By Order of the President (Presidential Agent 1)

“He wants me to come to Cozumel.”

“He’s in Cozumel?”

And doesn’t want the FBI—for that matter, anybody, but especially the FBI—to know.

But Hall has every right to know.

“Yes, sir. And he says he’s almost positive he knows where what we’re looking for can be found.”

“But he wouldn’t tell you where? And he wants you to go to Cozumel?”

“No, sir, he wouldn’t tell me. And, yes, sir, he wants me to go to Cozumel.”

“He didn’t say why?”

“No, sir, he didn’t. I think I’d better go, sir.”

“And what about General McNab?”

“After I see General McNab, sir, and presuming nothing turns up there that would shoot down Cozumel.”

“That’s a pretty bad choice of words, Charley.”

“Sorry, sir.”

Castillo thought he heard Secretary Hall exhale.

“Charley,” Hall said, “when I said I wanted you to keep me in the loop I meant it.”

“Yes, sir. I understand. I will, sir.”

“You didn’t tell me about your run-in with the FBI,” Hall said, flatly. “I had to hear that from Joel.”

“I thought I’d see what Joel could do first, sir. I didn’t want to bother you.”

“Bother me? Jesus Christ, Charley, we’re running out of time!”

“I understand, sir.”

&n

bsp; “I’m not sure you do. Tomorrow morning—this morning, when I meet with the mayor at half past nine, I’m going to have to tell him.”

“Sir, I thought we had until four something in the afternoon. ”

“The president said I’m to inform the mayor this morning. He said the mayor has the right to know. Which means I have to ask—more accurately, beg—the mayor for a little time before he pushes the panic button. And I’d like to be able to tell him something more than we’re looking for the airplane and hope to find it.”

“Jesus!”

“Like I said, we’re running out of time,” Hall said. “But the reason I called: When Joel came to me with your yarn about the FBI’s intransigent stupidity, taking you at your word, I got Mark Schmidt out of bed. Taking me at mine, Schmidt seems as angry as you were. He told me that he would deal with it personally. You should be hearing from the special agent in charge of their Philadelphia office any minute. If you don’t hear from him in the next fifteen minutes, call me.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Call me in fifteen minutes, whether or not you hear from them.”

“Yes, sir.”

[FOUR]