“I came in,” Malone said, “and got you out.”
“How brave!” Lou said.
“Not very,” Malone said casually. “After all, what could happen to me in a ladies’ room?”
“You’d be surprised,” Lou murmured. “And you came and got me, and took me to the plane and all. And I—” She hesitated, and for a second she looked very small and wistful. “Do you—do you think they’ll do anything to Dad?” she said.
“I don’t see why,” Malone said confidently. “After all, the only thing he did wrong was to get caught, and that’s an occupational risk if you’re in the spy business. Lots of people get caught. Happens all the time. Don’t worry about it.”
“I—all right,” she said. “I won’t, then.”
“Good,” Malone said. He fished in his pocket. “I’ve got some pills here,” he said, “in case you have a headache. The doctor said I could give them to you if you had a headache, but otherwise I should just forget about them.”
Lou smiled. “I think you’d better just forget about them,” she said.
Malone’s hand came out of his pocket empty. “I just want to make sure you’re okay,” he said. “Probably very silly. Of course you’re okay.”
“Of course I am,” she said. “But I don’t think you’re silly.” She smiled again, a very warm smile. Malone took a deep breath and discovered that he hadn’t been breathing at all regularly for several minutes. Lou’s smile increased a trifle in intensity and he stopped breathing all over again. “All things considered,” she said, “I think you’re pretty wonderful, Ken.”