Removal E-Book

Peter Murphy

• Herausgeber: No Exit Press
• Kategorie: Krimi
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 665

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

A compromised President, his murdered mistress, enemies foreign and domestic, and a rogue Marine Commander lusting for power: the impeachment is the least of America's problems... President Steve Wade believes his latest affair with a beautiful Lebanese woman, Lucia Benoni, is a secret. When Lucia is murdered in mysterious circumstances, FBI Agent Kelly Smith is called in to investigate and uncovers links between Lucia, a hostile foreign power, a group of vicious white supremacists and a shadowy high-placed Washington figure known only as 'Fox'. As Wade continues to deny the affair, the press gets on the trail. Because of the national security implications, there are demands in Congress for Wade's impeachment but if this were to happen, the law provides that Vice President Ellen Trevathan should become President. 'Fox' and his associates have other plans, which do not include allowing the lawful succession to take place. As time runs out Kelly may hold the key to preventing a coup d'état and a possible civil war.

Leseprobe

REMOVAL

President Steve Wade believes his latest affair with a beautiful Lebanese woman, Lucia Benoni, is a secret. When Lucia is murdered in mysterious circumstances, FBI Agent Kelly Smith is called in to investigate and uncovers links between Lucia, a hostile foreign power, a group of vicious white supremacists and a shadowy high-placed Washington figure known only as ‘Fox’. As Wade continues to deny the affair, the press gets on the trail. Because of the national security implications, there are demands in Congress for Wade’s impeachment but if this were to happen, the law provides that Vice President Ellen Trevathan should become President.

‘Fox’ and his associates have other plans, which do not include allowing the lawful succession to take place. As time runs out Kelly may hold the key to preventing a coup d’état and a possible civil war.

About the Author

Peter Murphy was born in 1946. After graduating from Cambridge University he spent a career in the law, as an advocate and teacher, both in England and the United States. His legal work included a number of years in The Hague as defence counsel at the Yugoslavian War Crimes Tribunal. He lives with his wife in Cambridgeshire.

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

– United States Constitution, Article II, Section 4.

Contents

Removal

About the Author

Title

Prologue

Part I Opening

Part II Middlegame

Part III Endgame

Copyright

Prologue

‘The President wants you to know,’ Dick Latham said, ‘that you all have his complete trust.’

Not for the first time that day, Latham’s hands were unsteady. His law school graduation ring kept catching the edges of the black binders as he took them out of his briefcase one by one. He was sure everyone had noticed.

‘This is just a precaution. I’m sure you understand. You will find the confidentiality agreement behind tab one.’

Until recently, Latham had enjoyed his time as Attorney-General. A former prosecutor who had made a name for himself by breaking up a major drug supply network through Miami, Latham was flattered when President Steve Wade asked him to take on the top law-enforcement job in the country. His days seemed to be a never-ending round of meetings and phone calls, but he was getting good results and he felt he was handling it well. Recently, though, Wade had asked him to do certain things outside the scope of the Attorney-General’s usual duties. Latham felt uncomfortable about some of them, such as calling Senators on the pretext of offering advice about the law. The Senators had their own legal advisers, and they were not fools. They knew his calls were pure political pressure, and had nothing to do with the law. Not that there was anything wrong with a little political pressure during an impeachment. It was just that Latham was not sure the Attorney-General should be the one applying it. His closest friend, a constitutional law scholar at an Ivy League law school, agreed with him.

Then, as if that were not bad enough, the President had initiated Latham into the Williamsburg Doctrine. Rather like God calling Moses to receive the Ten Commandments, Latham reflected in an irreverent moment, except that the Williamsburg Doctrine was considerably less edifying than the Ten Commandments. Latham immediately wished he could just forget about it. But it was obvious that Wade did not intend to offer him that option. And now, the President had instructed him to preside at this meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. Just thinking about it made him break out in a sweat. None of the protocols for a meeting of the Joint Chiefs had been observed. The Secretaries of the Armed Services had not been informed, let alone invited to attend. No adjutants or assistants were present. The only uninvolved witness was a female army major, who had top secret clearance and would serve as stenographer. The very building made him anxious. It was gray, airless, suffocating. The Pentagon had always been well protected but, since 9/11, the new aristocrats, the security experts, had been given free rein, and the Pentagon was one of their treasured domains. The reinforced glass and concrete, the steel doors, the impenetrable windows, the endless scrutiny – everything seemed calculated to make him feel he was being watched.

Latham looked around the small, claustrophobic conference room. The four men around the table were examining the black folders he had circulated to them, handling them gingerly; as if they might bite. General Terrell, Chief of Staff of the Army, the ranking officer present and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, was scanning the confidentiality agreement, looking uncomfortable; Admiral McGarry, Chief of Naval Operations, was flicking through the several tabs quickly, giving nothing away; General Hessler, Commandant of the Marine Corps, looking every bit the career combat officer he was, wore his usual impenetrable scowl and showed no inclination to move beyond the Table of Contents. These were not Latham’s people. He found them intimidating. But at least they were already aware of the Williamsburg Doctrine. General Raul Gutierrez, the first hispanic Chief of Staff of the Air Force, was the unknown factor. Gutierrez had just been appointed and was still adjusting to his new role. He had not yet been initiated. There had not been time.

‘This is all new to you, General Gutierrez?’

‘Yes, Sir. It is.’

Gutierrez had a relaxed manner, which concealed an intense dedication to the Air Force and to his career. He had first built his reputation as an outstanding fighter pilot. Later, when his eyes grew too old for combat flying, he had proved himself again as a commander. He was reputed to be sharp. Latham was particularly nervous about him.

‘Well, let me summarize the political situation, and then I’ll ask General Terrell to talk to us about the Williamsburg Doctrine.’

Almost as if he were in high school, General Gutierrez raised a hand.

‘Excuse me, Mr. Attorney-General, but before we get started – this is just because I’m the new kid on the block here and I have a lot to learn – I would like to make sure I understand the basis of this meeting.’

‘Basis? What do you mean?’

Gutierrez shifted in his chair.

‘Well, I guess what I’m asking is, which hat are we wearing? If I understand correctly, you’re here today representing the President. Now, we report to the President as Commander-in-Chief, and we also report to the Secretaries of our Departments. But the Secretaries are not represented here. I was just wondering what the basis of the meeting was, exactly.’

Latham frowned. They were right about Gutierrez. He hoped to God it was not going to be a problem.

