I, Alex Cross

than I meant to, but so had Reese. I decided to stay on the offensive with him.
    "Have you ever heard the name Zeus in connection with any of this?" I asked.
    He considered the question for a second. "Not that I can recall. And I think I would, a name like Zeus."
    I was pretty sure he was lying, and it reminded me of something Lauren Inslee had said about her clients: Why would someone like Reese even answer my question,
except
to lie?
    When the phone on his desk buzzed, he picked it up right away. He watched me while he listened, then stood as soon as he hung up. "Would you excuse me for a minute? I’m sorry about this. I know how busy you are."
    As he walked out of the room, a Secret Service agent stepped into the open door with his back to me. I couldn’t help wondering what would happen if I tried to leave. Instead, I just sat there and attempted to get my bearings. Why was the White House chief of staff involved with my case? How?
    Soon enough, there were voices outside, just a low murmur that I couldn’t understand from where I was sitting.
    The agent in the door stepped out and another one took his place. He came in and glanced quickly around the office. His eyes played right over me, the way they did the rest of the furniture.
    Then he moved aside to make way for the president, who walked into the room smiling.
    "Alex Cross. I’ve heard so much about you. All of it good," she said.

Chapter 77

    THE PRESIDENT’S VIBE was completely different from Reese’s. She was almost collegial the way she shook my hand and settled onto the tufted leather couch instead of behind the desk. Not that it did anything to put me at ease.
    "I’ve read your book," she told me. "Years ago, but I remember it well. Very interesting stuff. And so very scary because it’s all true."
    "Thank you, Madam President."
    I admired Margaret Vance. She’d done a lot to get both sides of the aisle talking to each other. She and her husband, Theodore Vance, were both powerful figures not only in Washington but around the world. All things being equal, I would have liked to work with the president. But things were definitely not equal right now.
    "I’d like to ask you a favor, Dr. Cross." She nodded at her agent to leave us alone, and I waited for him to close the door.
    "Regarding my investigation?"
    "That’s right. I think you’ll agree it’s important this case not proceed in a way that could threaten innocent people, or especially national security, or even the everyday workings of our government. Allegations can be just as harmful as indictments if they’re brought to light in the wrong way. You know that, of course."
    "Yes," I agreed. "I have a bit of experience with that."
    "So you can appreciate the delicacy here." She was talking more at me than to me, and seemed to think this was all already settled. "I’d like you to meet with one of our lead agents, Dan Cormorant, get him up to speed, and transition the case into his care."
    "I’m not sure that I’m in a position to do that," I told her. "For several reasons."
    "It won’t be a problem. The Service’s uniformed division has all the statutory authority of the Metropolitan Police."
    I nodded. "Within the city limits, that’s true."
    It was like I wasn’t even speaking anymore, the way she went on. "And of course, all the field resources any investigation could possibly need. We’ve got the best in the world working for us here." She stopped and looked at me over the top of her glasses. "Present company excluded, of course."
    My, my, my
. It’s a truly original feeling to have your ass kissed by the leader of the free world. Too bad I couldn’t enjoy it for more than a few seconds. I’ve got a pretty good internal compass, but for all I knew, it was sending me right over an edge I’d never come back from.
    "President Vance," I said. My heart might have been thudding, but my mind was still clear. "I’d like to take all of this under advisement and respond sometime in the next twenty-four hours, either in writing or in person, whichever you prefer."
    She didn’t try to hide how she felt about that. Two lines showed up around her mouth like parentheses.
    "I’m not here to negotiate, Dr. Cross. This meeting is a courtesy, and an extraordinary one at that. I assumed someone like you preferred not to be walked over. That was obviously my mistake." She stood up and I followed suit. "Frankly, I’m surprised. I’ve been told you were a bright man and a patriot."
    "A