"What do you mean, it didn't matter?"
"We're listening to his computers, his phones and his fax lines anyway," Marvin said with neutrality.
"I don't know if I want to know about this . . ."
"It was just a back up plan," Jacobs said with a little laugh.
He wanted to defuse Kennedy's panic button. For a National
Security Advisor, Kennedy didn't know very much about how intel-
ligence is gathered. "Just in case."
"Well, we don't need it anymore," Kennedy said. "Mason is coop- erating fully."
"I like to have alternatives. I expect you'll be telling the
President about this."
"Not a chance. Not a chance." Kennedy sounded spooked.
Jacobs loudly munched the last bite through the apple skin. "I'll have something else for you on Mason tomorrow. Let's keep him honest."
* * * * *
Friday, January 22
Reston, Virginia