“You’d better believe it, Agent Logan. It’s a ripsnorting one, too, let me tell you, so you might as well get used to the idea.”
He leaned back in his chair and grinned. “I can hardly wait.”
Chapter 20
Washington, D.C.
Wednesday, January 22
“I really appreciate your coming by tonight to pick me up,” Ron said to Nick once they were in Nick’s car and headed to the White House.
“Glad to do it.”
Ron settled back into the seat with a sigh. “It feels good to be out of the house, I’ve got to admit. I was getting a little stir-crazy.”
Nick grinned. “Makes sense.”
“You can imagine my shock when the Man himself called to see if I could come to this little get-together tonight. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”
“Possibly. We’ll see soon enough. I received a similar call. Today was my day off. When he mentioned that you were also invited, I thought we could ride together.”
They drove along in silence for a few minutes before Ron asked, “You still assigned to Ashley?”
Nick cleared his throat. “Uh, no. I’m not.”
Ron’s grin flashed white in the shadowy interior of the car. “She finally got rid of you, did she?”
“Actually the prez suggested to Chambers that I be reassigned…to Mrs. Sullivan.”
“Did he say why?”
“No, but I have a strong hunch it’s because Ashley agreed to marry me. And her parents want to keep a close eye on me. I don’t think they’re too pleased with me at the moment.”
Ron straightened and stared at Nick in disbelief. “Marry you? I must have been out of the loop longer than I thought. You care to fill in some of the blanks for me?”
“Actually, I’m in a state of shock, myself. I agree with the president. All of this happened too fast. We don’t know each other that well. She has to finish school. In addition, I’ve got to deal with my career and what being engaged to the president’s daughter is going to do to its stability.” He pulled up at the gate of the White House, showed his card and was waved through. “So I’ve been staying away from her since we returned to Washington, except when I’m with her mother.”
“Is the engagement official?”
“I haven’t given her a ring, if that’s what you mean. It certainly hasn’t been announced. I think the prez is hoping that we’ll both come to our senses.”
“Do you agree?”
Nick thought about that question while he parked the car. He waited until they were almost to the door before he said, “I love Ashley enough to stay out of her life if it will make her happy. At the moment I’m just going to wait and see what happens.”
“You’re a brave soul, I’ll give you that. Courting the daughter of the head of the free world takes guts.”
They passed through security and were escorted to a large reception room where the president and first lady were greeting new arrivals.
Sullivan’s face lit up when he saw Ron. He shook his hand firmly and said, “It’s good to see you on your feet again, Agent Stevenson. As you know, I had no idea when I asked you to go on the ski trip that we’d have this much excitement.”
“It’s good to be here tonight, sir. Thank you for inviting me.”
When Ron stepped over to Mrs. Sullivan, the president turned to Nick. “You know, Logan, I’ve recently faced a very humbling realization,” he said, holding out his hand to Nick.
“How’s that, sir?” Nick asked, shaking hands.
“I have much better luck getting dignitaries from all over the world to heed my advice and counsel than I do my own family. It certainly keeps things in perspective for me.”
“I’m afraid I’m not following you, sir.”
Sullivan gave him a half smile. “My daughter is a very deter mined woman, Logan. I don’t believe I’m going to be able to dissuade her from her chosen course. She’s firmly resolved to marry you, come hell or high water.”
Nick felt his pulse surge, his body reacting to what his mind was slower to grasp—he was being welcomed into the family. “I am very much in love with your daughter, sir,” he said quietly. “I want her to be happy.”
“We’re in agreement there. I’ve had to come to accept that she’s not going to change her mind where you’re concerned.” Sullivan glanced around the room. “I’m already getting a glare from her for holding up your progress. We’ll talk some more later.”
Nick quickly shook hands with the first lady, then joined Ron, who stood nearby. Ron was the first to speak. “I don’t recognize too many of these people, do you?”
Nick recognized the vice president. Gregory Chambers was also in attendance. He was surprised to see Evelyn Cramer there, as well. Several cabinet members mingled with the guests. Then he spotted Ashley coming toward them, and Nick forgot everyone else in the room.
She looked beautiful tonight in a black dress that managed to be very classy and as sexy as hell. He fought to control his response to her. This was neither the time nor the place to wrap her in his arms and never let go of her.
Professionalism was called for at the moment.
“Ron!” she exclaimed, pausing in front of the two men. “It’s wonderful to see you looking so well.” She took his hand and squeezed it. “You’re looking much better than the last time I saw you. How are your girls?”
“When I left them tonight they were giving their mom fits. She was trying to get them to bed and they wanted no part of that.” He paused, and in a lower voice said, “Janine and I were remarried the day I was released from the hospital.”
“Oh, Ron, that’s great news. I couldn’t be happier for all of you.” She reached for Nick’s hand. To anyone watching them, it would look as though she was greeting the men equally—unless they heard what she said. “Did you tell him our news?”
“Oh, yeah,” Nick drawled. “He’s still in shock.”
