Chapters (46)
- COVER PAGE
- PRAISE
- DEDICATION
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- SNEAK PEEK: EXIT .45
He wasn’t sure he agreed with that, but he liked how she could lay it out so smoothly. Maybe they were TV talking points, rehearsed for CNN.
She said, ‘But with Iran, I’m not advocating an invasion at all. I’m just saying it should always be there as an option if it means the difference between a liberal democracy and a nuclear rogue state.’
Vincent said, ‘If they started killing people by drone strikes overseas, would they be a liberal democracy?’
Maybe this was a high-stakes activity, arguing with the boss’s daughter, but Erin just smiled. She stepped away as Tanner nosed the Range Rover out of its garage. ‘I’ll see you around. I’m giving a talk at Berkeley, but I might be back early if there’s arson involved.’
Giving a talk at Berkeley. Like it was no big deal. And she didn’t seem bothered by the prospect of threats. He wondered if she was accustomed to havoc, or if she just didn’t rattle. He said, ‘If you want to talk sometime, I know a bit about foreign interventions. From more of a boots-on-the-ground perspective.’
He surprised himself even as he said it, given his past aversion to talking about anything war-related, and Erin seemed surprised too. But she said, ‘That’d be great.’
The question now was should he suggest discussing it over drinks? He had his opening, and maybe this was one of those times in life when you just push all your chips forward. But no: what he’d do, he’d give it a day, and then bring it up. Yeah: act like it was no big deal, maybe take her into town if she was up for it. Even a couple of beers by the pool would be fine, see what happened.
She was back at his window again, and he felt a second chance to say something that wasn’t dumb—negate his opening line. Then again, what could he say that would impress a woman who gave talks at Berkeley and wrote columns in the Wall Street Journal?
So he just went with: ‘Sure. Let me know.’ Reached across himself to offer his hand, and as she took it—hand firm and cool and expression grateful—he said, ‘Nice to meet you. I’m Vincent.’
Lamar appeared at eight-forty-five, and Vincent got out and held the rear door for him. Lamar waited until Vincent was back behind the wheel, belt on and engine running, and said, ‘Same as usual.’