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“Yes.”
“Why?” Lonsdale asked with suspicion.
“It’s not what you think.”
“It better not be. Because if I get behind this guy and the CIA finds out he’s gay and my gay chief of staff is the man he went to, we could have some problems.”
“Babs, I have no idea if he’s gay or straight. I remembered him because he voiced some concerns to me about the CIA and their interrogation methods.”
“He better not be gay.”
“I don’t see how it matters.”
“It probably doesn’t, but I want you to find out. You know I hate surprises.” Lonsdale took a drag and then exhaled. “And these bastards won’t go down without a fight.”
“No…they most certainly won’t.”
“Please don’t tell me you think I should pass on this?”
“No, I just think you should tread carefully.”
“Ralph, according to what you just told me, Rapp assaulted this officer.”
“Black eye and a severely sprained wrist. Possible ligament damage. The doctor told him it would have been better if he’d broken it.”
“Did the doctor take photos?”
“I don’t know. I’m sure he took an X-ray.”
“I mean photos of his eye…swelling on his wrist…that type of stuff.”
“I don’t know.”
“He told you e-mail was the best way to get ahold of him?”
“Yes.”
“Send him an e-mail and tell him to take some photos and send them back.”
Wassen took a step back and braced himself for his boss’s rage. “I’m not sure he’ll be willing to do that.”
“Why?” Lonsdale asked tersely.
“He doesn’t want this to look like he came to us. He wants us to investigate it from our end as if we’d picked up on a rumor.”
Lonsdale frowned. “That’s silly.”
“Not really. Not if he wants to have a career in the air force.”
“I think I can call in enough favors with the chairman of the Armed Services Committee to get him any job he wants.”
“Posting, Babs. That’s what they call it in the military.”
Lonsdale ignored him. “We need to get him to make an official statement of some sort. Who do we have over there who we could trust?”
“Babs,” Wassen half shouted, “you’re not listening to me, and if you knew anything about the military you’d understand why he doesn’t want to be the one who comes forward…who files an official complaint.”
“Ralph, I know this is going to come as a real surprise to you, but I don’t give a shit. I have been handed Mitch Rapp’s balls on a platter, and I’m not going to let go. You tell this guy he either fills out an official complaint or I’ll consider him part of a cover-up.”