‘We’re here at the request of the President, General Gutierrez. There are certain matters the President believes would be better discussed in a small group. The Secretaries also report to the President, so I don’t see any difficulty. Everything will become clear as we proceed. I must ask you to accept that for now.’

Gutierrez shrugged.

‘Whatever you say,’ he replied with a smile. ‘Just wanted to know where I stand, that’s all. Comes from responding to too many requests from the ground for air support during my flying days, I guess. Sometimes wires would get crossed, cause problems. I’m sorry if I spoke out of turn.’

‘Not at all, General,’ Latham said, as calmly as he could. ‘We want everybody on the same page. Feel free to ask any questions you want.’

General Hessler snorted unpleasantly and looked at his watch. Latham nodded and coughed as he looked down at his notes. The room seemed to have become warmer.

‘As you all know, Gentlemen, the impeachment has begun and, while it’s early days yet, the indications are that things are not going too well for the President. The prosecutors need a two-thirds majority to convict, so if the Senate were to divide along party lines, the impeachment would fail. But some members of his party are leaning towards the prosecution. The President is doing all he can to encourage his supporters, but in light of the testimony developed by the House Intelligence Committee …’

Admiral McGarry gave Latham a grim smile.

‘In light of that testimony, the President is about to crash and burn,’ he said. ‘I think we all know that, Mr. Latham. The papers are saying they expect it to be over and done with next week.’

Suppressing his irritation, Latham ran a finger under the collar of his shirt, which was beginning to feel too tight.

‘There is a possibility that the President may be convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors. It could happen as early as next week. Yes, that is correct.’

Latham took a sip of water.

‘But we believe that our supporters in the Senate will pull back when the time comes …’

‘That’s not what I’m hearing,’ Hessler intervened.

‘Me neither,’ McGarry added.

‘Be that as it may. The matter is by no means hopeless. Not yet. But, the point is, if the President is convicted, Article Two, Section Four, of the Constitution provides that he shall be removed from office. In that event, the Constitution further provides that the Vice President takes over as President.’

Latham bit his lip.

‘Which… brings us to the Williamsburg Doctrine. General Terrell, for the benefit of General Gutierrez, would you please outline the history and basic principles of the Doctrine?’

Terrell exchanged a brief glance with McGarry. Gutierrez sat up in his seat, eyeing Terrell closely. The Army Chief seemed reluctant to begin.

‘The Williamsburg Doctrine,’ Terrell said eventually, ‘is the name given to a resolution of the Joint Chiefs of Staff adopted at a meeting at Williamsburg, Virginia, in January 1965. It has no constitutional or legal effect …’

‘That’s a matter for me, I think,’ Latham broke in sharply.

Terrell shrugged.

‘The Kennedy assassination made a lot of people start to think about what might have happened. Specifically, about the line of succession to the Presidency. As you know, General, we had a lot of foreign involvement under Kennedy – the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam, not to mention the ongoing Cold War. There was some anxiety because of the unpredictability of the succession. There was a question about the commitment of the Vice President to our military policies.’

‘I don’t understand,’ Gutierrez said quietly. ‘I’m not aware the Military had any problem with Johnson.’

‘It wasn’t about Johnson,’ Terrell said. ‘But the fact that Johnson was in the White House was an unpredictable event. The Vice Presidency is always unpredictable. That’s the basic principle of the Doctrine.’

‘The Vice President is not an issue in an election,’ McGarry broke in. ‘He’s an afterthought. Nobody cares who’s Vice President. Everybody assumes he will never have anything to do with military matters, much less become Commander-in-Chief. We never paid much attention to the Vice President, or at least we didn’t until Kennedy bought it.’

‘Right,’ Terrell agreed. ‘So when the dust settled, the Joint Chiefs decided that there should be some kind of policy, just in case we lost a President in circumstances in which the Vice President might be … well, unreliable.’

Gutierrez swallowed hard.

‘Unreliable?’

‘Yes. Unreliable. Maybe, at that time, they had little reason to think there would be a repetition. Since then, of course, we’ve lost Nixon, and we nearly lost Clinton. But in any case, they decided that there should be a policy. There was a top-secret meeting in Williamsburg, like the meeting we’re having today. And certain guidelines were drawn up, which have since become known as the Williamsburg Doctrine. They have never been invoked - well, not until now, anyway.’

There was a silence.

‘What exactly do these guidelines say?’ Gutierrez asked, trying to sound composed. It took a major effort.

Terrell seemed equally ill at ease. He doodled absently on the yellow pad on the table in front of him for several seconds.

‘Well, you understand, there are two possibilities. One, the President dies. In that case, the Vice President takes over immediately. And in that case, frankly, no one has speculated on how the Williamsburg Doctrine would apply. Two, the President is removed from office. In that case, we have time to think about it before it happens. The Doctrine is easier to work with. Essentially it provides that, if it should be the opinion of the Joint Chiefs that the Vice President is unreliable, and therefore not acceptable as Commander-in-Chief, then certain steps should be taken to ensure that the succession is delayed until the people have the opportunity to make a different choice.’

Gutierrez looked at the men seated around the table. Their faces offered no comfort.

‘What?’ he breathed.

‘A number of circumstances were identified at the Williamsburg meeting that would make it possible to argue that the Vice President might be unreliable. The only one of any relevance today is that the Vice President might be considered overly left-wing or radical to be acceptable as Commander-in-Chief. To put it another way, that her patriotism might be open to question when it comes to military matters.’

For some seconds, Gutierrez stared blankly at Terrell. Then, abruptly, he laughed out loud.

‘OK, OK . Now I get it. This is just my rite of passage? Right? ‘Welcome to the Joint Chiefs’. Make the new guy look like an idiot. Well, I have to hand it to you. You did a great job. You really had me fooled.’

No one joined in the laughter.

‘Oh, come on,’ Gutierrez said.

PART I

OPENING

1

Ten months earlier

INTHEDIM light, Lucia could just make out their distant reflection in the mirror of the dressing-table against the opposite wall. They were a handsome couple, she thought. Perhaps not quite Abelard and Heloise, not quite Romeo and Juliet. But a handsome couple, nonetheless. Pity about the wife, but then again, no relationship was perfect. And it wasn’t just business. Far from it. She liked him, perhaps even cared for him. There was no denying the physical attraction between them, something Lucia always appreciated. She looked at him fondly. Beautiful. Even if he were not the most powerful man in the world, he would still be quite a catch. Steven Marion Wade, Jr., President of the United States, looked younger than his fifty years, and his daily exercise routine, though a source of some amusement to the White House press corps, kept his weight in proportion to his six feet three inches of height. He had a full head of sandy hair and light brown eyes. He might easily have passed for forty, on his best days perhaps even thirty-five. His youthful looks never failed to surprise.

