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David sat down on a divan and crossed one ankle over the opposite knee. Clete wasn’t fooled by David’s seeming insouciance. He wasn’t nearly as relaxed as he wished to appear.
“What do you want, Clete? I know you too well. You didn’t orchestrate this bullshit FBI investigation on a whim. You for damn sure didn’t do it out of concern for Spence. Then why? What is it you want?”
“My daughter.”
“My wife, you mean.”
“You’re ruining Vanessa’s life. I won’t let it happen.”
“Where Vanessa is concerned, my wishes as her husband take precedence over yours, Clete. Let me assure you that she is in excellent hands.”
“Where? Allan’s lake house again?”
“Her condition became much too serious to be treated there. She flipped out one morning. George had no choice. He had to remove her to a nursing facility.”
“Which facility?”
“Tabor House.”
“The detox hospital?”
“He knew her privacy would be guaranteed there.” David got up, crossed to his desk, and retrieved a slip of paper from the middle drawer. “Here’s the number. Call it if you don’t believe me.”
Clete snatched the paper from him and asked the White House operator to place the call. While he waited, he slammed back the scotch. Finally a mellifluous voice answered. “Tabor House.”
“This is Senator Clete Armbruster. Let me speak to whoever’s in charge.”
“One moment, please.”
Soft music played in his ear as he waited for the call to be directed. He wondered if this really was a telephone line to the exclusive substance-abuse hospital or if David was tricking him.
“Clete? I’ve been expecting to hear from you. The President told me you’d be calling.”
He recognized the voice. Dr. Dexter Leopold, former surgeon general, now administrator of Tabor House. “Hello, Dex. How’s my daughter?”
“I’ll be perfectly honest with you, Clete. She was in bad shape when Dr. Allan brought her here. Her medication wasn’t working because she was drinking so heavily. But we’ve got it stabilized now, and she’s much improved.”
“Give her the best treatment available, Dex.”
“That goes without saying.”
“I want other doctors on her case, not just Allan.”
There was a slight pause on the other end. “That would be awkward, Clete.”
“I don’t care how awkward it is.”
“Dr. Allan is her physician of record. Until Mrs. Merritt herself—or President Merritt if she’s incapable of making the decision—replaces him, I must recognize him as the physician in charge of her case.”
Dex Leopold was reputed to be an honorable man, but David could have gotten to him somehow. If George Allan was slowly killing Vanessa, would Dr. Leopold look the other way? “Exactly where is Tabor House?” Clete asked. “I’d like to come see her tomorrow.”
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Clete,” the doctor said gently. “You know the policy here. Absolutely no one except the patients and the staff are allowed on the premises. That’s the only way we can protect our patients’ privacy and maintain the hospital’s integrity. Seeing family can cause a setback, especially once the patient is medically healed and we’re working on the psychological phase of recovery.”
“But surely, Dex—”
“I’m sorry, Clete, no exceptions. Not even the President has been allowed to visit Mrs. Merritt, although he’s asked to each time he’s called. If I turn him down, I must say no to you too. It’s what’s best for Mrs. Merritt, I assure you.”
Clete’s eyes cut to David, who was watching him, his expression unperturbed.
