Jack spotted Kathy in the lobby. He thought too bad this is serious business. She is drop dead gorgeous. Jack walked up on her blind side and said, “UNC never had a decent football team.”

Kathy replied, “I saw you coming, and lucky for you UNC never played your school. Pitt hasn’t exactly been going to many big bowls.”

“Touché. On that, let’s go have dinner.”

Kathy saw Jack’s momentary surprise when she mentioned Pitt. She did not have a file on Jack but Google did. She guessed he had never googled himself.

When Kathy stood, Jack was surprised to see she was only three or four inches under his six one. She looked and moved like a natural athlete. She was stunning in her simple black dress. A pearl necklace and pearl ear rings were her only jewelry. Once seated at a corner table in The Steak House with reasonable privacy, Jack asked her if she had heard from Frank. Kathy told him Frank had told her to be candid and she was in the company of good people.

When Jack asked her why she was willing to leave the CIA with such a good career going, Kathy said, “My main reason is I need more money to keep my mother in a very expensive nursing home for Alzheimer patients.”

“If I may ask, what are your other reasons?”

“Sure. My brother died in the Twin Towers terrorist attack. I hate terrorists and want to help destroy them. My brother was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. He never hurt anyone.”

“Aren’t you helping destroy them working for Frank?”

“Frank has too many restrictions on his activities to be effective. Congressional oversight, political sensitivities, the left wing influence of the media and academia, and the culture of law and order justice pushed by the trial lawyers are serious hurdles. Then the trial lawyers control the legislature and handicap the kinds of operations needed to beat radical Islam. It wasn’t so bad in the field, but working here at Headquarters is not for me.”

“Kathy, may I call you Kathy?”

“Sure.”

“Shall we take a look at the menu.”

Kathy saw Jack looking at the wine list and said, “Any red wine is good for me.”

“What are you going to select for your entrée?”

Kathy put down her menu and said, “Why don’t you order for me?”

“Okay, but no second guessing.”

Kathy thought, Good. Maybe I can learn something else about this man. He certainly passes the looks and manners test. But why am I receiving signals this very rich, handsome man is enjoying my company? He should be married and off the market. Any woman would kill to have those green eyes. He is very good-looking but not in the least the cute type. His clothes are in good taste but not expensive. Yet here we are dining in the Ritz and he drives an old Cherokee. What is going on here?

Just then their waiter appeared to take dinner orders. Kathy snapped out of her musings and paid full attention to her prospective employer’s order.

Jack put the menu down and said, “The lady and I will start with the French onion soup, followed by organic field greens salad, braised beef short ribs with asparagus and baked potato. Bring a bottle of Chilean cabernet for us before dinner.”

“Sounds good. How did you know I wasn’t a vegetarian?”

“I never met a vegetarian that didn’t announce that when sitting down at the table.”

As soon as the wine was poured, Jack said, “Unfortunately, we have to turn to business for a bit. I know you are more than competent. Frank gave you top marks. So all I need to know is if you are willing to work for me. The pay will start at $500,000 per year plus expenses.”

“Wow! I can be bought, but please tell me something about yourself before I commit myself.”

“Why don’t you ask questions instead of me rambling on?”

“Okay. Tell me about your work experience.”

Jack went over his experience in the Marine Corps, his education and his work on homicide cases with the Pittsburgh police. By the time he finished, dinner was over. They both passed on dessert but ordered coffee.

Kathy said, “Okay, I’m your new employee. Who do I work for and what can I tell other people?”

“My lawyer is working up what you would call a ‘cover company’ to pay us and our expenses. I don’t have the name yet, but it will be a new start-up consultant company with a local address and decent office space. Benefits will be channeled through our cover company. I want you to start immediately. I’ll need help getting everything set up and having an expert to advise me has to be a good thing.”

“Call Frank and I’ll start tomorrow. Where should I report?”

“Follow me in your car and I’ll show you. I’ll wait for you in front of the hotel. We can use a guest apartment for a while. And if my father is still up, I want you to meet him.”

Jack saw Kathy pull in behind him, and he set off for the ten-minute drive.