Who is Don Warden from Song of Kali and what is their importance?

Don Warden is a timid official from the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, Warden deals with the Luczaks' grief over their daughter's murder by apologizing to Indian bureaucrats for their seeking to take her remains home as quickly as possible. He suggests that they respect local custom by cremating Victoria in India, but narrator Robert G. "Bobby" Luczak recalls that Kali is the goddess of all cremation grounds and adamantly refuses. He threatens to kill anyone who interferes with him. Not surprisingly, Warden backs down.