Soon Read Free

on one of the consulting teams the NPO hired out to help other governments train their own peacekeeping and intelligence forces.
    Ranold Decenti seemed to view Paul’s work as a cushy desk job. Paul never felt put down in so many words, but his father-in-law’s tone and demeanor were condescending. Ranold clearly considered the early years of the NPO, when he was helping build and run it from its original headquarters in Washington, as its golden age. “Back then guys joined the agency for the action, not to teach and consult. And no one wanted to get stuck in some regional capital. The best and the brightest came to Washington.”
    “Well,” Paul said, “maybe that made sense when it was the capital of the country. Nobody listens to Washington anymore.”
    “Tell me about it. Now, instead of visionary leadership, a national director baby-sits a bunch of bureau chiefs who all set their own agendas.”
    “Task forces work across regional lines.”
    “Yeah, but—”
    The kids burst in, trailed by Jae, now in their pajamas and begging to know whether Wintermas presents might be opened that night instead of the next day. Margaret expelled an audible sigh.
    Ranold gave her a look that could have stopped the snow. “No!”
    He growled with such menace that Brie backed away, but Connor kept staring at the Wintermas tree. “Why do you have a flag on top of your tree, Grandpa? My friend Jimmy’s mom says when she was little people put stars or angels on top of their trees. She’s still got some.”
    Ranold waved dismissively. “Not in this house. And not in yours either, I hope.”
    “Of course not,” Paul said.
    Connor climbed into Paul’s lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. Paul sensed the boy’s fatigue. “Why not, Dad?”
    “We’ll talk about it in the morning,” Paul said. “Now why don’t you and your sister—”
    “But why not? They sound pretty, like they’d look better on a Wintermas tree than an old flag.”
    Ranold stood and moved to the window with his back to them. “That flag stands for everything I believe in, Connor.”
    “He wasn’t saying anything about the flag,” Paul said. “He doesn’t understand. He’s just a—”
    “He’s old enough to be taught, Paul.”
    “It’s never come up before, Ranold. I plan to tell him—”
    “See that you do! And you ought to check into that mother who’s harboring contraband icons.”
    Paul shook his head.
    “What’s wrong with angels and stars, Daddy?”
    “I promise I’ll tell you tomorrow.”
    “Tell him now, Paul!”
    “Ranold, give it a rest. I’ll decide when and how to educate my son. . . .”
    Jae stood and nodded at Brie, taking Connor’s hand. “Right now he’s going to bed,” she said.
    “Tell him in bed then,” her father said.

    Jae avoided Paul’s gaze as she led the children to the stairs. “Say good night to Grandpa and Grandma.”
    Both singsonged a good night. Margaret formally wished them the same. Ranold said, “Yeah, yeah.”
    Great, Jae thought. Paul and Dad are already sparring.
    When they were first married, Paul seemed to look up to her father, but there was always an undercurrent of competition. Paul had declined a good offer from the Washington NPO bureau, asking instead to be assigned to Chicago, his hometown, to escape his father-in-law’s shadow. For Jae it was an adventure to settle in a new city, and she was thrilled to land a position with the Chicago Board of Trade. Then the kids came along and she became a stay-at-home mom. Now that they were in school, she missed the camaraderie of the office but didn’t feel she could go back to work with Paul on the road so much. Even when he was home, he wasn’t much of a companion. In fact, he was so distant and distracted that her old suspicions came flooding back. She had been looking forward to Wintermas in Washington as a break from those worries.
    At the top of the stairs, Paul caught up with her. “What?” she said.
    “You know what. I