Neither did the fact that he was President. Before his election, most observers had written him off as a lightweight. In his home state in the south, he had served adequately as a district attorney, then as a state legislator, and finally as Governor, but he had made little impact on the national scene before entering the presidential primary race. No one saw him coming. Wade had a natural charm, a relaxed southern accent, and an astute mind, which he did not always fully reveal. He also had a shrewd understanding of the issues that mattered to the voters. Quietly, he began to build momentum, and by the time his opponents realized what was happening, it was too late. His election to a second term was achieved almost as a matter of course. The only real obstacle was persistent talk of a number of indiscretions, talk which his experienced campaign team was able to head off before it did any real damage. He was now halfway through his second term, and his popularity was at an all-time high. He was confident in himself, and it showed. The talk in Washington already was of a legacy, one of the better ones.

Lucia herself was quite a catch in anybody’s book. In her mid-thirties, she was an exceptionally beautiful woman, only an inch or two shorter than the President, slim, with olive skin, long black hair, and bright dark eyes. Her accent was European, but difficult to pin down to a particular country. It was the result of being raised, she liked to say, as a gypsy. She was born in Italy to Lebanese parents who were immigrants, but not settlers. She lived with them in more homes than she could begin to count, as they moved constantly in an unending quest for a better life. But her education, if irregular, was broad and practical. She grew up speaking several languages fluently, and learned to deal naturally with people of all nationalities and backgrounds. When life eventually brought her to Washington, she felt strangely at home.

She first met the President at a White House dinner which she had attended as the escort of a male friend, a German diplomat. The friend was gay, and Lucia covered for him on occasions when he wanted to conceal that fact. The moment she was introduced to the President she felt his instant attraction to her, and she was not surprised when, later in the evening, a Secret Service agent discreetly asked for her telephone number. She first went to him a week later in the White House residence, while the First Lady was somewhere in Africa on a goodwill mission. There was no pretense between them. The moment the door was closed, she undressed, and began to show the President the full range of her skills. From that moment, he had been captivated.

The White House was not the best venue for a secret rendezvous. It was easier when he was on the road, in a hotel, as he was now in Chicago. Of course, she always had to deal with the Secret Service agents. At first they were very suspicious of her, searching her thoroughly before allowing her into the President’s room, rifling through her purse, even making her take off her shoes to check for concealed weapons. But now they were more used to her, the searches had become more casual, and sometimes they even exchanged pleasantries with her. Except for the woman - Agent Linda Samuels. Nothing Lucia did or said made any difference there. Samuels made no effort to hide her dislike for Lucia, or her disapproval of Lucia’s relationship with the President. Jealous, Lucia thought with a smile. She knew the type. She wondered if Samuels had a sex life of her own.

She raised her head from his chest.

‘I hope that was to your satisfaction, Mr. President.’

‘You know it was.’

‘Better than the First Lady?’

The President kissed her, and she felt the passion stir again.

‘You do things the First Lady hasn’t even read about in books.’

Lucia kissed him happily in return, and settled her head back down on his chest.

The red telephone beside the bed rang. This was not the standard hotel phone. It had been specially installed by the President’s staff before he moved into the room. Lucia groaned, as the President, making a face, stretched his arm across the bed to answer it.

‘Let it ring,’ she said.

‘I wish I could, Honey. Hello?’

‘Mr. President,’ a male voice said, ‘I have the Secretary of State on the secure line from Tel Aviv. May I patch him though?’

Wade winked at Lucia and blew her a kiss.

‘Sure. Go ahead.’

He placed his hand over the receiver.

‘I have to take this.’

Lucia, knowing the rules, kissed him on the cheek, climbed out of bed, and walked towards the bedroom door. Beyond the door lay the living room of the presidential suite, where their play had begun. By walking straight ahead, she would be able to collect her clothes from the floor where they lay discarded. She thought of it as removing the evidence from the crime scene, like erasing the fingerprints from the murder weapon, picking up the spent cartridges. Her black seamed stockings lay on the floor just beyond the bed. They had been overlooked during the urgent first session. Her black panties, bra, and MaxMara cocktail dress were in the living room, next to the President’s shirt, pants and underwear. The empty bottle of Mumm Cordon Rouge and two glasses were on the small table beside the sofa. Lucia righted one of the glasses, which was on its side, and continued to the outer door of the suite, where she had abandoned her shoes as soon as she arrived.

She returned to the bedroom, carrying her clothes in a bundle. Wade was still talking with the Secretary of State, so she laid them on the bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. The President was hanging up as she returned, holding a bath towel loosely around her. She smiled. He lay silently on the bed, watching appreciatively as Lucia dressed, brushed her hair, and applied her make-up and lipstick. Once she was ready to leave, Lucia sat on the edge of the bed to allow him to perform their final ritual. Kneeling in front of her, the President lifted each foot in turn, gently kissed each sole and placed her feet into her shoes. They walked arm-in-arm to the door of the suite, where they paused for a long good-bye kiss.

‘Call me when I’m back in Washington?’

‘Of course. Save all your energy for me. You’ll need it.’

To Lucia’s displeasure, Agent Samuels was still on duty, standing in the corridor opposite the President’s door. Didn’t that woman ever take a break? As usual, her expression was cold. Lucia thought Samuels must have been much the same age as she was herself, perhaps a shade older but not much. Samuels was one or two inches shorter, but muscular and well-built, and without any excess weight. Her looks were mid-western, her skin fresh, her hair and eyes light brown. Her accent matched.

‘Good night, Agent Samuels.’

‘Good night to you, Ma’am.’

Linda Samuels allowed her eyes to follow Lucia until she turned the corner towards the elevators. She caught herself fingering her side-arm, her favorite nine-millimeter Glock, and with an effort made herself stop.

‘Bitch,’ she added, under her breath.

2

‘YOU’VEHAD a rough time,’ Ted Lazenby had begun.

