Alien Diplomacy

“No, I just assumed because they’re lovely people with class and manners that you weren’t their type.”
    “Hilarious.” He looked at White. “Speaking of manners, were you ever planning to introduce me to your husband?”
    “Not really, since he’s not here. This is my uncle by marriage, Richard White. Richard, this is Vance Beaumont. He’s married to Guy Gadoire, who’s a tobacco lobbyist.”
    “Ah, one of the Dealers of Death,” White said genially. “It’s a pleasure.”
    Vance rolled his eyes. “There are worse things than tobacco.” He gave White an appraising look. “Nice to see that you’ve got someone to occupy your time while your husband’s working.”
    I didn’t rise to it. White seemed to feel us appearing to be having an affair was a good cover. Whether he had a brilliant reason for this or just enjoyed torturing Jeff on occasion, I couldn’t guess. “Whatever. How did you know where I was?”
    “I’d been by, your house girl said you were out walking your dogs, I saw two guys who looked like bodyguards leave the Romanian Embassy walking four dogs. They took them across the street and went into your Embassy. I looked around to see if you were in one of the Embassies here. You were, I spotted you, couldn’t go in, and so I signaled you.”
    I wondered if I should share that Amy was the second-highest-ranking female in our Embassy at the moment, or if I should just save it for the President’s Ball later on tonight. Saving it would have a certain satisfaction to it, as long as I warned Amy first. Without the warning, she’d knee Vance in the balls faster than he could blink.
    “Gotcha. So, what’s going on, and why are you sharing it with me?”
    “Do you know about Jack?”
    “Yes, he offed himself, presumably not with cigarettes, so you’re off the hook on that one. You coming to tell me how distraught you are when you couldn’t have been bothered to be there for him when he might have needed you, or just coming to ensure that I know the news?”
    “Neither.” Vance stepped closer. “Look, can we get out of the street?”
    “Why not come into the Romanian Embassy with us?”
    He gave me a dirty look. “I’m not here because I like you.”
    “Thank goodness we’ve cleared that up. Why are you here?”
    “I need your help.”
    Leslie had called last night for the same reason. Why the people in my Washington Wife class felt I was their go-to girl for assistance was beyond me. “Why? And why me?”
    “Why you? Because you’re not a real insider.”
    “Gee, thanks for the flattery. It’s not really your forté, is it?”
    Vance glared at me. “You haven’t been here long enough to have made all the compromises and alliances that would prevent you from helping me. And the why is that I need help.”
    “Fine, I’ll bite. What’s going on, and why do you think I’m going to care?”
    “I think Jack was murdered.”
    So did I, but I wasn’t sure I should say so. I went for the smooth and noncommittal response. “Oh?”
    Vance nodded. “And I’m pretty sure I’m next.”
    I managed to refrain from saying that I hoped he was right. Reality said that, loathsome or not, I didn’t want Vance murdered. “Why so?”
    “Because I know what Jack figured out.”
    “And that is?”
    “He’s right, there’s going to be an assassination attempt tonight.”
    “At the President’s Ball?”
    “Yes.”
    “Why there?”
    Vance shrugged. “Because it can’t be canceled. So the target will have to attend.”
    “Do you know who the target is?”
    Vance nodded and opened his mouth as White slammed into me, taking us both to the ground. So I didn’t actually see the bullets hit.



CHAPTER 67
    I HEARD THE BULLETS HIT, HOWEVER. Along with Vance screaming his head off. The sound of screeching tires was also pretty loud.
    Things happened fast, as White rolled us into the street to avoid a stream of bullets. As my perspective went over and over, I saw Vance run into the Romanian Embassy, as Len and Kyle ran out, which coincided with a taxi pulling up next to us.
    “Get in!” the driver shouted.
    White grabbed me and flung us both inside. We landed on the floor, him still on top of me. Well, we landed on something big and furry that was lying on the floor.
    The car burned rubber and drove off. The animal under me scrambled to get out of the literal dog pile. I chose to assist as fast as I could. The dog jumped onto the backseat as I got to my knees and risked a