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Chapters (83)
  1. Cover
  2. ALSO BY TOM CLANCY
  3. PRINCIPAL CHARACTERS
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
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  83. What’s next onyour reading list?

Rhodes’s little speech seemed kind of over the top to Jack, but by the look on Paul’s face, it had the desired effect.

Rhodes turned to Jack. “And I didn’t ask for you, Jack. I asked Gerry who his best financial analyst was and he named you without skipping a beat—which was no surprise to me at all. You’re whip smart, just like your father. And given our past history together, I couldn’t be more delighted to have you on board with Paul.”

“I appreciate that, Senator.”

“And if I can’t have the two of you, well, it’s a no-go for me. Sounds crazy, I know, but that’s how strongly I believe in our little team.”

“Well, there you have it,” Hendley said. “Without the two of you, we don’t get the contract.”

Jack and Paul exchanged a noncommittal look. They saw in each other’s eyes exactly the same thing. Neither wanted to do the job—for different reasons, obviously. But there would be an inevitable fallout for both of them if they didn’t take it, Gerry Hendley’s disappointment being the worst of it. Jack saw that his boss clearly wanted the gig.

Rhodes saw this silent exchange as capitulation and took it as a sign of victory.

“Paul, if you agree to take the assignment, you’d handle the forensic accounting. I’d want you to turn on that radar brain of yours and cut through all of the haze. I really don’t think you’ll find anything, and that’s as good an outcome as I can hope for.” Rhodes paused. “But don’t mistake my meaning. If there’s something wrong, something fishy, I want to know. I have a fiduciary responsibility to my company and I’m counting on you to help me fulfill it.”

“Of course,” Paul said. “But any competent CPA can do that kind of work.”

Rhodes pointed at Jack. “Jack, if you sign on, your assignment would be more qualitative in nature. I’d want you to look around, size up the people you meet there, the working conditions, the general feel of the place—even the city. Is it the kind of work environment you’d want to be in? Are the people happy, productive? What’s Dalfan’s quality control like? Their security? And I’d want you to take some time to confer with Paul. If he pulled up a questionable file or two, I’d hope you’d burn some shoe leather and check things out, kick the tires. Do you catch my drift?”

“I think so.”

“They’ll put on their very best dog-and-pony show,” Hendley said. “That’s to be expected. Just keep your eyes and ears open and try to see what’s behind the curtain.”