Almost two years had passed since the interview, but Kelly remembered those first words as if they had been spoken the day before. She remembered her first impression of his personal warmth, how she sensed instinctively that this was someone she could like and respect. It was usually when she was alone at night in her apartment that the memories returned. Memories not only of the interview, but also of the events which had brought her to Washington, to a job which made her the envy of many of her colleagues. If they knew what had gone before, if they knew the price she had paid, she thought, they might be less envious. She remembered her conversation with Lazenby clearly enough, but her impressions of the office she would later come to know so well were hazy. Of course, any young agent would have felt anxious on being summoned without warning into the presence of the Director of the FBI himself. But the events which had brought her there had damaged her self-confidence. She still felt as if she were feeling her way through a thick fog. Twenty-four hours before, she had been lying on the beach in Cancun. Now she was in the Director’s office in the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, and she was alone with the Director. Why she was there, she could only speculate. Her speculations were not encouraging.

‘Yes, Sir,’ she had replied, taking Lazenby’s hand.

He had walked to the door of his office to meet her as his secretary ushered her in. In his other hand, he held a brown file folder, which she recognized at once as part of her confidential service record.

‘Have a seat. Did Rose offer you some coffee?’

‘Yes. I’m fine, thank you, Sir.’

‘All right.’

Unhurriedly, Lazenby walked back to his desk and resumed his seat. Kelly made herself as comfortable as she could in an armchair in front of the desk.

‘You’re Special Agent Kelly Smith, age thirty, single.’

It was technically a question, but Lazenby was reading from her file, and he made it sound more like a statement.

‘Yes, Sir.’

‘You’re from Minnesota.’

‘St. Paul, born and raised.’

‘College at Notre Dame.’

‘Yes, Sir.’

‘Athletic scholarship. What did you do?’

‘I ran track, middle distance, and I was on the tennis team.’

‘Then back home to St. Paul to law school. William Mitchell College of Law. The school that produced Chief Justice Warren Burger, if I’m not mistaken.’

Kelly smiled and nodded.

‘I’m impressed, Sir.’

Lazenby returned the smile.

‘So are they, and I bet they never let you forget it.’

‘No, Sir.’

‘Why law school?’

‘My parents are both lawyers. It was expected.’

‘What kind of law?’

‘General family practice, wills, trusts, estates, that kind of stuff.’

‘But you didn’t end up practicing law. Why not?’

Kelly shifted in her chair.

‘I’d always wondered whether it was what I really wanted to do, or whether I was just drifting into it. But I didn’t think about it seriously until my third year of law school. Up until then I had been too busy just keeping up with my school work. I hadn’t really faced up to the reality of what it would be like once I got out of school. When I finally asked myself whether it was what I wanted, the answer I got was ‘No’. If I had become a lawyer, I wouldn’t have done the kind of stuff my parents do. I would have been a prosecutor.’

‘Why?’

‘It felt like I would be making a difference, dealing with things that really mattered. But it wasn’t enough. I needed something more direct, more physical, I’m not sure quite how to put it.’

She paused.

‘And I’m sure that’s way more than you wanted to know.’

Lazenby put the file down on his desk and looked at her closely.

‘So, you came to the Bureau instead of becoming a prosecutor?’

‘I didn’t have it all neatly worked out. To tell you the truth, it just so happened that the Bureau was interviewing on campus around the time I had my great revelation. I thought, ‘what the hell, sounds interesting, can’t do any harm to talk to them.’ So I signed up for an interview, and suddenly, that was it. I was hooked. I knew it the moment I walked into the interview. I don’t know how else to describe it …’

She hesitated.

‘I understand,’ Lazenby said. ‘How did your parents react?’

‘Actually, they were great. I know they were disappointed that I wasn’t going to go into the family business, but they supported me totally.’ She smiled. ‘I was pleasantly surprised.’

‘How do you feel about your decision today?’

Kelly closed her eyes, and sat back in her chair, silent for a while.

‘I’m sorry,’ Lazenby said. ‘That wasn’t a fair question. You’ve only been on leave for a few weeks.’

Kelly opened her eyes and wrapped her arms tightly around her body.

‘Seven weeks.’

‘Seven weeks. New York gave you four months without the option.’

‘Yes, Sir.’

‘Were the counselors helpful?’

Kelly hesitated.

‘I guess so. But I’m one of those people who need people they know. I have a friend, an old friend from back home, Linda Samuels. I lean on her a lot. I don’t know what I would have done without her.’

Lazenby nodded.

‘So you feel you’re making progress?’

She sat back up in the chair.

‘I guess so. It took me the first two weeks just to stop shaking. The next two weeks, I couldn’t stop thinking about Joe and Tina, and I cried the whole time. Since then, I’ve tried to think about other things, I’ve tried to remember who I am and what I’m supposed to be doing, but …’

Lazenby stood, walked around his desk, and leaned against it, just in front of Kelly’s chair.

‘Kelly, I’ve read the reports on Operation Shakedown, and I’ve spoken to New York about it. They should never have let you do what you did. You were too inexperienced. I’ve made my views on that very clear to the agent in charge.’

‘I volunteered.’

‘I know. And I also know that what happened wasn’t your fault. But they should never have let you do it.’

They were silent for a while.

‘It was going fine at first,’ Kelly said eventually, almost to herself. ‘I got myself taken on at the factory.’

‘Yes.’

‘The whole place was just a front, a cover for the rackets the two Families were running in the Bronx. I was getting good information. My cover seemed to be secure, but something went wrong…’

‘There are no guarantees when you’re dealing with the Mob.’

‘No, Sir.’

‘There’s no point in reliving it. Especially the shoot-out.’

Kelly closed her eyes again.

‘I know I’ll never be able to forget that. I still get nightmares about it. It’s only been in the last week or two I’ve been able to sleep through the night.’

‘I understand.’

‘I don’t really know why I’m still alive,’ Kelly continued. ‘I have no right to be. If Joe and Tina hadn’t shown up, I would have been dead. That I do know. But the rest of it, well, it all happened so fast. Somehow, we were able to call for back-up. But we were outnumbered, and by the time they arrived…’

‘Joe and Tina were dead,’ Lazenby added quietly. ‘Yes, I know. And I’m sorry. They were good agents.’

‘They were my friends,’ Kelly whispered. She made a desperate effort to suppress the tears, but it was no use. ‘I keep thinking, there must have been something I could have done differently. I should have got out of there before they…’

‘No,’ Lazenby said. ‘You did your job, and you did it well.’

He waited for some time until she recovered her composure.

‘Look, Kelly, I didn’t ask you to interrupt your leave and come all the way from Cancun to bring back such painful memories,’ he said. ‘I’m sure you had quite enough of that when they debriefed you. I brought you here to make you a proposition.’

