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Kennedy smiled. “Nice choice of stemware.”
“This place is filled with prudes and teetotalers. It’s not like the old days, I’ll tell you that.”
Kennedy held up her mug. “To the old days.”
Wicka raised her mug and clanged it against Kennedy’s. “Although, I suppose in the old days they would have never let us out of the secretarial pool.”
“That’s right.”
“Well, screw the old days.” Wicka pointed toward the fireplace and two waiting chairs. “I saw in the paper today Stu Garret drowned while vacationing in Central America.”
“Costa Rica,” Kennedy offered.
Wicka took the chair on the right and studied Kennedy for a moment. Finally, she offered, “The man was a real jerk.”
Kennedy pursed her lips while she thought of an appropriate response. She got the sense Wicka might know more than she was letting on. “He had a knack for getting under people’s skin.”
“He sure did.” Wicka took a drink and said, “I hear you’re leaving for Iraq in the morning?”
“Yes.”
“Be careful.”
“I always am.”
“I mean extra careful. I don’t trust the Iranians.”
Kennedy brought the mug up to her lips but didn’t take a drink. “I’ve found Ashani to be a pretty reasonable person to deal with.”
“I don’t know him, but he’s not the one I’m worried about. It’s that little Amatullah who scares the heck out of me.” Wicka took a drink of brandy. “Why is it that these wacky dictators are all short?”
“Coincidence.” Kennedy took a sip. “Saddam was over six feet tall.”
“What about Hitler? He couldn’t have been more than five ten.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Pol Pot, Kim Jong Il, Chairman Mao.”
“What about Stalin? I don’t think he was short.”
“Well…whatever it is, I don’t trust Amatullah. Just be very careful while you’re over there. Especially after I put on my little performance in New York tomorrow. They are not going to like being embarrassed like that.”
“No, they won’t, but that’s why I’m going over there to offer them the olive branch.”
“Don’t forget that men like Amatullah don’t want peace. They need us as an enemy to stay in power.”
“True, and that’s why I’m the one making the trip and not you. There’s nothing official about this. Not until they agree to keep a leash on Hezbollah.”
“I’m not saying I don’t agree with the plan. I do. I’m saying be careful.”
Kennedy smiled. “I will. So what can I help you with for tomorrow?”
23
MOSUL, IRAQ
The sun was dropping beyond the horizon as the G-5 descended out of a patch of wispy clouds. The city