Above Reproach

by Lynn Ames

  “Maybe he can,” Vaughn said. “What if all he did was facilitate us getting on that plane? We’re going to need some kind of documentation anyway.”

  Sedona nodded in appreciation. “Vaughn’s right. What if the president made a call to Ten Downing Street and asked permission to put me on that plane as a favor—you know, one terrorist-fighting ally to another?”

  Lorraine picked up the thread. “He wouldn’t have to reveal anything about our actual purpose. He wouldn’t really have to give anything away at all.”

  Vaughn nodded. “Okay.”

  “Vaughn?” Justine asked. “Where the heck are you, anyway?”

  “A private bathroom, why?”

  Justine laughed. “The echo is atrocious.”

  “Sorry. We had to improvise.”

  “Okay. Don’t move,” Peter said. “I’ll call Kate right now and have her talk to the president.”

  “Um. That won’t be necessary,” Sedona said sheepishly.

  “Because…?”

  “We can call him directly.” Sedona shrugged when Vaughn’s eyes widened.

  “You have a secure line to the president,” she said.

  “Yeah.” Sedona smiled. “Hey, I earned it.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to make the call,” Lorraine said.

  “Puts him in a horrible position,” Peter elaborated.

  “I agree,” Sedona said. “That’s why I’m handing my burn phone to Vaughn.” She took the phone out of her pocket and slapped it into Vaughn’s palm. “Try speed dial number one.” She winked.

  “This is the president,” the sleepy voice said.

  Vaughn stood up a little straighter. “Mr. President, sir. I’m sorry to wake you.”

  “Who is this?”

  “Vaughn Elliot, sir. I’m here with a friend of yours, and she assures me that you personally gave her this number and permission to use it.”

  “What is it?” Now the president sounded fully awake. “What’s happened?”

  “Sir, I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’ve captured the newest imminent terrorist threat.”

  “I’m sorry. I’m not following. Who would that be?”

  “Sedona Ramos, sir.”

  “What?” The president’s voice was so loud Vaughn had to hold the phone away from her ear. “I didn’t authorize that.”

  “I’m sure you didn’t, sir.”

  “Is she okay?”

  Vaughn smiled at the protectiveness in his voice. “For now, sir, but we’ve got a bit of a situation, and we could really use your help.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I don’t want to say too much, sir, but as I just indicated, I have apprehended this dangerous terrorist, and I really need to get her to Kuwait ASAP. I know it wouldn’t be usual protocol to put such a…dangerous…individual on a commercial plane, but in this case I think it’s vital to get her to Kuwait so we can see what she knows.”

  “I see.”

  “We’re in a bit of bind, sir, and this is our best hope to be able to deal with her ourselves.”

  “What do you need from me?”

  “A call to Ten Downing Street that would smooth the way for me, Deputy US Marshal Cynthia Frederickson, to transport the prisoner on the British Airways flight departing in forty-four minutes from Heathrow would be most helpful. Also, I’ll need someone to meet us at the gate with an authenticated note from Interpol confirming the arrangements so I can hand that to the head of security.”

  “Consider it done. Do you have the prisoner in a secure location right now?”

  “For the moment, sir, but time really is of the essence.”

  “Understood. Give me five minutes and I’ll call you back.”

  “Are those too tight?” Vaughn asked. She hated that she’d had to put leg irons, a belly chain and handcuffs on Sedona. She surreptitiously stroked the side of Sedona’s arm beneath the coat draped over Sedona’s handcuffs.

  “No. I’m fine.”

  “Are you scared?”

  Sedona smiled. “Only a little. I mean it’s not like everyone is looking at me suspiciously or anything.” Sedona indicated the line of gawkers with a tilt of her head.

  Vaughn had received the all-clear from the president to take the flight, with the additional instruction that she would be permitted to board Sedona first, before any of the regular passengers. This way, they could go directly to the back of the plane, where the prisoner would be watched closely and where she wouldn’t be a danger to anyone else.