Kelly looked up.

Lazenby walked slowly back to his seat.

‘I don’t know how you’re feeling about the Bureau right now. It wouldn’t surprise me if you feel bitter about it. If that’s the case, I’m sorry. But I do know you’re a good agent, and I don’t want to lose you. I’ve looked at your service record. You were one of the best recruits we ever had at Quantico.’

He folded his hands in front of him on his desk.

‘Keep this under wraps for now, but I’m losing my personal assistant, Fred Keenan. He’s been seduced by the world of commerce. Better pay and regular hours. I can’t say I blame him. In fact, I’m feeling a little jealous. But the point is, Kelly, I need a replacement. It’s not an easy assignment. You’ll be on call twenty-four hours a day. There’s a lot of paperwork, and a lot of dealing with unreasonable people who don’t know what’s going on. That includes people at high levels of government, who damn well should know what’s going on. It can be exhausting and frustrating, and there will be days when it will drive you insane.’

He paused, and his voice softened.

‘But you’ll be here in Washington, Kelly, you’ll be out of the worst of the mayhem for a while, and maybe it will give you time to readjust. And if that happens, and we can keep you in the Bureau, it will be worth it. What do you say?’

Kelly was staring at Lazenby, her mouth open.

‘Director, I’m… I’m overwhelmed. This was the last thing I expected. I thought…’

‘You thought what? That we were going to let you go?’

Kelly nodded.

‘I didn’t know what else to think.’

Lazenby laughed.

‘Well, we’re not. Not without a fight. Your record speaks for itself. You’re smart, you’re courageous, you have initiative, and you want to make a difference. That’s an unusual combination in any organization, the Bureau included, and I want you on my side.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’

‘Well, how about ‘Yes’?’

Kelly took a deep breath and released it sharply.

‘Sir, are you sure about this? I’ve been around long enough to know that being your assistant is a senior assignment in the Bureau. Won’t there be people who resent…?’

‘That’s my problem,’ Lazenby replied firmly. ‘All I need to hear from you is yes, or no. Look, if you want, you can go right back to Cancun. No one will hold it against you. But, if you still want to make a difference, I’m offering you the chance to do it.’

Kelly looked at Lazenby for a few seconds, then got to her feet abruptly.

‘Actually, Director, I do need to go back to Cancun.’

‘Oh…?’

‘To collect the rest of my things.’

3

KELLYWASLYING on her back on the sofa in the living room of her apartment, wearing an oversized sweatshirt, jeans and socks, and nursing a Coke. At five feet, nine inches, her slim figure took up almost the full length of the sofa. She had bright blue eyes, and jet black hair, cut stylishly short.

She stopped laughing long enough to interrupt the stream of complaints coming at her over the phone.

‘But Linda, it’s an honor to guard the President.’

‘It is not an honor to hang around his hotel rooms and listen to him having orgasms,’ Linda Samuels insisted.

She paused.

‘Jesus, Kelly, I shouldn’t be saying this on the phone. You’re sure this line is secure, right?’

‘I’m sure,’ Kelly replied. ‘Anyway, what difference does it make? Everyone knows he sleeps around. It’s not exactly news.’

‘That wouldn’t help me if it leaked out because of me. I wouldn’t tell anyone except you. It’s all so demeaning, Kelly. And you ought to see this one. She’s so fucking superior. She makes me want to throw up.’

‘What’s she like?’

‘Foreign. Expensive clothes. Good-looking, I have to give her that. The Boss has good taste in that department. But she acts as if she owns him.’

‘How does he keep her from the First Lady?’

‘Oh, that’s easy enough, with our cooperation. If the President wants to see someone, we know exactly how to arrange it discreetly. It’s been part of our job since Kennedy’s day, longer according to some. Senior agents take you to one side and explain it to you when you’re first assigned to the Detail.’

‘My God, what a use of the tax-payers’ money,’ Kelly said.

‘Tell me about it.’

‘Well, it’s your own fault. You had to choose the Secret Service. You could have come with me to Quantico.’

‘I’d already spent most of my life with you. We went all the way through school and college together.’

‘So, you couldn’t stand me any more? I thought we were to be life-long friends.’

‘We are,’ Linda insisted. ‘You know how much you’ve always meant to me, Kelly. You remember me back in the old days, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks with alcoholics for parents. If it hadn’t been for you and your parents, God only knows what…’

Kelly sat up.

‘Don’t start on that, Linda,’ she said gently. ‘You got yourself out of that, you made a life for yourself, and you did a damn good job of it.’

‘I’m just saying you’ve been my friend. You stuck with me.’

‘And you stuck with me.’

Linda sighed.

‘Oh, I’m sorry, Kelly. I’m just upset, that’s all. I’ll get over it.’

‘I don’t blame you for being upset.’

‘Maybe I should have gone with you to Quantico. I just didn’t see myself as an FBI agent at the time. But maybe I’m having second thoughts. Maybe it’s not too late. What do you think?’

‘I think you had a bad day.’

‘The job sucks sometimes.’

‘Every job sucks sometimes.’

Linda laughed.

‘Yeah, you’re right, I know. Oh, the hell with it. We’re back in Washington tomorrow, and the First Lady is in residence. Perhaps he’ll give it a rest for a while. Let’s change the subject. How’s the love life?’

‘It’s fine when we have time,’ Kelly said. ‘It’s just that Frank and I have such different schedules. It’s getting harder and harder to spend enough time together.’

‘He’s still with Senator O’Brien, right?’

‘Yes. Frank’s Chief of Staff now. He’s thinking of running for office himself eventually. But the trouble is, he would have to start back in Minneapolis. I don’t relish the thought of a commuter relationship. How about you?’

‘No better.’

‘Have you heard from Bob?’

‘No.’

‘You still miss him?’

‘Yes, the bastard.’

Kelly sighed into the phone.

‘Some men don’t know when they’re well off,’ she said. In the silence, the phone beeped.

‘Damn,’ Kelly said. ‘That’s the call I’m expecting, Linda. Got to go. Call me tomorrow, OK?’

‘OK’

‘Love you.’

‘Love you,’ Linda said, hanging up.

Kelly clicked in the incoming call.

‘Phil?’

‘Kelly?’

‘Yes. Hey, there. How’s it going out there in Oregon?’

‘The Portland field office has never looked so beautiful,’ Agent Phil Hammond replied.

Kelly laughed.

‘Now, Phil, don’t be bitter. It’s just a temporary assignment.’