Ron chuckled. “You have to admit the last time I saw you two, you couldn’t be in the same room without snarling at each other.”
She glanced at Nick, then made a face. He watched them without expression. “Uh-oh. He’s doing his great-stone-face routine. Only now I know that’s because he’s having to work at hiding his emotions.” She leaned a little closer to him and whispered, “Aren’t you, love?”
“You enjoy tweaking the tiger’s tail, don’t you?” he replied in a low tone.
She laughed, then sobered enough to ask, “What was Dad saying to you just now?”
“Nothing that would interest you.” He glanced around the room. “I don’t recognize some of these people. Do you?”
“Well, you recognize Uncle Ray and his crew, don’t you? There are some Coast Guard people here, as well. I think I know why they’re here, but I’d be guessing at this point.” She waved toward the buffet table. “Let’s get something to eat and find a table. Dad will explain everything later, I’m sure.”
They were filling plates when a familiar voice spoke behind Nick. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Sam standing there. “Thought I recognized you,” Sam was saying. “Good to see you, Nick.” He nodded to Ron and Ashley.
“What are you doing here, Sam?” Nick asked.
“Beats me. I was summoned. I obeyed.” He gave them a cocky grin.
Everyone was seated some time later when President James Sullivan stood and waited for the room to fall quiet before he began to speak.
“Look around the room, ladies and gentlemen, and note each and every face, for each of you are heroes in a silent war that was waged and won because of your loyalty and unstinting support. Because of the nature of the situation, there will never be any recognition for any of you other than this gathering tonight. Officially the kidnapping never happened. After tonight it will never be referred to again. Unofficially I want to thank each and every one of you for your loyalty and devotion to duty during this time. Many of you here in Washington worked around the clock to find the perpetrators.
Know that your efforts will never be forgotten.”
Ashley glanced around the room. Even her brothers were there, sipping on sparkling grape juice and looking oh, so grown-up in their new suits.
Her father continued, “I know there are many unanswered questions for most of you. We hope to be able to answer them in time if at all possible. With that in mind, I’m going to ask Evelyn Cramer of Homeland Security to come forward.”
Ashley blinked in surprise. Who was this woman and what part did she play in all that had happened?
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. President Sullivan has asked that I share with you the confidential report on the investigation our office conducted with regard to the conspiracy that resulted in the kidnapping of the presidential family.”
She quickly summed up what had been discovered and when. When she brought up Sam’s name, Logan, seated next to Ashley, leaned forward. “I was notified by one of our agents, who was an unsuspecting member of the terrorist group, that he had received word of plans being made to cause a disruption in the government. His reasons for being part of the group had nothing to do with the conspiracy. However, since he was already in place, he offered to work with us on the matter. We had him transferred to the area where the core group had their headquarters. Despite his efforts, he was unable to prevent the kidnapping, but he did manage to discover where the family was being held. With that information, another agent was able to arrange their escape. We owe them both a great debt of gratitude and thanks for the many risks they incurred.”
Once again the president took the floor. “Agent Sam Masters, a special citation is being placed in your personnel folder for the work you did in this matter, even though the reasons given for the citation are intentionally vague.” He glanced over to where Nick and Ashley sat and smiled. “As for you, Agent Nicholas Logan, you are receiving the highest award any man can offer to another—my daughter Ashley’s hand in marriage. I hope you will consider that sufficient reward.”
There was a stunned silence before a great many people erupted in applause, laughter and congratulations.
Nick responded with a grin, “More than sufficient, sir!” which increased the laughter.
In the midst of the hubbub, Ray Clarke, who was seated at the president’s table, spoke up. “You don’t know how thankful I am to have you here at all, Jim,” he said. “You know you’ve always been family to me. I’m sure I speak for everyone here when I say how devastated I was when the news broke about that tanker exploding and I thought you were still on board. I never want to experience anything like those few days of hell and grief again.”
His words brought a hush to the group. Most of the people there wore puzzled expressions.
Jason Freeman, the vice president, finally broke the silence. Wearing a slight frown, he said, “I’m afraid you’ve lost me, Ray. What tanker are you talking about? What explosion?”
Ray smiled at the people around him. “I suppose Jim didn’t tell you about that part of it. He told me about being chained away from the rest of the family, not knowing if they had been captured, not knowing where he was or where he was being taken. They barely escaped with their lives!”
There was a general murmur among the listeners.
Jason spoke up. “You were on a tanker?” he asked the president.
Ashley noticed that Greg Chambers set down his glass and stood. Ray had his back to Chambers and didn’t see him.
President Sullivan stared down at the table for a long silent moment. When he looked up, moisture filled his eyes. His face looked drawn. “That’s correct, Jason,” he said to his vice president. “I was. Ray explained it exactly the way it happened. The only problem is—” he turned his gaze to his friend of many years “—I never told you that I was on a tanker, chained away from the rest of the family, not knowing if they were alive. I never told anyone. Only my family, Nick Logan and my captors know where I was—besides the person who arranged the abduction in the first place.
“I guess my question to you now is—why, Ray? What caused you to do this to me and my family?”
