9 Chapter 9

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I danced with ambassadors’ wives and daughters, and in at least two cases, mistresses. The mistresses especially attempted to lure me into a dalliance, and I couldn’t help questioning the reasoning behind that. In the course of my work with the Company, there had been women who’d tried to draw me into their beds solely because I was the Ice Man, but here, as far as anyone knew, I was simply Quinton Mann,assistant to Undersecretary Sinclair at State.

“Would you care for a drink, Mother?” I escorted her from the dance floor as the orchestra struck up a merengue.

“Yes, please. I need something to fortify myself after—Oh, good grief! He’s heading this way again!” While she was too much a lady to cause a scene, it was easy to see Mother was fast losing patience.

“He,” of course, was Wexler. In spite of our hopes, he’d already been here when we’d arrived, and Mother and I had both been less than thrilled to see him.

“I believe a strategic retreat might be in order, Mother.”