‘Easy for you to say.’

‘So what’s up?’

‘We’ve been keeping surveillance on Carlson and Rogers round the clock. They are the brains behind the Sons of the Flag, Kelly, no doubt about it. They’re both nasty pieces of work, too.’

‘I know. I saw their rap sheets.’

‘It goes a long way beyond that. At first, we had them down as your typical racist malcontents, preaching the usual gospel of reclaiming America for the White Man. But that’s pretty routine out here. I have a feeling this goes much farther.’

Kelly pulled herself back up into a sitting position.

‘Are they still holing up in that compound or whatever out in the country?’

‘Yeah, most of the time. We can’t get close to it. It’s fenced in, and they have guards with some impressive fire power. So we’re watching from a distance. Oh, and get this, Kelly. The last couple of days, they’ve had visitors in dark suits carrying briefcases. Definitely not your usual paramilitary types. Stood out a mile. And Carlson and Rogers seemed to be rolling out the red carpet for them.’

‘So, what do you think? Mob?’

‘I don’t think so.’

‘Why not?’

‘They don’t have that look. More like Wall Street. Anyway, I can’t see what angle the Mob would have with these guys.’

‘Who might show up at a paramilitary compound dressed for Wall Street?’

‘I don’t know. For some reason, I’m getting the impression that these people might not be Americans. We’re trying to get some decent pictures. We have satellite coverage 24/7, but they’re a bit camera-shy and we haven’t had much luck with close-ups as yet. If we do, I’ll send them to you. If you can’t identify them, could we ask the Agency?’

‘Sure. Are they using mobiles?’

‘Not a lot. These guys are very aware, very discreet, but we have our analysts ready in case they do break cover.’

Hammond paused.

‘What?’ Kelly asked.

‘I’m thinking, the only way to get to them may be to go in undercover.’

‘Jesus, Phil,’ Kelly said. ‘You need to think about that. It could be very dangerous. And you would need authorization from the top.’

‘I know. I have to report to the Director anyway. I’ll probably fly back for a couple of days on Friday. At least that way I can enjoy a weekend of civilization.’

‘You’re just an East Coast chauvinist. There’s nothing wrong with Portland.’

‘Come out and savor it with me.’

‘Gee, I wish I could, Phil,’ Kelly grinned. ‘I’m sick that my schedule’s so full here.’

‘Yeah, right. Look, I’ll call in tomorrow.’

‘OK. Take care, Phil.’

‘You too, Kelly.’

Kelly hung up. She was almost ready to go to bed for the night. But something was troubling her and, try as she might, she could not work out what it was. She lay back down on the sofa, switched on the television, and finally fell asleep where she lay, watching a late-night talk show.

4

CONGRESSMAN GEORGE STANLEY, his face an angry red, was pacing furiously around John Mason’s office. Stanley was short, and had trouble staying with the diets his wife continually planned for him.

‘I don’t know why we waste our money supporting this so-called think tank when you people can’t ever think of anything,’ he shouted.

Mason, sitting calmly behind his desk, was wearing a faint smile. In his mid-thirties, he had already built a successful legal career in Washington, representing the interests of the Party. For now, his reward was the directorship of the Wilson Foundation. Very few decisions at the highest Party levels were made without input from the Wilson Foundation, which meant that Mason was privy to most of the Party’s secrets. He also knew where most of the bodies were buried, which meant that some influential people had good reason to be grateful for his discretion. For now, he was content to enjoy his large office, substantial salary, and almost limitless expense account. Somewhere down the road, at a time of his own choosing, he would call in the favors he was owed and walk into elective office. Mason was tall and effortlessly self-assured, his gray-blue eyes piercing. He was well past the point of being intimidated by average congressmen such as George Stanley.

‘We do what we can, Congressman,’ he replied smoothly. ‘We are looking into every possible angle.’

‘How many angles can there be?’ Stanley protested. ‘I only see one angle. The man can’t keep his pants zipped up for more than a day. He’s running around the whole damn time.’

‘As is just about every other politician in Washington,’ Mason replied maliciously.

He raised a placating hand as Stanley wheeled on him.

‘Present company excepted, naturally. But the American people knew that before he was elected, and they elected him anyway. Twice. It’s just not an issue right now, in light of his popularity.’

Stanley walked slowly over to Mason’s desk. He leaned forward and placed both hands on its polished cherrywood surface, allowing his ample body to hang over it. His attempt to look intimidating amused Mason, but he diplomatically suppressed his smile.

‘The Committee wants to make an issue of it.’

‘And how does the Committee suggest we do that?’ Mason asked.

‘That’s your job.’

Mason shook his head. He had a lot of work to do, and Stanley was wasting his time.

‘As I told you, Congressman, we are doing what we can. We are monitoring the situation, and if we come up with anything promising, I assure you we will pass it on to the Committee.’

‘The man is totally unfit to hold the office of President of the United States.’

‘If you apply that standard, so were most of the men who have held it before.’

‘We want him gone.’

Mason stood and looked directly into Stanley’s eyes.

‘You know, George, you might want to be careful what you say. Even here. Even to me. God forbid some crazy person should take a shot at the President after you go on record saying something like that.’

Congressman Stanley stepped back a couple of paces and suddenly sounded unsure of himself.

‘Jesus, John, I didn’t mean anything like that, for God’s sake. It’s the fact that the man was elected, that the people actually…’

‘I agree,’ Mason said. ‘But the people have that right. I think it’s in the Constitution somewhere. And, unfortunately, the people don’t always agree with us, and we sometimes lose elections. It’s part of the democratic process.’

‘Perhaps if you people put more effort into showing the people the truth about their President, that might change.’

‘Perhaps if the Committee put a little more effort into selecting a candidate people might actually want to vote for, we might do better next time.’

Congressman Stanley thought about continuing the argument, but Mason’s manner made it abundantly clear that it would be a waste of time. He decided to retreat without further loss of face.

‘I’ll see what the Committee has to say. I’ll talk to you later.’

‘I’ll look forward to it.’

Stanley turned abruptly and walked out of the office.

Mason remained standing, staring down at this desk, long enough to rein in his frustration and gather his thoughts. Much as he would have liked to, he could not afford simply to ignore Stanley’s visit and the lurid interest it suggested on the part of the Committee. While he was not about to be intimidated by George Stanley, the Committee paid the bills, and, if he could not persuade the Committee to drop the thorny question of the President’s indiscretions, he would eventually have to produce some usable material for them. On the subject of political wisdom, he could only advise. The Committee contained calmer and wiser heads than George Stanley’s and, with any luck, they would prevail. But just in case, he needed a back-up plan. Resuming his seat, Mason called his secretary on the intercom.

