day for a very special girl.”
“She is special,” Sean agreed.
“To think that on the same day of that wonderful celebration this… this horror would have happened.” She suddenly stared at Sean. “I want you to find Willa. And the people responsible for this.”
He swallowed nervously. “It’s a federal investigation. We can’t get in the middle of that. They’ll eat us for lunch.”
“You helped me once, Sean, and I’ve never forgotten that. I know I have no right to ask, but I desperately need your help again.”
“But the FBI?”
She waved a dismissive hand. “I’m sure they’re very good. But it goes without saying that because of Willa’s relationship to me this will very quickly become a political punching bag.”
“How could anyone make the murder of a mother and the kidnapping of her child political?” Michelle asked.
Jane gave her a smile that came awfully close to condescending. “We’re in the middle of a reelection campaign. This town specializes in making the apolitical political, Michelle. There are no limits to the depths to which some people will go.”
“And you think that might influence the FBI’s investigation?” Sean said.
“I don’t want to take the chance that the answer to that question is yes. I want people with only one agenda. Finding out the truth. Without smears. Without spin. Which means I want
you.
”
“Do you have any idea why someone would have done this, Mrs. Cox?” asked Michelle.
“I can’t think of anyone.”
Sean suggested, “How about the usual suspects? A terrorist group? The First Family is too well protected so they go against a softer target.”
“If so, we should hear some group taking responsibility then, or a demand of some kind,” added Michelle.
“We might soon. What does the president think?” asked Sean.
“He’s as worried and concerned as I am.”
“I meant does he have any idea who might have done this?’
“I don’t believe so, no.”
Sean added in a delicate tone, “Does he know you’re meeting with us?”
“I see no reason for him to know, at least not right now.”
“With all due respect, your Secret Service detail knows, ma’am,” said Michelle.
“I believe I can rely on them to be discreet.”
Michelle and Sean exchanged a nervous glance. There wasn’t a Secret Service agent alive who would intentionally hide anything from the president. That would be career suicide, discretion notwithstanding.
“Okay,” said Sean. “But if we’re going to look into this thing, our involvement may come out at some point.”
Michelle interjected, “If it does we can claim we’re just doing it because Sean is a friend of the family and was actually there when it happened. In fact they tried to kill me. So maybe we hang our hat on that.”
Sean nodded and glanced at Jane. “We can play it that way, certainly.”
“Good.”
“We’ll need to talk to Tuck and John and Colleen.”
“I can arrange that. Tuck is still in the hospital. The children are staying at Pam’s sister’s house in Bethesda.”
“And we’ll need access to the crime scene.”
Michelle added, “The FBI will have all the forensics evidence. We’ll need to see that too if we’re really going to get anywhere.”
“I’ll see what I can do. After all, this is my family.”
“Okay,” Sean said slowly, watching her closely.
“So you’ll do it?” She laid her hand over the top of Sean’s.
He looked at Michelle, who gave a quick nod. “We’ll do it.”
11
T HEY LEFT THE CHURCH . The Town Car was not waiting for them.
“I guess we didn’t pay for a round trip,” muttered Michelle.
They were starting to walk across Lafayette Park when Sean said, “Hold on to your organs. Here they come.”
The two men were marching with a shared purpose. One was Sour Face, the FBI agent. The other one Sean knew well, as did Michelle. He was Secret Service, higher-up Secret Service named Aaron Betack. The man’s distinguished
“She is special,” Sean agreed.
“To think that on the same day of that wonderful celebration this… this horror would have happened.” She suddenly stared at Sean. “I want you to find Willa. And the people responsible for this.”
He swallowed nervously. “It’s a federal investigation. We can’t get in the middle of that. They’ll eat us for lunch.”
“You helped me once, Sean, and I’ve never forgotten that. I know I have no right to ask, but I desperately need your help again.”
“But the FBI?”
She waved a dismissive hand. “I’m sure they’re very good. But it goes without saying that because of Willa’s relationship to me this will very quickly become a political punching bag.”
“How could anyone make the murder of a mother and the kidnapping of her child political?” Michelle asked.
Jane gave her a smile that came awfully close to condescending. “We’re in the middle of a reelection campaign. This town specializes in making the apolitical political, Michelle. There are no limits to the depths to which some people will go.”
“And you think that might influence the FBI’s investigation?” Sean said.
“I don’t want to take the chance that the answer to that question is yes. I want people with only one agenda. Finding out the truth. Without smears. Without spin. Which means I want
you.
”
“Do you have any idea why someone would have done this, Mrs. Cox?” asked Michelle.
“I can’t think of anyone.”
Sean suggested, “How about the usual suspects? A terrorist group? The First Family is too well protected so they go against a softer target.”
“If so, we should hear some group taking responsibility then, or a demand of some kind,” added Michelle.
“We might soon. What does the president think?” asked Sean.
“He’s as worried and concerned as I am.”
“I meant does he have any idea who might have done this?’
“I don’t believe so, no.”
Sean added in a delicate tone, “Does he know you’re meeting with us?”
“I see no reason for him to know, at least not right now.”
“With all due respect, your Secret Service detail knows, ma’am,” said Michelle.
“I believe I can rely on them to be discreet.”
Michelle and Sean exchanged a nervous glance. There wasn’t a Secret Service agent alive who would intentionally hide anything from the president. That would be career suicide, discretion notwithstanding.
“Okay,” said Sean. “But if we’re going to look into this thing, our involvement may come out at some point.”
Michelle interjected, “If it does we can claim we’re just doing it because Sean is a friend of the family and was actually there when it happened. In fact they tried to kill me. So maybe we hang our hat on that.”
Sean nodded and glanced at Jane. “We can play it that way, certainly.”
“Good.”
“We’ll need to talk to Tuck and John and Colleen.”
“I can arrange that. Tuck is still in the hospital. The children are staying at Pam’s sister’s house in Bethesda.”
“And we’ll need access to the crime scene.”
Michelle added, “The FBI will have all the forensics evidence. We’ll need to see that too if we’re really going to get anywhere.”
“I’ll see what I can do. After all, this is my family.”
“Okay,” Sean said slowly, watching her closely.
“So you’ll do it?” She laid her hand over the top of Sean’s.
He looked at Michelle, who gave a quick nod. “We’ll do it.”
11
T HEY LEFT THE CHURCH . The Town Car was not waiting for them.
“I guess we didn’t pay for a round trip,” muttered Michelle.
They were starting to walk across Lafayette Park when Sean said, “Hold on to your organs. Here they come.”
The two men were marching with a shared purpose. One was Sour Face, the FBI agent. The other one Sean knew well, as did Michelle. He was Secret Service, higher-up Secret Service named Aaron Betack. The man’s distinguished
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