The Shooters (Presidential Agent 4)

"There is a picture of the boy at the Double-Bar-C. On a table next to your grandmother's chair in the living room. With pictures of your father and your cousin and you, all as boys. The boy looks like your father as a boy. I asked who he was, and she said that he was General Wilson's grandson and told me who General Wilson was, and then she said, 'He's an adorable child. I often wish he was my grandson.' And there were tears in her eyes, Karl." He paused. "She knows."

Castillo shook his head.

"How terrible for you!" Pevsner said. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't have a fucking clue, Alek."

Pevsner gripped Castillo's shoulder firmly in what Castillo recognized as genuine sympathy.

The left of the double doors to the house opened and Corporal Lester Bradley came out. He held the radio handset.

"Saved by the Marine Corps once again," Castillo said.

"Sir?"

"What have you got, Lester?"

"Colonel Torine, sir. He's on the Gipper."

Castillo gestured for him to give him the handset. The legend on the small screen flashed: COL TORINE ENCRYPTION ENABLED.

"And how are things on the high seas, Jake?" Castillo said into the handset.

"You wouldn't believe how big this mobile airfield is, Charley."

"And how are you getting along with the admiral?"

"I'm going to have breakfast with him shortly. He's a little confused."

"How's that?"

"He somehow had the idea that I was bringing a letter to him from Ambassador Montvale, for whom I work."

"And you didn't have a letter? I guess you talked to Miller?"

"I seem to have misplaced the letter, but I didn't want to admit that to the admiral. But I did clear up his misunderstanding about who I work for."

"How'd you do that?"

"I told him that I worked for you. And who you work for. And under what authority."

"That was necessary?"

"I thought so, Charley. Wrong move?"

"I guess it couldn't be helped. Did he believe you?"

"Not until I suggested he could get that confirmed at the source."

"You called the President?"

"I got as far as getting the White House switchboard on here. When the admiral heard the White House operator say, 'Good evening, Colonel Torine,' the admiral said he didn't think it would be necessary to disturb the President."

"Good move, Jake."

"I also told the admiral my orders were to keep you advised of our position every four hours. Aside from coming right out and telling the admiral not to launch the birds-which I don't think Montvale would dare do-I think that's the end of the Montvale problem."

"And there goes the star he promised you for changing sides, Jake."