Greg Chambers and another agent stood directly behind Ray Clarke now. Chambers pulled Ray to his feet and slid handcuffs on his wrists before Ashley registered what was happening. In fact, every person in the room sat as though frozen in suspended animation while James Sullivan and Ray Clarke looked at each other across the table they had shared.
“They weren’t supposed to hurt you,” Ray finally said in a choked voice.
“That doesn’t answer my question, Ray,” Sullivan replied in a low voice.
“I had no choice, Jim. None whatsoever. They had information that would have ruined me. Don’t you understand? They promised me that they would let you go regardless of the outcome of their negotiations. I believed them. I would never have wanted you harmed!”
“It was your money that turned the agents, wasn’t it?”
“I had no choice,” Ray repeated.
Sullivan looked at the man who had been so close to him for so many years. “We all have choices, Ray. Whatever they were holding over you might have ruined your business, but by cooperating with them, you’ve ruined your life and could have destroyed me and my family. I hope that God can forgive you. I’m not certain I can.”
Greg Chambers nodded to the agent, who then escorted Ray Clarke out of the room. The closing of the door seemed to animate everyone once again.
Ashley turned to Nick. “Did you know about this?”
“We couldn’t prove it, Ashley, which is why this little gathering was staged tonight.” She went over to her father. Nick followed.
She looked at her father. “Oh, Dad, I’m so sorry. Did you have any idea it was him?”
He shook his head. “No, honey, I’m afraid I didn’t. I knew there was a continuing investigation going on despite the arrests. Quite frankly I didn’t want to know the name of the person working within our small circle who had betrayed me.”
The vice president came forward, looking stunned. “I’m sorrier than I can express, Jim,” he said. “I had no idea that Ray was involved. He was here every day, wanting in formation about you. Everyone understood his concern. He’d been injured when you were captured. It never occurred to any of us that he had a hand in this.”
“Actually it occurred to Greg Chambers,” Nick said. “He’s taken all of this very personally. He lost too many agents in this deal, men he trusted who betrayed everything he stands for.”
Ashley said, “At one time you thought he might be part of it.”
“Yes. I could never quite get over the ambush at the airport.”
Ron joined them. “Who was behind that, anyway?”
“As soon as the leak in the White House heard that we were taking Ashley back home, he notified the terrorists in Colorado.”
Sam joined the group around the president. He turned to Ron and said, “I owe you an apology for not being able to prevent your being shot. By the time I heard about the planned ambush, it was too late to do anything.” He looked over at Nick. “That’s why I risked blowing my cover by going to the cabin with the information I’d picked up. There was a leak somewhere. Information was getting through too quickly and things were getting out of hand.”
Ashley asked, “Did you know I was there?”
Sam smiled. “No. Nick had me convinced you and Ron had already flown out of Colorado.” He looked over at Chambers. “You didn’t tell me about Ron, so there was no reason not to believe Nick.”
Chambers nodded. “Like you, I realized there was a leak somewhere and my agent had been shot. I wasn’t taking any more chances.”
Ashley placed her arm around her father’s waist. “I’m so sorry, Dad. I know this must be devastating to you.”
“I suppose that’s what betrayal is, honey. Only someone close to us has our trust and can actually turn on us. It’s hard to face the knowledge that someone you love can do this to you.”
Later that evening Nick took Ashley away fr
om the White House for a few hours. Her parents had gone into seclusion. Her brothers were still bewildered by the turn of events, and she was too restless to stay inside.
So they walked. Ashley knew that there was a car following them nearby, but she no longer cared. She was still caught up in what had happened earlier.
“I just can’t believe it! I used to call him Uncle Ray when I was small. He’s as close to being family as anyone we know.”
“I’m just glad the arrest turned out as peace fully as it did. None of us was sure that he would actually admit to knowing about the tanker tonight. We could only hope.”
“You honestly thought he was the one?”
“After the investigations, we could find nothing in the vice president’s background or Greg Chambers’s background to warrant their participation in this. Once we discovered some kickbacks in real-estate deals that Clarke had paid when he first got started, we had a hunch it was enough of a lever to have been used against him.”
She stopped walking and looked up at him. “You’ve been in on this investigation all along?”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me.”
“It’s what I do, Ashley. This is the life I lead. No matter how close I am to you, how much I love you, there will be parts in my life that I cannot talk about. Do you understand what that can mean in a relationship?”
She went up on tiptoe and kissed him. “Just who do you think you’re talkin’ to, Agent Logan? My entire life has been spent watching a marriage work quite well under similar circum stances. So if you’re thinking about trying to weasel out of anything by using your job as an excuse—”
He gave her a quick kiss in return and immediately released her. “Behave yourself. There are people watching.”
She laughed and swung her arms out, dancing in a circle around him. “Get used to it, fella. This is just the beginning!”
Nick grabbed her and, ignoring any spectators, kissed her until he had to finally come up for air. “I can’t believe this is happening. It’s too soon, it’s too much, it’s—”
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