Brodie left the phone on and said to Taylor, “Assurance, insurance. What do you think?”
“I think he understands. And I understand that you think our calls are being monitored in the embassy.”
“I don’t know their capabilities. But it’s their sat phone.”
“Do you think that Worley could block our calls to Dombroski?”
“I don’t know if the embassy commo people could do that, but thanks for the thought.”
“Try the message line.”
“Good thought.” Brodie called the command message line, punched in Dombroski’s number, and left the same message. “Okay. See if that works. Hope he checks his messages.”
Taylor nodded, then asked, “What was that about you hiding in the closet?”
“Secret code.”
“For what?”
“Means it’s a critical situation.”
“Okay… I get it.” She let him know, “The Army is still a boys’ club.”
“Always was, always will be.”
She said to Brodie, “Thank you for commending me to Colonel Dombroski.”
“I give credit where credit is due.”
“How is that going to square with your report about my involvement with the Agency?”
“There will be no such report.”
“Why?”
“Well… because you did a great job, and because there’s nothing gained by adding another charge of malfeasance to this mess.”
“Also you like me, and you’d like to sleep with me.”
“That too.”
“You’re honest.”
Actually, horny. Though Maggie Taylor wasn’t looking her best today, even in her sports bra. “I like you very much.”
“Same here.” She got off that subject and said, “It’s all going to come out anyway. Whatever investigation there is into Operation Flagstaff will reveal Trent’s name, and eventually mine.”
“I’m sure he’d cover for you.”
“Maybe. If I sleep with him.”
“Do what you have to do.”
Before she could respond, the sat phone rang, and Brodie answered, “Brodie here.”
“Where is here?” Colonel Dombroski’s voice had never sounded so good.
“Here on a river near a village called Kavak—”
