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Hayes shook his head. He’d studied every side of it. He’d discussed it with his wife until they had beaten the subject to death. Was there a chance he could stay on top of his game for four more years? The answer was maybe, and maybe wasn’t good enough. And then there was the other issue of his physical appearance. That was the thing that really decided it for him. Hayes smiled and said to Kennedy, “The man in charge of the word’s most potent nuclear arsenal cannot be seen standing at a podium with shaky hands.”
Kennedy blinked slowly and glanced at the other two men. They all knew he was right, and admired him for making the difficult decision. There were others who would not have relinquished the mantle of power so easily. “Mr. President, I’m very sorry.”
“Don’t be. This office is bigger than any single person. It’s been my honor to serve.” Hayes regarded his two old friends from the Senate. Walsh smiled, Hartsburg frowned, and they both nodded. The two career politicians would have gladly settled for one term. Not one to feel sorry for himself, Hayes changed the subject. “Irene, let me lay things out for you. I have a vice president who is in over his head, I have a deeply flawed attorney general, a secretary of state who is more concerned with appeasing foreign governments than protecting our own long-term national security, and I have a new director of National Intelligence who will probably throw a party when he learns that I have Parkinson’s.” Hayes gave Hartsburg a sideways glance. It was Hartsburg who had recommended Ross for the top intelligence job.
The gruff senator said, “Bob, he’s an ambitious fellow, but I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s going to celebrate your misfortune.”
“Okay, he’ll celebrate his own opportunity.”
“He’s off to a bit of a rocky start,” Hartsburg conceded and then looked to Kennedy. “Don’t worry. We’ll have a talk with him and get him settled down.”
“The point is, Irene,” the president said, “that I don’t plan on spending my last year in office refereeing battles between my cabinet members. They sprang this one on me this morning,” Hayes shook his head, “I should have seen it coming, but I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for it. As it is, I don’t agree with them, but I do see their point.”
“I’m afraid I don’t, sir.”
“We are a civilized country ruled by laws. We are constantly preaching to other countries about free speech, due process, and fair and just courts. It is one of the most important missions of the State Department. Here at home, our Justice Department and the courts are tasked with keeping things fair. A crime has been committed on American soil. Yes, it was perpetrated against an employee of the CIA, but the jurisdiction still falls squarely in the lap of Justice, and there is nothing any of us can do about that.”
“Irene,” said Senator Walsh, “there’s another angle to consider. Mitch’s wife was a fairly well-known reporter. The press is going to follow this story closely. The Justice Department would much rather announce that this was an accident, that way they won’t have to set the bar too high for themselves. They’ll quietly continue to investigate, but my guess is they will not classify it as a crime unless they have a suspect they can pin it on.”
“That explosion was not an accident.”
“We all know that,” answered Hayes.
“Then what are we going to do about it?”
“Let me be very clear about this.” Hayes placed his forearms on the table and clasped his hands. “I want whoever did this brought to justice, and I want it to happen quickly. I don’t want an investigation that goes on for years, and I don’t want to see a single person dragged in front of a court unless there is absolutely no other alternative.”
“What about the Justice Department?”
“Let them run their official investigation.” Hayes waved his hand as if the massive Justice Department were some inconsequential nuisance. “You and Special Agent McMahon have a good working relationship. Anything he finds I want him to pass on to you, but to be honest, I expect you to be way out in front of him on this.”
“Why is tha
t, sir?”
“Because you don’t have to play by the rules, Irene, and they do.”
“What about Ross?” Kennedy turned to Senator Hartsburg.
“Mark will be fine.”
Kennedy shook her head. “I don’t think so.” She looked to the president expecting him to back her up. Ross had after all told the president about Rapp’s insubordination and thuggish behavior.
Instead of giving her a knowing nod, Hayes’s face twisted into a frown of confusion.
Kennedy realized at that moment that Ross had lied to her. “Mr. President, I don’t think Director Ross has been as forthright with you as he’s led me to believe.”
“What has he led you to believe?”
“He told me that he briefed you on a problem he’d had with Mitch recently.”
Hayes shook his head. “He hasn’t said a word to me about Mitch since he got the job.”
“Last week I was having a meeting in my office with Mitch and Scott Coleman.” Kennedy spoke directly to the president. “Director Ross showed up at Langley unannounced and barged in on the meeting.” Kennedy went on to explain how the IRS showed up on Scott Coleman’s doorstep the next day and that Ross had his people call the Pentagon and request Coleman’s service record. She ended the recap by explaining that Rapp had decided to pay Ross a visit at his office and when he walked in, Ross was having a meeting with several investigators and the topic of conversation was Scott Coleman. Rapp picked up a dossier containing Coleman’s tax returns and slapped Ross across the face with it.”
Hartsburg looked a little stricken, while Walsh and the president sat in stunned silence until finally Senator Walsh said, “I told both of you he was the wrong man for the job.”
“He’ll be fine,” said a defensive Hartsburg. “I’ll have a talk with him.”
