Page 41 of Never
‘I can’t ease your pain, but I can tell you that Pete’s life was given for the defence of our country and our values of freedom and justice.’
‘I believe that.’ There was a catch in the man’s voice.
Pauline judged it was time to move on. She said: ‘May I speak to Pete’s mom?’
There was a hesitation. ‘She’s very upset.’
‘It’s up to her.’
‘She’s nodding at me.’
‘Okay.’
A woman’s voice said: ‘Hello?’
‘Mrs Ackerman, this is the president. I’m very sorry for your loss.’
She heard the sound of sobbing, and it brought tears to her own eyes.
In the background the husband said: ‘You want to give me the phone back, honey?’
Pauline said: ‘Mrs Ackerman, your son died in a tremendously important cause.’
Mrs Ackerman said: ‘He died in Africa.’
‘Yes. Our military there—’
‘Africa! Why did you send him to Africa to die?’
‘In this small world—’
‘He died for Africa. Who cares about Africa?’
‘I understand your emotion, Mrs Ackerman. I’m a mother—’
‘I can’t believe you threw his life away!’
Pauline wanted to say:I can’t believe it either, Mrs Ackerman, and it breaks my heart.But she remained silent.
After a pause Phil Ackerman came back on the line. ‘I’m sorry about that.’
‘No need to apologize, sir. Your wife is suffering terrible grief. She has my deep sympathy.’
‘Thank you.’
‘Goodbye, Mr Ackerman.’
‘Goodbye, Madam President.’
***
The debrief took the rest of the day.
The army suggested the whole thing had been a trap: false information lured them to the bridge where an ambush had been laid. Susan Marcus was sure of it.
The CIA disagreed with that interpretation, which reflected badly on Dexter. The implication was that he had trusted an informant who deceived him. On the contrary, Dexter argued, it had been a genuine tip-off and the jihadis on the pedestrian bridge had panicked when the army arrived in force and had called in reinforcements.
By six o’clock in the afternoon Tamara no longer cared which explanation was accepted. She felt mentally bruised. Back in her apartment she considered falling into bed, but she knew she would not sleep. She kept seeing Pete’s lifeless body and the destroyed head of the gaunt-faced man she had killed.
