A Perilous Eden Read Online Free PDF Page A

allowed him to infiltrate the Death Squad without any difficulty. The Israeli connection is completely unknown.”
    â€œI’m not sure I understand.”
    â€œThe persona was created slowly and carefully. Events, assassinations were all laid at his feet. The Death Squad is quite a conglomeration, you know. Dissatisfied Central and South Americans, and then a hard-core group from a number of the Arabic countries. They train in North Africa—we know that. Codes are usually in Spanish—but sometimes in Arabic. Once Adam tried to infiltrate as Michael Adams, the group pounced right on him.”
    â€œTell me more about Tchartoff.”
    â€œHe first went to Israel to see his mother, then he stayed for his wife.” Ted hesitated, then added softly, “Then, I think, he stayed for revenge.”
    The president gazed at his desk, his fingers drumming on it “So he’s still angry …”
    â€œBitterly angry. That kind of loss is a pain that doesn’t go away.”
    The drumming ceased as the older man stared at Ted abruptly. “I think he’s perfect. Can you arrange a meeting? Not in Washington, of course. The United States government is going to have nothing to do with this, you understand.”
    â€œI understand your position perfectly, sir. No information of any kind will be on file. No one will know anything about it, except those directly involved, and they’ll know only what they’re told.”
    â€œI want our men back. I want that ring of cutthroats busted sky-high. I do not want a pack of mercenary terrorists calling the shots in this country, and I don’t want them getting off in any foreign court.”
    â€œNo, sir,” Ted agreed. He hesitated a moment. “He’s in Washington now. I called him about a ceremony to honor his old unit. He should have come in just about—” he paused to look at his watch “—an hour ago.”
    The president glanced at Ted with some surprise, then he smiled with slow and rueful admiration. “When is the ceremony?”
    â€œTomorrow at two.”
    â€œI assume that my schedule is free, and that I’ll be able to attend?”
    â€œYes. You’ll be able to observe Mr. Tchartoff before you meet with him.”
    The president nodded, satisfied. “Let’s just hope, shall we, that he’s still angry enough to accept our bait. Does he know our latest intelligence?”
    â€œThat the Death Squad was responsible for the bomb that killed his wife?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œI don’t know. He may have suspected.”
    â€œBut we have proof.” The president sat back. “I’m looking forward to meeting Mr. Tchartoff.” He smiled. “I hear that someone else is due in today.”
    Ted felt a wide grin form. “Yes.” He glanced at his watch. “Amber should have arrived this morning. She said that she wanted to explore the Smithsonian, then she would come to lunch.”
    â€œI’d like to see her. Can the two of you come to dinner this evening?”
    â€œI’m sure that Amber will be delighted.”
    â€œGood.”
    Amber Larkspur stared at the giant elephant in the center of the rotunda of the Museum of Natural History. As many times as she had come here, she still loved the place. Just as she loved the Museum of the American People and the art museums and the Air and Space Museum and everything else about the entire Smithsonian Institution.
    There was no place quite like Washington, D.C. She had missed it.
    A group of schoolchildren came running out of the hallway leading to the sea creatures. Laughing, they raced for the elephant.
    Amber carefully stepped out of their way, smiling. As an army brat, she’d done a lot of moving around. But what time she had spent in one place had been here—or, really, Alexandria, Virginia. As a kid she had come on field trips here, just as these kids were doing now. Life had been