Stuart Woods_Stone Barrington 14

there has been any contact between them since then, but still…”
    â€œThat’s a pretty slim connection, isn’t it?”
    â€œIrene’s last post was as Assistant Deputy Director for Operations, and she was in a position, had she chosen to do so, to provide Teddy with a great deal of information that he would have needed to conduct his campaign in New York.”
    â€œWasn’t she investigated at the time?”
    â€œThere was a full internal investigation into who, if anyone, might have been helping Teddy.”
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œNo culprit was discovered. Irene Foster conducted the investigation.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œIrene told her colleagues at the time of her retirement that she had bought a house on the island of St. Barts, but not long after her retirement, she sold the house and left the island.”
    â€œFor St. Marks?”
    â€œWe’ve only recently learned that she bought another house on St. Marks.”
    â€œWhy Holly and me?”
    â€œThree reasons: one, Holly was the only member of the New York team who thought Teddy was still alive after the building collapsed, and she has actually seen him twice, though he was disguised; two, you are under contract to us as a consultant, and you are an experienced investigator with some experience of St. Marks; and three, a couple would excite less interest in such a setting than a single person, and you are the only man Holly would agree to share…ah, quarters with.”
    â€œI have a feeling there’s another reason,” Stone said.
    â€œAh. Yes. I take it you have a personal interest in seeing President Lee reelected.”
    â€œI support him, yes.”
    â€œYou did not know that Teddy Fay had survived the aircraft explosion, did you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œNeither does anybody else outside the FBI director’s office, my director’s office and those designated by the current occupant of this room. The president was persuaded to conceal his knowledge of Teddy’s survival, in the interest of helping catch him. He shared that knowledge with only three other people—all members of Congress.”
    â€œSo?”
    â€œSince we now believe that Teddy may still be alive, and since the president knows this, he is vulnerable if it should become known. In effect, he has kept from the public, on two occasions, the knowledge that a wanted criminal is still at large. His wife, as director of Central Intelligence, shares this vulnerability. Should Teddy’s continued existence become known in the months remaining before the election, Katharine Rule Lee would be forced to resign from the Agency. Since she was always an unpopular choice with the political opposition, they will make much of it, and the ensuing uproar might very likely torpedo the reelection of the president.”
    â€œI’m uncomfortable with this,” Stone said.
    â€œ Everyone is uncomfortable with it,” Lance replied, “not least the president and the first lady, but there it is, and we have to deal with it.”
    There was a knock on the double doors. “More of this tomorrow.” Lance called out, “Come in.”
    The door opened and a tall, very slim woman with shoulder-length red hair wearing a striking evening gown entered the room. “Hello, Stone,” she said. Stone and Lance got to their feet.
    It took Stone more than a moment to absorb the change. “Holly?”
    â€œAmazing what losing a little weight, a dye job and a tan will do, isn’t it?”
    â€œYou look gorgeous.” Stone had hardly noticed the man who had followed her in, but now he did. “Dino? What the hell are you doing here?” He had never seen Dino in a tuxedo before.
    â€œI got the same invitation you did, pal.”
    Lance spoke up. “I forgot to mention that Dino will be going along, too.”
    â€œI believe we’re due at dinner,” Holly said.
    â€œThat we are,” Lance replied. “There’ll be a further briefing for you and Dino tomorrow, Stone, but right now, the president awaits.” He led the way out of the Oval Office and from the West Wing to the White House proper, where they joined a receiving line. When Stone was introduced to the president and first lady, they greeted him without reference to their earlier meeting.
    Shortly, they were seated at one of many tables in the East Room, sipping California champagne. Stone looked around.