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“He’s going to free your men,” she explained, “and bring them here. After you have explained the change in the situation, we’ll give them their weapons, and then Carlito will show you the helicopter and ask your suggestions vis-à-vis how it should be used.”
“What helicopter?” Juan Carlos asked.
“A Policía Federal Black Hawk,” Castillo said simply, and sipped his coffee as he watched Pena’s face change expression.
[TWO]
The Oval Office
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
1005 20 April 2007
Supervisory Secret Service Agent Robert J. Mulligan pushed open the door and announced, “Mr. President, His Excellency Raul Vargas, ambassador of the United States of Mexico to the United States, and Secretary of State Natalie Cohen.”
President Clendennen rose from behind his desk and with a cordial smile and his hand extended walked toward Vargas—a tall, olive-skinned, elegantly dressed man with a carefully trimmed pencil-line mustache—and the secretary of State.
“How nice to see you again, Mr. Ambassador,” he said.
“The pleasure is entirely mine, Mr. President,” Vargas replied.
“Secretary Cohen tells me you’re carrying a letter for me?”
“Yes, I am, Mr. President,” Vargas said.
He took a business-size envelope from his jacket pocket and handed it over.
“Please have a seat, Mr. Ambassador, while I read what my friend Ramón has to say.”
He indicated one of the couches, turned to Clemens McCarthy, and ordered, “Get the ambassador some coffee, McCarthy.”
McCarthy in turn gestured more than a little imperiously to Mulligan, who in turn gestured, even more imperiously, to Special Agent Douglas.
“May I sit, Mr. President?” Secretary Cohen asked.
Clendennen waved in the general direction of the couch as he sat down at his desk but did not otherwise respond. The President then tore open the envelope, took out the letter it contained, and began to read it:Ramón Manuel Martinez
Mexico City D.F. 19 April 2007
My Dear Joshua:
Ambassador McCann was kind enough to personally deliver your letter of 18th April, and I hasten to reply.
I am of course anxious to do what I can to see that Colonel Ferris is returned safely to his family. I fully agree with your belief that interrogation of Félix Abrego by Mexican law enforcement authorities will be quite helpful in identifying those responsible for his kidnapping and the murder of the other American officers.
To this end, I have instructed the Oaxaca State Prison officials to be prepared to receive Félix Abrego when he is delivered there by your Marshals, and to make him available for interrogation by Mexican officials.
Further, as soon as I can contact—at the moment, he’s not available—Señor Juan Carlos Pena, chief of the Policía Federal for Oaxaca State, I will direct him to call Ambassador McCann to coordinate with your Marshals the moving of Abrego to the Oaxaca State Prison, and to personally supervise his interrogation.
If there is anything else I can do, please let me know.
With warm personal regards,
Ramón
