because they were expected to do whatever was required, including robbing from dogs, to make their general happy.”

“I never heard that,” Brewster said, smiling. Then he nodded at the bottle Castillo was holding. “Okay. Why not? Thank you.”