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“They don’t think much of you in Angola, do they?” he asked.
“Sir,” Master Sergeant Perez’s voice came over the intercom. “General Potter is in conference with General Naylor. It’s going to take at least another forty-five minutes. Shall I set it up for then?”
“No. Call General Naylor’s office, Omar, and tell Sergeant Whatsisname that I have to see General Naylor and General Potter right now and that Major Miller and I are on our way over there. Got it?”
"Yes, sir.”
[FIVE]
“Hey, Allan. What’s up?” the secretary of Homeland Security asked, over the secure telephone in his office, the commanding general, U.S. Central Command, who was sitting at his secure telephone in the small room off the conference room of his headquarters.
“One question, Matt.”
“Shoot.”
“Did the president send Charley to Luanda, Angola?”
“Damn,” Hall said, and then asked, “Where’d you hear that?”
“From Major H. Richard Miller, Jr., formerly the CIA station chief in Luanda.”
“Formerly the CIA station chief?”
“He was relieved for cause and sent back here.”
“He’s in Tampa?”
“He’s in Tampa. He got here just now, and, just before, we got a TWX from DIA saying he had been relieved for cause. ‘Cause’ apparently meaning everything from a serious breach of security to conduct unbecoming.”
“That sonofabitch!” Hall said.
“You’re not referring to Major Miller?” Naylor said, testily.
“No, I am not,” Hall said. “Major Miller is one of the good guys, Allan.”
“I’m really happy to hear that,” Naylor said. “You going to tell me what’s going on?”
“Not right now,” Hall said after a moment’s hesitation. “Did DIA tell you what you’re supposed to do with him?”
“DIA can’t tell me what—or what not—to do. But their TWX said that I would be furnished with the results of an investigation that will begin immediately. I had the feeling they will be disappointed if I don’t nail him to a cross,” Naylor said.
“Nothing like that is going to happen,” Hall said, firmly. “What I’d like you to do, Allan, is send him up here. Is there any reason you can’t do that?”
“Not that it matters, but officially or unofficially?”
“Whichever is easiest for you.”
“Where do I tell him to go?”
“Can you get him a cell phone? Or does he have one?”
“If he doesn’t, I’ll see that he gets one.”
“Get the number to me. And give him my personal number, to be used only if he thinks he has to.”
“Okay.”
“And tell him the key to Charley’s apartment will be waiting for him at the Mayflower’s front desk. Tell him to hang around the apartment as much as possible, that I’ll contact him if—when—I need him.”