  Vaughn helped Sedona navigate the jetway, led her to the last row, and helped her sit. Because of the nature of Sedona’s status, they had the row all to themselves. “Are you comfortable enough?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  Sedona batted her eyelashes playfully at Vaughn. Vaughn wished in the worst way that she could lean over and kiss her. She marveled at how calm, cool, and collected Sedona appeared. It made Vaughn feel even more fiercely protective of her than she already did. In light of her recent ruminations on the flight to London from Miami, Vaughn didn’t want to think about what that meant.

  She and Sedona observed the passengers as they boarded. Justine and Sabastien got onboard early in the process. Their seats were in the middle of the plane. Peter and Lorraine, looking for all-the-world like newlyweds, boarded nearly last. They sat in first class.

  “Do you see anybody that gives you pause?”

  Sedona seemed to be surprised by the question.

  “What? Was that the wrong thing to ask?” Vaughn asked.

  “I’m just a little surprised that you want my opinion.”

  “Why wouldn’t I? You’re keenly aware and observant. You picked up on the trouble even before I did back there. If it hadn’t been for you, we might’ve been blown and…” Vaughn couldn’t finish the sentence. The thought of Sedona being taken prisoner and hauled off to some jail was not something she wanted to consider.

  Sedona closed her eyes and asked the angels for guidance. When she opened her eyes again, Vaughn was staring at her. “I think we’re okay.”

  “What were you just doing?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You closed your eyes and your lips were moving.”

  “They were?” Sedona asked. She shifted slightly in her seat.

  Vaughn narrowed her eyes. “That made you nervous.”

  “What?”

  “That I noticed.”

  “You’ve lost your mind.”

  Vaughn smiled and shook her head. “I don’t think so, but I’ll let you keep your secrets—for now.”

  Sedona yawned. “It’s been kind of a long haul. Mind if I take a nap?”

  Vaughn recognized the evasion, but she decided to let it pass. She understood better than most not wanting to lay herself bare. “Go for it.” She touched Sedona’s hand, mostly because she couldn’t stop herself. “Are you going to be able to sleep like this?” With a sweeping gesture, Vaughn indicated the shackles and the Kevlar vest made necessary by Sedona’s wanted-terrorist status.

  “There’s nothing you can do about it without giving us away, can you?”

  Vaughn frowned at Sedona’s practicality. “I suppose not.”

  “Then don’t worry about it.” Sedona leaned back and closed her eyes. “There is one thing you can do for me,” she said, after a moment.

  “Name it.”

  “Since I can’t snuggle against you, could you put a pillow against the window for me?”

  Vaughn’s stomach flipped as she realized that there wasn’t anything she’d rather do than put her arm around Sedona and hold her while she slept. “Sure,” she croaked.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “Everything is going according to plan.” Daniel Hart stood looking over the Capitol rotunda. Next to him, Emily Kincaid shifted uncomfortably.

  “Have they caught her yet?”

  “No, but it’s only a matter of time.”

  “Are you sure that this will work? Declaring he
r an enemy combatant, I mean.”

  Hart bristled. “It’s genius. Not only does it save us from having to expend our own resources, but it ensures that she has no credibility even if she manages to tell someone in power what she knows.”

  “What does Astin think?”

  “Who cares what that sniveling jackass thinks,” Hart snapped. “His days are numbered.” Next to him, he felt her recoil.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Grayson has no intention of leaving such a delicate and important operation in the hands of his incompetent nephew.”

  “Astin has been in charge for years,” she huffed. “His uncle has complete confidence in him.”

  Hart turned around and put his back to the railing so that he was facing her. “Wake up and smell the coffee, Emily. I have no idea what it is you see in that two-bit wanna-be. Do you even realize he’s been tapping your phones for months?”

  “What?”