‘Helen, bring me some coffee. I don’t want to be disturbed for the rest of the morning. And get Selvey on the phone.’

‘Very good, Mr. Mason,’ Helen replied in her native Oxford English accent, which the Committee found so charming.

He picked up a file from the stack on his desk, and was still reading it when Helen entered, tray in hand.

‘Coffee,’ she announced. ‘And Selvey’s on two.’

‘Thanks.’

He picked up the telephone.

‘Selvey?’

‘Yo.’ The voice was that of a middle-aged man with a thick New York accent.

‘That woman we were talking about the other day? What was her name?’

‘The one that’s with the President?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Lucia Benoni.’

‘Is it for real?’

‘Oh, yeah.’

‘Does the press know about it?’

Selvey gave a contemptuous snort. ‘The press couldn’t find Dolly Parton in a phone booth.’

‘I take it that’s a ‘No’?’

‘It’s a ‘No’. But it’s also only a matter of time. Somebody will screw up.’

Mason took a deep breath.

‘Don’t do anything just yet, but be ready to move on it. I may want you to hand them the story.’

‘What story? The President’s banging some new broad? Big fucking deal. If it snows in Buffalo in January it would be more interesting.’

‘I understand. But we may have to give it to them anyway.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I need the goddamned Committee off my back, that’s why. I had to waste over an hour with that moron George Stanley this morning. I may need to throw them a bone, distract them for a while.’

‘This story is not going to distract anybody. It’s going nowhere, John. It’s bullshit.’

‘Maybe so. Get ready to do it anyway.’

Mason heard an exasperated sigh on the other end of the line.

‘Whatever you say.’

‘Thank you.’

Mason replaced the receiver, and pushed the intercom button.

‘Helen, I need full press monitoring for a certain subject starting tomorrow until I tell you otherwise.’

‘Yes, Sir. Who or what are we looking for?’

‘Our friend Steve and a babe called Lucia Benoni.’

‘Oh. Is it going to be interesting?’

‘Not especially. But it will keep the client happy for a while.’

Though she would never have admitted it, this was the part of her job Helen enjoyed most.

‘No problem, Mr. Mason,’ she said brightly.

5

LINDA SAMUELSWAS on duty outside the Oval Office when Martha Graylor, the President’s Press Secretary, arrived. Linda and Martha liked each other. They had hit it off instantly when Linda had first been assigned to the Detail. Martha had the gift of not taking herself too seriously. She was a cheerful forty-five year old, with the classic Irish combination of dark hair and sparkling blue eyes, an infectious smile, and a wicked sense of humor. Her energy made her appear taller than her five feet five inches of height, and made sure that her figure did no more than fill out her frame. She had worked with Steve Wade ever since he had been governor of his state, and had the reputation of being his most intimate confidante, of having his ear on the most sensitive questions. Martha was carrying a large stack of papers which seemed to be weighing her down.

‘Good morning, Agent Samuels.’

‘Good morning, Miss Graylor. Looks like they’re still keeping you busy.’

‘Oh, just a little light reading,’ Martha smiled. ‘In case I got bored over dinner last night. Are they ready for us in the press room?’

‘Let me check for you.’

Linda put her radio on transmit, and turned the volume down to minimize the crackle.

‘You guys ready down there?’

‘Almost, Linda,’ Agent Gary Mills responded. ‘Give us five.’

‘Five. Roger that,’ Linda said. She turned back to Martha. ‘They’ll be ready by the time you get down there. Here, let me get the door for you.’

‘Thanks,’ Martha smiled. ‘If I have to carry much more of this stuff around, I’m going to apply for some of that danger money you people get.’

Linda knocked on the door of the Oval Office, then opened it for Martha without waiting for a response.

Martha dispensed a smile around the room, and waited for her chance to speak. The President was with Ted Lazenby and his Vice President, Ellen Trevathan. Ellen was not a career politician. She had started out as a university professor. Her writings on public administration got her noticed, and she soon made the move from a tenured professorship at George Mason University to the first of a number of high-level government jobs. At just over six feet, she almost towered over the stocky Lazenby. Handsome and dignified, with short gray hair and blue eyes, she had a natural gift for dealing with people, with a charisma of her own just as appealing as the President’s, many people said. Steve Wade trusted Ellen, and allowed her an unusual freedom of action. Taking full advantage of this, she had steadily built a reputation in Washington as someone who said little in public, but quietly got things done behind the scenes. Her trademark gray-black suits cut high at the neck, Nehru style, were a familiar sight in the corridors of power.

‘Our people are keeping a close eye on them, Mr. President,’ Lazenby was saying. ‘But with all due respect, I don’t think we can write them off as just another gang of crazies. Our intelligence suggests there may be more to it.’

‘I can’t say I’m losing too much sleep over them,’ the President replied. ‘What is it they call themselves again?’

‘The Sons of the Flag,’ Ellen Trevathan grinned. ‘Sounds more like a Boy Scout troop than a serious anarchist group.’

‘Don’t be misled by the name, Madam Vice President,’ Lazenby replied. ‘They’re serious, all right. Our agents report that they have a well-organized operation and the satellite picked up some very useful hardware. We also believe they’re working on some kind of common cause with other such groups in the Pacific Northwest. We’ve seen some familiar faces visit them in the last week or two. The general rule in the past has been that these kinds of groups hate each other more than they hate the Government.’

‘I thought Obama kind of brought them together,’ Wade said, with a thin smile.

‘For a while,’ Lazenby replied, ‘but it didn’t seem to last very long. So, up till now, we’ve been assuming these guys had reverted to their old ways as sworn enemies. But recently, the Sons of the Flag have been rolling out the red carpet for the other groups. There’s something going on out there.’

‘Some kind of organization building?’ Wade asked.

‘That’s the way it looks.’

‘An organization of anarchists?’ Ellen asked. ‘Sounds like a contradiction in terms, doesn’t it?’

Both men smiled.

‘Yes, Ma’am,’ Lazenby said. ‘But they could turn into quite a force if they get their act together. Even now, I’m not sure there’s any way to take them down. We couldn’t go in there without risking a repeat of Waco.’

Steve Wade shuddered.

‘Forget that. Any way of infiltrating them?’

