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Show 277 in his hand. On first glance, they were not unlike the groups of businessmen at the hotel coffee shop near work. But no, there was something different about this group, about these men. Something in the way they stood together, she could not put her finger on it. Robbie introduced her: first, the leader of the team, a stocky man in his early fifties, with a pleasant smile-although, even as he spoke, he seemed preoccupied, his mind elsewhere, already in that meeting this afternoon In Washington, she guessed. And a man in his early forties in a brown expensive suit and a flashy tie, a dark haired man with perfect white teeth who seemed at first glance very attractive. But who was very loud, and who, she immediately sensed, was an egoist, completely wrapped up in himself, she did not care for him. And then there was Ink- which was short for Inkley-the computer man. Tall and slim, in his mid-thirties, with big horn rim glasses and the blackish kind of whiskers which-even though he must have shaved but an hour before-were already visible. He wore a large gold wedding ring, and as he shook her hand, he looked at her closely through those large glasses. She could sense that he liked Robbie, that Robbie had an ally in him. They all stood there chatting for a few minutes. She observing how Robbie fit in with these men-they all respected him, she could discern that in those few short minutes. And then it was time to board, Robbie pecked her quickly on the cheek, and then passed through the gate after them. She stood there watching them all walking away, carrying their briefcases, at ease with each other. Yes, that was it: what set these men apart. They were totally at ease with each other, not constantly |
