The Golden Hour by Todd Moss

Author:Todd Moss [Moss, Todd]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Suspense
ISBN: 9780399168604
Google: kyxBAwAAQBAJ
Amazon: 0399168605
Barnesnoble: 0399168605
Goodreads: 20783866
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2014-09-04T05:00:00+00:00

22.

TERMINAL 5, HEATHROW AIRPORT, LONDON

TUESDAY, 12:20 P.M. GMT+1

Judd stepped off the plane, go bag in one hand, the other thumbing through his BlackBerry. His in-box churned like a slot machine as it downloaded hundreds of new messages coming in from all corners of the State Department.

Once off the jetway, he ducked out of the foot traffic and behind a pillar. He took a deep breath and dialed a number.

“Hello?” said a deep male voice.

“General Diallo, this is Judd Ryker, U.S. Department of State. We spoke last night.”

“Dr. Ryker. Yes, I knew you would soon be calling. Jolly good to hear from you.” So English.

“I’m in London, General. Just for a few hours. Should we meet?”

“Ah, yes, very well. I agree. Brilliant idea. Brilliant. May I suggest Marble Arch? I will be at the Bull and Bear in the Cromwell Mews, just off the Edgware Road. Shall we say half one, Dr. Ryker?”

“I’ll be there at one thirty, General.” Click. Too confident.

Judd scanned the airport. Crowds of loud Italian tourists were swelling in the hallways. He receded farther behind the pillar and dialed another number.

“Hi, sweets,” answered Jessica. She was still groggy. Her sexy morning voice.

“Hey, Jess.”

“Glad you called. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, sorry I didn’t call last night. It got crazy and then it was too late. The boys all right?”

“Yes, sure. Except they got up at dawn. You can’t wake them for dead on a school day, but on vacation they’re up with the sun. Always the same. How are things in Mali? What’s happening?”

“About that, Jess. I’m on my way to Bamako now. I’m already at Heathrow. I’m calling you from London.”

“Now?” she said, with less surprise than Judd expected.

“Yeah. Don’t ask. The Secretary’s office is pushing for quick action, so I flew out on the last flight to Europe late last night.”

“Isn’t this exactly what you’ve been wanting? Rapid response, right? Isn’t this why you are at the State Department in the first place?”

“Um, yes. Of course it is.”

“Judd, what’s the hesitation? This is your chance. This is your Golden Hour.”

“Right. I know.”

“So what’s the plan?”

“What do you mean?”

“What is your game plan, Judd? First step is obviously to neutralize Idrissa’s moves to consolidate support. He’s probably already bribed the legislature and the newspapers. So, what’s your countermove?”

“We are working on it.”

“I sure hope so. You obviously need to scare him a bit. Threaten Idrissa with sanctions and maybe criminal charges and asset seizures. But you also need to give him an out. What’s the out?”

“We’re working on that, too,” said Judd unconvincingly.

“Good. I’ve got confidence in you. Obviously, so does the Secretary. It’s exciting that she’s asked you. Just do it quickly and then get back here to the beach. We miss you.”

“Thanks for the pep talk, Jess. I’ll try.”

“Sure.”

“You were right about Idrissa.”

“I know. You have a DoD ride-along, right?”

“A what?”

“A DoD ride-along,” Jessica repeats. Then, slowly, “Who is the Pentagon sending with you?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“They don’t just send a civilian professor to confront a junta.

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