‘We’re working on it. The field agents are due to report with an assessment this afternoon.’

Lazenby reached into an inside pocket of his jacket and took out a small brown envelope. ‘The other thing that concerns me, Mr. President, is this.’

He handed the envelope to the President who, with Ellen looking over his shoulder, opened it and took out a single black-and-white photograph. It was a distant and not too clear shot of a man wearing a black suit, a dark gray tie over a white shirt, and shades, standing by the main gate of the Sons of the Flag’s Oregon compound. Despite the lack of focus, there was something about the man’s appearance and dress that suggested he was not American.

‘Who’s this?’

Wade handed the photograph on to Ellen.

‘I just found out myself. The picture was taken yesterday by Phil Hammond, one of the field agents we have in place. Phil sent it to us in the hope we could identify the guy, but the Bureau had nothing matching.’

‘So, how did you…?’

‘We ran it by the Agency and State. State nailed him.’

‘The State Department? Are you telling us he’s a diplomat?’ Ellen asked, looking sharply at Steve Wade.

Lazenby nodded.

‘His name is Hamid Marfrela. Assistant cultural attaché with the Lebanese delegation to Washington. Fairly junior, been in station about two years.’

‘Suspected of irregular activities?’ Steve Wade asked.

‘Not till now. State had no particular concerns. Not until he showed up in Oregon.’

‘I hope that got their attention.’

‘It did. Oregon seems a strange place for a Lebanese cultural attaché to be plying his trade. Mr. Marfrela may have a little explaining to do.’

President Wade walked around the office, and eventually came to rest, leaning with his back against his desk.

‘How sure are State about this? That’s not a great picture, and he’s wearing shades, for God’s sake.’

‘They were able to enhance it, Mr. President. You wouldn’t believe the things they can do these days. They’re sure.’

Wade nodded.

‘You understand there are certain political considerations in the case of Lebanon?’

‘Yes, Mr. President,’ Lazenby replied at once.

‘We must be careful about this. What are your people doing about it?’

‘Keeping their heads down for now. State asked us to put a tail on him. Unless you have an objection, I’ll have someone pick it up tomorrow. We’re not sure whether he’s back in town yet. But I don’t want to give away the fact that we’re on to him.’

Out of the corner of his eye, Steve Wade saw Martha Graylor move into his line of vision.‘Time to go,’ she mouthed silently.

The President nodded.

‘No objection. Just make sure the watchers are discreet. Keep me informed, Ted. I have to run to my press conference.’

‘I will, Mr. President.’

* * *

‘Talk to me on the way,’ Wade said to Martha. He strode purposefully from the room for the short walk through the West Wing from the Oval Office to the press briefing room, with his Vice President and Press Secretary close behind, Martha struggling to keep up, still clutching her stack of papers. Linda Samuels fell in unobtrusively by his side.

‘Good morning, Agent Samuels.’

‘Good morning, Mr. President.’

‘Am I safe?’

Linda smiled. It was the President’s standard pleasantry with her.

‘I believe you are, Sir.’

She deliberately increased her pace, walking a little ahead of the President so as to avoid appearing to overhear his conversation, and checked in with Gary Mills on her radio.

‘What’s new, Martha?’ the President asked.

‘Nothing much. Usual stuff. Lebanon, Israel, oil, unemployment. You read the briefs yesterday. If I may, Mr. President, I do need to remind you about your agreement with the British Prime Minister…’

‘Keep quiet about our options if the oil supply is threatened. I remember.’

‘I think that’s about it.’

They paused outside the door of the press room. Linda Samuels walked briskly inside. Automatically, Martha scanned Steve Wade’s appearance for any fault, however small. She adjusted his tie. Linda reappeared.

‘All clear, Mr. President.’

‘Looking good, Mr. President,’ Martha said. ‘Go get’em.’

The standing ovation and loud applause which greeted Steve Wade everywhere he went was one of the things he liked best about the job. It happened even in the White House press briefing room. The veteran news reporters who frequented it seemed to be swept up in the adulation almost as much as the general public. Wade relaxed as he reached the podium, and raised his hands to call for quiet. Gradually, the applause died away, the reporters retook their seats, and the questioning began. It was a routine press conference, and the President was not expected to make a prepared statement. He was, however, expected to answer questions on a wide range of topics. Steve Wade had the reputation of being the master of his briefs and of being adept at fielding even the toughest questions. Today seemed to be no exception. Effortlessly, he explained his policy in the Middle East and the oil question, and ventured a few sage remarks about where the experts thought the economy was heading. The press conference was nearly over, and Martha Graylor was leaning comfortably against the wall by the door through which the President had entered. A woman reporter raised her hand. The President smiled and pointed a finger.

‘Mary.’

‘Thank you, Mr. President. Mary Sullivan, Washington Post. Mr. President, I’m sure you’re aware that your name is being linked in some quarters with a woman named Lucia Benoni. I wondered if you had any comment?’

Martha stood bolt upright. The President missed perhaps half a beat.

‘Linked? I’m not sure what you mean.’

‘Linked romantically, according to my source, Mr. President.’

‘Oh, for Heaven’s sake. What was this lady’s name?’

‘Lucia Benoni, Mr. President.’

The President bestowed his brightest smile.

‘I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mary, but the name means nothing to me at all. And I’m not linked to anyone except the First Lady.’

Martha allowed her head to sink on to her chest.

‘Fuck,’ she muttered under her breath.

‘With all due respect, Mr. President,’ Mary Sullivan continued calmly, ‘you have in the past admitted…’

‘Mary, I’m surprised that The Washington Post would give any credence to a story like this. We went through all that during the election campaign. I did make mistakes in the past. I admitted that, I repented, and my wife forgave me. We have a good marriage today, and that’s all I’m going to say on that subject.’

‘So you deny any association with this woman, Lucia Benoni?’

‘Categorically. I’ve never even heard of her. I don’t know who she is, if she exists at all.’

Martha Graylor was gesturing to him frantically with her head.

‘Now, I’m sorry, Ladies and Gentlemen. That’s it for today. Martha will be with you tomorrow.’

Ignoring a loud chorus of shouted questions, Steve Wade walked out of the press room and led the way back to the Oval Office at a furious pace. When he walked at full speed, even Linda Samuels had trouble keeping up with him. Ellen Trevathan and Martha Graylor were trailing by quite a distance.

‘Where the hell did that come from?’ Wade shouted over his shoulder.

‘From left field,’ Martha replied. ‘We had no inkling.’