“We’ll need to find access to international dialing,” he replied. “In the meantime, you should know that Mauriello says he’s come up with a solution.”

“Mauriello? What kind of a solution?”

“He insists on telling you in person at the airport, where your plane is ready to take off to Shanghai.”

“Which means that he first wants to flush me out.”

“According to Wade, Mauriello’s proposal has already been accepted by the Chinese.”

Ribbons of fire burned inside her. “How lovely. Mauriello’s discussed with everyone but me the solution to my problem. I trust neither Mauriello nor Wade. Wade couldn’t give me what I wanted because it was no longer his to give. In the final deal of our life together, he’s sold both our souls.” She smacked her lips with renewed disbelief. “What new promises has he made to Mauriello now?”

Daniel said nothing. Her voice tight, she asked, “Does the deal guarantee that I can keep Lulu and take her to the United States?”

“That was my first question. Yes.”

She bit her lip. “What about Ashford? Is he cool with it?”

“Ashford has his priorities. He wants to put an end to this crisis. Instead of dealing with world peace, he’s mired in a conflict over a fifteen-pound baby.”

Perspiration erupted on her neck and face. “Am I supposed to accept the deal with blind faith? Wade’s in the service of the Chinese. And Mauriello—I’m not even sure what his agenda is. Are you?”

Daniel shook his head. “He’s a player, though.” Again she liked it that he delivered the facts, not directives.

“Perhaps Mauriello is in a position to negotiate among the parties,” she said, weighing the words. She wished she had paid attention the night of the embassy gala, when Wade had mentioned BRW’s business in China. “Why would Ashford let him take over?”

“Your demand for Lulu has been added with great reluctance and haste to the shopping list the U.S. presents China. The list is normally negotiated and compiled by the State Department and the White House. Your crisis has been forcing a negotiations deadline for which neither side is ready.”

“I don’t want Ashford off the hook. I need our government in the picture as a guarantor. With his deal, Mauriello saves Ashford.”

Daniel leaned forward. “It might work to your advantage to have your demand out of the competition with the many others Ashford must put on the table. From his point of view, what would the U.S. give the Chinese in exchange for Lulu? Ignore the next Los Alamos spy scandal? Grant China more one-sided import-tax concessions? Forget about Tibet?”

“Letting me keep Lulu should not have become an issue in the first place. It certainly should not have turned into an international crisis.”