Black Ops (Presidential Agent 5)

"I was about to say there's something you don't know about Charley," Davidson said.

"Is there?"

"You know the Bible verse 'Whither thou goest . . .' ?"

"Yes, of course." She looked at Charley again. "It's in Ruth. 'For whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people . . .' "

"That's it," Davidson said.

Castillo, who knew what was coming next, looked uncomfortable.

"Well, Simply Susan, so far as Charley goes, our version says, 'For whither Charley goest, Lester and I goest, and where Charley lodgest, Lester and I lodge, etcetera.'"

"You are mocking Holy Scripture!" she snapped, and looked to Castillo for help.

Castillo held up his hands in a gesture of helplessness.

"What is this all about?" Susan demanded angrily.

"Simply Susan, you're a formidable female," Davidson said. "Maybe the most formidable female I've ever met. But you're not in the same league as General Scotty McNab. And my orders from him are not to let Charley out of my sight. Amen."

"There's an exception in there for closed bedroom doors," Castillo said.

"Right," Davidson agreed. "I guess McNab would go along with that."

"And how long is that going to last?" Susan asked.

"Until, Simply Susan," Castillo began, then looked at Barlow--"Forgive me, Tom, I know I promised not to talk business"--he turned back to Susan--"until we come back from Africa. Then Jack can go back to his usual duties of pulling the wings off flies and teasing beautiful women."

"Susan," she said. "Not Simply Susan."

"Whatever you prefer," Castillo said magnanimously.

Susan mentally gathered her arguments, then earnestly began: "There is absolutely no reason for them to be here. You have seen the security. . . ."

"I think," Barlow said, smiling, "that we are about to see the irresistible force meet the unmovable object."

"I'm not going to get in the middle of this," Munz said. "Tom, slide that phone to me, please? I'll call my wife and tell her I'm coming home."

Barlow did, and Munz reached for the telephone. His hand was almost on it when it rang. He was so startled that he pulled back his hand for a moment before picking up the handset.

"Yes?" Munz said into it. He nodded at the reply, as if he expected it. He met Castillo's curious eyes and said, "Please escort Comandante Duffy here," and hung up.

Castillo was reminded once again that Munz was not in the habit of asking for his permission--or even advice--before taking what he thought was the appropriate action.

"Jesus Christ, Alfredo. Couldn't you have stalled him until we figure out how to deal with him?"

"Karl, I've given how to deal with him some thought. And we might as well find out here and now if what I intend to do is going to work."

"That's the policeman who was at the airfield?" Susan asked.

"The gendarmeria comandante," Munz corrected her. He smiled at Davidson and added, "A formidable man. If he's so inclined, he can cause us a great deal of trouble. He is smart, honest, and a patriot. For people in our business, that combination often spells trouble."

"Before you just do it," Castillo said more than a little sarcastically, "you're going to tell us how we're to deal with him, right?"

Munz nodded, the sarcasm apparently lost on him. "As best I can, Karl. Basically, what I'm going to do is follow your advice: 'When all else fails, tell the truth.' "

Castillo bit off the reply that came to his lips. Now was not the time to get in a scrap with Munz.