  Hart’s smile was self-satisfied. “That’s right. Your hero has been tapping your phones and listening in on your conversations to get intel on your progress on the oil pipeline. He figures he’ll have a leg up lobbying the members of your caucus because he’ll already know what their positions are and he can concentrate on the most vulnerable members. It gives him extra time to get dirt on them and use it against them to procure their votes.”

  “Astin would never—”

  “Jesus! You’re hopeless.” Hart pushed off the railing. “Listen, Emily. I like you. I really do. My advice to you is get your head out of your ass before you end up just like Astin.”

  She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it, then opened it again. “Where is Quinn?”

  “He’s back on-site, overseeing the production end of things.”

  “How close is he?”

  “Close.”

  “Good.”

  “How close are we to pushing the pipeline through?” Hart asked.

  “Close. I’m still counting heads, but I should be able to move it out of committee at tomorrow’s meeting. Once that happens, we’ll get it on the floor calendar so it’ll be in perfect position to be fast-tracked when the shit hits the fan.”

  “Excellent.” Hart nodded. “Grayson will be pleased.” He started to walk away.

  “Daniel, wait.”

  He turned around. “Yeah?”

  “Will you keep me posted on the status of the search?”

  “Of course. Let me know when the committee votes the bill out.” He walked away, whistling.

  Kate stood when the president strode into the library of the White House’s private residence.

  “Have a seat, Kate.” He unbuttoned his suit coat, scrubbed his hands over his face, and selected the winged-back chair opposite her.

  “If you don’t mind my saying so, sir, you look tired.” She didn’t add that he also looked years older than he had when he was sworn into office. She had noticed the same changes in President Hyland when she worked for him. There was no question that the office aged its inhabitants.

  “Yeah, well, it goes with the job, I think.”

  “Yes, it does.”

  “My wife thinks I should consider coloring my hair.” He laughed. “Somehow, I don’t think I’m quite ready for that step.”

  “I hear that once you start, you’ll never stop.”

  “Exactly,” the president agreed. “Anyway, as you might imagine, I didn’t ask you here to discuss my hair.” He leaned forward and clasped his hands together. “I heard from Vaughn in the middle of the night.”

  “Oh?” Kate’s heart stuttered. She fully expected that Vaughn would have contacted her rather than going directly to the president. She could only imagine that something had gone really wrong.

  “It seems Ms. Ramos has been designated an imminent terror threat.”

  “Sir?” Kate swallowed hard. “Is she okay? Is the team—”

  “As far as I know, they are on a plane to Kuwait and they are fine.”

  Kate wanted to know more, but she sensed that the president had something else on his mind. “That’s not why I’m here, is it?”

  “I’m sure you have questions, and I’ll answer them, but first, I want to discuss the bigger picture.”

  “Sir?”

  “Someone has made our friend public enemy number one…without my knowledge and without my having read any paperwork on it.”

  “How is that possible, sir? Wouldn’t you have to sign off on something that major or at least be informed?” Kate’s mind raced. She stood, started to pace and then remembered where she was. She returned to her seat. “I know it’s been a while since I worked here, and 9/11 changed everything, but still…”

  “Normally, I would agree with you. I would be kept in the loop, especially since they’re accusing her of treason and collusion with al-Qaeda in Iraq.”

  “What?” Kate jumped up again. She couldn’t help it. She had to pace. “Don’t they have to have a basis for such a designation?”

  “Of course.” The president’s voice was calm, almost matter-of-fact.

  Kate turned back around and headed back to her chair. “They trumped something up.”

  “Yes.”

  “How?”

  “I don’t know yet. That’s part of why I wanted to talk to you. I want to be very careful about my next steps.”

  Kate sat back down. “What are the options?”

  “Ultimately, the designation must have come from the Homeland Security Secretary Daniel Hart—apart from me, he’s the only one who could have approved it.”

  Kate nodded. In her day, there hadn’t been a Department of Homeland Security, so the protocol was new to her. “Wouldn’t there have to be documentation to back that up?”

