Chapter 49

Gwen had been holding Steve’s hand under the table and she felt it tense up as Patrick O’Leary got deeper into his story. Steve was very still and a fine bead of sweat appeared on his brow.

“As I now recall the situation, Bill’s jaw seemed to tighten up when I explained the security plans. I later learned that he was very concerned about the lure of American VIP’s to terrorists. He didn’t want to alarm us, nor did he want to cause an incident between governments by making statements that insulted or demeaned the Afghan government,” concluded the soon-to-be governor. “I see our dinners are being served, so let’s eat. I’ll bore you some more with my story soon enough.”

“Dad feels strongly that the close friends of Steve’s should know more about him and his past. He’s not keen on talking about himself, or his experiences,” stated Amber to the gathering as they ate. “My fiancé has been in two tours in Afghanistan and seldom speaks about it. Men that have gone to war don’t us