Page 55 of The Atlas Maneuver

“I doubt it.”

“He’s a liar.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“What’s his bio?”

Koger shrugged. “He has a doctorate in political science and Pacific studies. He was a college professor before the agency brought him on board. It’s rare we go to academia for people anymore. Langley generally stays with the military or other intelligence community veterans. Easier to train and far less trouble. But for some reason, Rob made the cut and was hired about forty years ago. He worked clandestine operations and was the one who persuaded Muammar al-Gaddafi to abandon Libya’s nuclear weapons program. That put him on everyone’s radar, which led to him being named special envoy to Luxembourg. He had the gift of gab, if you know what I mean.”

She did.

“He was in charge of the trust,” Koger said, “for a long time, reporting directly to the director of Central Intelligence. Why the third degree on him?”

She pointed at Hitler’s painting. “He has interesting tastes in art.”

Koger stepped close and admired the castle. She explained its provenance, along with the Cranach.

“Doesn’t surprise me. Rob has a lot of eccentric tastes. You should see what he eats.”

“Yet he was placed in charge of a covert fund worth billions, reporting only to a single political appointee. And he apparently helped himself to some of the proceeds.”

“I agree. It stinks. But go figure.”

“How well do you know him?”

“We’ve never been in a foxhole together, if that’s what you mean.”

“Yet he took you into his confidence about the map.”

“I know. That stinks real bad.”

“You don’t know me,” she said. “So take this with whatever you think it warrants. But something’s definitely not right here.”

CHAPTER 31

COTTON SAID TOKELLY, “I’VE BEEN DOING THIS A LONG TIME, ANDI’VEmanaged to stay alive by being careful, smart, and observant.”

“And your point?”

“First somebody tries to kill you. Then you’re kidnapped by agents of the Japanese government. You seem overly popular today. And not for a good reason.”

“What can I say? I always was the life of the party.”

“This is not a joking matter. Far from it, in fact.”

“Why’d you quit the government? You’re a little young to be retired.”

She was pivoting. Okay. He’d bite. “I was shot in Mexico City. Not the first time. But I wanted it to be the last. So I got out.”

“Is that when you divorced?”

He nodded. “Quit my job, ended my marriage, moved to Denmark, and became a bookseller.”

“Damn, Harold, you burned all the bridges.”

“Not irrevocably. You see, while I was screwing around with you and all those other women, being a first-class fool, my wife had an affair of her own that resulted in a child being born. A boy, that she led me to believe for years wasmyson. He’s seventeen now. Both he and I learned the truth not all that long ago.”

“That had to have been tough,” she said.