  “Absolutely. That’s where it gets interesting.”

  Kate thought she knew where the president was going. “You’re trying to figure out whether Secretary Hart knew what he was doing or whether he was an unwitting dupe.”

  “That’s part of it, yes.” Now it was the president’s turn to pace. “If Daniel didn’t know what he was doing and went on someone else’s recommendation, I want to know who that someone was.”

  “And if he did know…” Kate let the implication hang in the air.

  “I hope that’s not true, but I have to consider the very real possibility that he was a party to it.” The president sat back down. “That’s where it gets tricky. I have to decide whether to tip my hand and let him know I’m aware of the designation or wait and see how this plays out going forward.”

  Kate pursed her lips in thought. “I can see advantages and disadvantages to both scenarios. If you didn’t hear about the designation from Secretary Hart, how else might you have found out? Is there another avenue, another reasonable explanation for how you would have come by the information, sir?”

  “Good question. It is unlikely, unless there had been something about it on the news, in which case it would have appeared in my briefing.”

  “I haven’t seen anything on the news about it, sir.”

  “That’s because the general public hasn’t been made aware of it yet.”

  “So, if you call Secretary Hart on the carpet and he is complicit, he’s going to wonder how you found out about this.”

  “And if that’s the case, we’d be getting one fish, but not the whole school, if you catch my drift.”

  “I do, sir. But maybe there’s another way.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “You have Sabastien on your side. We could have him poke around in the Homeland Security computer systems to find whatever documentation was provided for the terrorist designation.”

  The president’s eyes lit up. “That’s brilliant. We could, indeed. That way, we would know what fiction was created.”

  “Which would give us a better idea where it might have originated, and whether or not Secretary Hart had anything to do with it.”

  “Indeed.” The president nodded to himself. “I like it. Of c
ourse, that presumes that the team arrives safely at their destination and that Sabastien has the proper equipment with him to complete the task.”

  “True. There’s only one way to find out, sir.”

  The president sighed. “Yes, but we have to wait for them to contact us, since we don’t know precisely what their situation is.”

  “Are they scheduled to call you again, sir?”

  “Not specifically, but let’s hope they do.”

  Kate didn’t want to take up any more of the president’s time, but she needed to know. “Sir? Now can you fill me in on the team’s status and their plan?”

  When the president finished explaining to her about the hair-raising situation at Heathrow, the desperate race to get the Interpol documentation into Vaughn’s hands in time for the flight, and the cover story, Kate thought her head would explode. She blinked. “So what happens when they get to Kuwait?”

  “I don’t know. Vaughn was very circumspect. I imagine she was trying to limit my exposure.”

  “I sure hope they have a plan,” Kate said.

  “Me too, Kate. Me too.”

  By virtue of her threat status, Sedona and Vaughn would be the last to get off the aircraft. As a result, Sedona watched as Justine and Sabastien exited the plane without a single backward glance. For some reason, this added to her feeling of isolation. Already, she was rattled by Vaughn’s complete mastery of the tough deputy US marshal persona. The woman Sedona was coming to know was nowhere in sight, and Sedona was surprised to find that she missed her.

  When everyone else was gone, Vaughn motioned for Sedona to get up. She tried to stand, but fell back into the seat. The shackles and Kevlar vest made every motion difficult and awkward.

  Vaughn grabbed her roughly by the elbow and yanked her to her feet. Sedona winced but said nothing. She reminded herself that this was not real—it was a necessary deception—an illusion that would end as soon as they were away from prying eyes.

  Vaughn jerked Sedona sideways and into the aisle as the flight attendants stood as far back as possible. Sedona could see the fear in their eyes, just as she’d seen the fear in the eyes of the other passengers as they boarded the plane. It was hard to reconcile the person these folks feared with the gentle soul Sedona knew herself to be. She would have to worry about her soul later. Right now, she had a part to play.