The Jefferson Key

FOURTEEN

MALONE WAS BECOMING IMPATIENT. THE COMMENT ABOUT Stephanie Nelle being in trouble concerned him. And he hadn’t missed what the president had first said.

I read that note supposedly from Stephanie.

Stephanie was not only his former boss, she was his close friend. Twelve years they’d worked together. When he’d retired out early, she’d tried to talk him out of it. Ultimately, she’d understood and wished him well. But over the past three years they’d come to each other’s aid more than once. He could count on her, and she on him.

Which was the sole reason why he’d responded to her email.

The president reentered the plane and marched toward where he and Davis stood. They followed Daniels into the conference room. The cabin remained empty. Three LCD screens displayed images from Fox, CNN, and a local New York station of the 747’s exterior as the press was being herded away. Daniels removed his suit jacket and yanked loose his tie, unbuttoning the collar.

“Have a seat, Cotton.”

“I’d rather you tell me what’s going on.”

Daniels sighed. “That could be a tall order.”

Davis sat in one of the chairs.

Malone decided to sit and listen to what they had to say.

“The planet should now be at ease knowing that the leader of the free world is still alive,” Daniels said, the sarcasm clear.

“It had to be done,” Davis made clear.

Daniels dropped himself into a chair. He was in the final sixteen months of his presidency, and Malone wondered what this man would do when he no longer occupied the head of the table. Being an ex-president had to be tough. One day the weight of the world rested on your shoulders. Then, at noon on the 20th day of January, nobody gave a rat’s ass if you were even alive.

Daniels rubbed his eyes and cheeks. “The other day I was thinking about a story somebody once told me. Two bulls were sitting atop a hill, staring down at a mess of pretty cows. The young one said, ‘I’m going to run down there and have me one of those beauties.’ The old bull didn’t take the bait. He just stood there. The young bull egged him on, questioning his ability to perform, saying again, ‘Let’s run on down there and have us one of ’em.’ Finally the old bull cocked his head and told his young friend, ‘How about we just walk down there and have ’em all?’ ”

Malone smiled. He could empathize with that young cow.

On the television screens a fuzzy, distant image of the plane and two cars approaching the stairway leading up inside could be seen. Three agents stepped out of the cars wearing FBI jackets like the one he still had on, along with caps.

One of them climbed the stairs.

He’d sensed they were waiting for something but, thinking about the story and its metaphor, he wanted to know, “Who are you planning on sticking it to?”

The president pointed a finger at him and Davis. “You two get reacquainted?”

“Like family,” Malone said. “I feel the love. Do you, Edwin?”

Davis shook his head. “Believe us, Cotton. We wish this wasn’t happening.”

The conference room door opened and Cassiopeia stepped inside. She removed a navy jacket and cap, exposing damp, dark hair.

She looked great, as always.

“It’s not exactly dinner and a show,” he said. “But it is Air Force One.”

She smiled. “Never a dull moment.”

“Now that the gang’s all here,” Daniels said. “We can get down to business.”

“And what might that be?” Cassiopeia asked.

“It’s so good to see you again, too,” the president said to her.

Malone knew Cassiopeia had worked with Daniels before-on something she and Stephanie had teamed up on. The two women were close friends. Their connection stretched as far back as Stephanie’s late husband, Lars. So she, too, would be concerned that Stephanie was in trouble.

Cassiopeia shrugged. “I don’t know how good it is. I’m accused of trying to kill you. Since you’re obviously not dead, why are we here?”

Daniels’ face turned hard. “It’s not good. Not good at all.”