“It doesn’t mean she wouldn’t. Talk to MacDuff. He’s been trying to persuade her that she could do much better.” He smiled bitterly. “And he’s right. But if I do lose her, it won’t be because he manages to convince her. It will be because she makes the choice. That gives me an edge. I’ll keep coming back and changing and adjusting until I find a way to keep her.”

“MacDuff can be a difficult bastard, but I still think he likes you.”

“We appreciate each other, but he’s never given up the idea that Jane could be family. That puts me squarely behind the eight ball. He has the idea he has a duty to vet any and all possible suitors who might be bad for her.” He made an impatient gesture. “But I didn’t ask you to come down here to meet me because I wanted to discuss Jane or MacDuff. I might have an assignment for you, but I didn’t want to go through Palik to ask you to do it. This is between you and me, and you should feel free to tell me to go to hell.”

“Then it definitely doesn’t have anything to do with acting as bodyguard for Jane any longer,” Rodland said wryly. “That will be a relief. Jane wasn’t pleased with me, and she wasn’t shy about telling me.”

Caleb shook his head. “Nor me. But as I told you on the phone, we’re going to hit Bohdan with everything we have. We’re going to need a contact to handle the snitch that we bribe to lure Bohdan. Palik will do the initial bargaining, but after that he’ll be too busy to keep tabs on him. There will have to be someone else to make certain he doesn’t turn double agent and get us killed.”

“And I’m to do that?”

“If you choose. I trust you. But you’ll have to decide for yourself. It will be dangerous as hell. We’ll try to select someone who won’t be able to sell you down the river to Bohdan. But we’re dealing with weasels and backstabbers. It’s bound to be a crapshoot. You might have to give us a warning and then get out fast. Either way you’ll get the same fee we give to the Judas.”

“And then be tarred by the same brush?” Rodland grinned. “I’d prefer to have you eternally grateful to me. Which I’m sure would annoy the hell out of you. I’ll magnanimously take just the fee Palik would pay me and perform with my usual brilliance. Suck it up, Caleb.”

“I may change my mind,” Caleb said.