The government man barely acknowledged the introductions.
"Mr. Billig," he said, "you tell us you have the green cat. If you have, we'll buy it."
"And what will you pay?" Billig murmured.
"The Moreland-McCartney letters, proving the graft those senators received from Fun Incorporated, plus all related recording and microwave taps. Similar material in sixty-odd other cases, which I hardly need enumerate to you in detail."
"Not enough," Billig said softly.
Greeley hesitated. "Of course, I could appeal to you," he said in a different voice; "simply as Americans, as citizens of this hemisphere facing a deadly danger—"
"Please, Mr. Greeley," Billig said with a chuckle.
Greeley shut his lips tight. When he opened them, his earlier voice spoke.
"Letters of confidence on all the indicted officials, dated today and signed and thumbprinted by the president and all the service heads, with confirming vocal recordings and pictures of the recordings being made. Naturally our experts will have to examine the cat before the exchange is made. They can be here in twenty minutes."
"That is better," Billig murmured, "quite a bit better. But not enough."