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over the yardarm. Kevin wanted to know if you had any plans.”
    “Like what? I didn’t dress for going outside.” She sat on the edge of the bed.
    “Yeah,” Sue said, eyeing the casual outfit. “Well—”
    “I’m going to wait here till Willie and Hassan get back. See what they found out talking with Al Hosni and al-Kassis.”
    “That sounds—”
    “All reasonable and… I don’t know, grown-up? Damn it, Sue. No matter how I feel about it, this is too important to all those people to let my fool pride interfere. If… If I can’t persuade al-Kassis that he can work with a woman…” She buried her face in her hands. “… I’ll… I’ll work through Willie.” She looked up. “He’s surely enough of a man to satisfy them!”
    “That he is, Beckie, that he is.”
    Beckie went to the sink and splashed water on her face. As she toweled off, she said, “Why’d you come in, anyway?”
    “Not to gloat, if that’s what you were thinking.” Beckie shook her head, almost too forcibly. “Kevin said you didn’t say anything on the way back, and he wasn’t sure if you really wanted to talk to him.”
    “He shows remarkable sensitivity, sometimes.”
    “Shalin’s influence, I’m sure. Actually, I think he was worried you were crying. He’s not good with crying.”
    “Over it now.” She grabbed her phone from its case. “Still too early to call Millie, I guess?” They looked at the clock together.
    “Yeah. Another couple hours, at least.”
     
    Beckie had gotten no new information from Millie, and had gone back to studying Ian’s and her own notes on the negotiations, waiting for Willie.
    The clock in the room showed six forty-three when Willie opened the door and entered. Beckie decided five seconds of silently staring at him would satisfy her vexation. Before he said anything, she spoke, “You could order some dinner or we can all go down to the restaurant?”
    “Nicely done, Beckie!” She relaxed and laughed with him. “Toss me a bottle of water. We can eat after we finish.
    “You have a day to make an impression. Well, to make the impression you want to make. Al-Kassis will attend tomorrow and he and Al Hosni both will watch you like hawks, waiting for you to make a mistake.”
    “Do you have any idea what a mistake would be?”
    “Nope. You aren’t likely to use any feminine wiles, so just be yourself. Maybe act like you and Ian are talking.”
    “You know, that might be the smartest thing anyone’s said… Well, to me, anyway.” She got up and took his hand. “You know, if I can’t convince them… While I’d like to take their money and walk, it’s too important. We can’t do that.”
    “Yeah. I don’t think Ian would like that.”
    “Not one bit, especially after I bitched at him over and over to get him to sign the contract!” She pointed to him. “So, if I can’t make them forget their misogynistic beliefs, you’ll move into the head chair.”
    With a laugh, he said, “That’s a good way to make sure I work to keep you there!”
    “Seriously.”
    He sobered and hugged her around the shoulders. “I know. We’ll do it, no matter what it takes.”

 

     
    Chapter Six
    Day Six - Cairo
     
    IN THE MORNING, NERVES HAD Beckie up and out for a walk around the hotel gardens in preference to waking everyone up hours before breakfast. Back in the suite, she found Willie reviewing the notes that she’d studied the day before. While they waited for Kevin and the others, he told her that Hassan had been a greater help than he’d expected. “Be sure to thank him this morning, no matter how it goes.”
     
    Back in the Trade Center, Beckie again admired the decor while waiting for the Egyptians to arrive. The tenth time she took out her phone to check the time, she heard Kevin’s voice.
    “I’ll go and bring them up, if we’ve checked everything?”
    “Ready as ever,” Dan replied.
    Beckie smoothed her suit once more and waited.
    In minutes, the teams were in place,