Page 32 of A More Perfect Union

He backed toward thedoor, his body shaking, and spat out his final words. “Leave. Me. Alone.” Theslamming door shook the frame and Zoey stared after him, completely mystifiedby his strange appearance and exit. On impulse, she picked up the phone andpressed the button that would connect her to Lieutenant Louden. When he pickedup the line, she didn’t waste any time.

“It’s Major Granger.Can you tell me if I have access to a personnel file for Colonel Mitchell?”

“Hmm, let me check.”She heard the sound of tapping on a keyboard in the background. “He’s on yourlist of interviewees, right?”

“Right.” Zoeyresisted the urge to gossip about the strange visit from Mitchell. Moretapping. “The system says his file is restricted,” Louden said. “Must be amistake in the system. I can check into it and get back to you tomorrow if thatworks.”

“Thanks. Probablyoverkill on my part, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”

“I’ll email you whenit’s ready. Anything else?”

“No, thanks. Have agreat evening.” Zoey hung up and surveyed the files on her desk. She was at astopping point and needed to leave now if she was going to be on time to meetthe movers. What she would rather be doing was meeting Rook for dinner. If themovers were quick, maybe she could make that happen. She pulled out her phone,but before she could type a text, years of discipline took hold. She’d meet themovers and then prepare for Donny Bloomfield’s interview. Resigned to herboring but industrious evening, Zoey packed up her desk and headed for theparking lot, unable to deny the growing excitement about the prospect of seeingRook again very soon.

Chapter Eleven

Rook’s phonestarted ringing at six a.m. She was on her way to the treadmill, located on thetop floor of her townhouse, and for a second, considered ignoring it until shegot in her exercise for the day. But the second passed and she checked thescreen and took the call. “Good morning, Senator Newman.”

“Do you have anyupdates for me?”

Fine. She didn’t wantto waste time on niceties either. “Matter of fact, I do. I spent last night reviewingthe tapes of the morning shows and my team performed an analysis of theresulting press coverage. Your favorables are up five percent since the storybroke. If we keep—”

“Five percent?” Hisvoice rose. “I get a five percent bump when I kiss babies on the campaigntrail. You can’t seriously think that’s progress.”

Rook rubbed herpounding forehead. “Senator, this isn’t a campaign for votes. It’s a campaignfor your future and maybe even your liberty if the DA decides to open acriminal investigation. Every tenth of a percentage point we can elevate yourimage is a potential juror deciding you’re too nice, too sincere to convict ona manslaughter charge. Trust me when I say that we are making progress.”

“I’m sorry,” he said,sounding more resigned than apologetic. “Jeanine is not happy about all thisattention. The press is following us everywhere and they’re scaring the kids. Ican’t get to my office without a Capitol Police escort.”

Rook searched for asolution, and something she’d seen on one of the news segments last night cameto mind. “Didn’t Jeanine graduate from Columbia?”

“Yes. She grew up inManhattan. Her parents still live there. But I don’t understand what that hasto do with—”

“Bear with me asecond.” Rook put the senator on hold and dialed Lacy on another line. “Lace, Iknow it’s early, but there’s some kind of women’s conference going on atColumbia this weekend. Farah Hamil is one of the organizers. I need you tocontact Farah and get her to invite Jeanine Newman to attend. Small speakingrole, not one where she’ll be subject to questions, just something to give herand the kids an excuse to be away from DC for a while. Get Harry to startworking on her speech. Something along the lines of you can be a strong, modernwoman and still stand by your man. I want to see copy by noon.”

“Got it. I have untilnoon to roll back decades of feminism.”

“Very funny.” Rookknew Lacy was kidding. Mostly. “If Farah balks, have her call me.”

“Will do. What timewill you be in?”

“Not sure. This newcase is going to have me running around for a few days.”

“The one from Julia?”

Rook appreciatedLacy’s discretion. “That’s the one. I’m not sure I need to involve the rest ofthe team right now, but I’ll keep you posted.” After Lacy hung up, Rookswitched back to Senator Newman. “Your wife is about to be invited to speak ata women’s conference at Columbia. She’ll go and take the kids for a visit withtheir grandparents. In the meantime, you’ll go back to Ohio and schedulemeetings with as many of your constituents as possible. You’ll do town hallsand pancake breakfasts as if you’re running for office. You’ll answer everyquestion that comes your way until the press is tired of talking about it oruntil some other story splashes across the headlines.”

“But I thought youdidn’t want me talking to the press anymore?”

“I changed my mind.We’re going to divide and conquer. You two will represent like the power coupleyou are, and since you’ll be in two different places, the press will be spreadthin. Every time you get a question about the case, you’ll give your stockanswer and pivot to a pressing issue, like healthcare or the economy. Harrywill work with you on exactly what you can and cannot say about the pendingcase. You’ll be so visible, the press will get sick of you. There’s nothingthey like more than a slammed door because it means there’s something to digfor. You and Jeanine are going to show them everything and nothing all atonce.”

“Are you going to bein Ohio with me or New York with her?”

Rook held back anaudible sigh. “Neither. You don’t need a big gun if you don’t have to guardagainst big damage. Having me visible is a liability. Harry will be dedicatedto whatever you need. Trust me, it won’t be long before the press is sick ofyou.”

Rook added a few moreencouraging words to their pep talk and clicked off the line. A few miles at afast clip on the treadmill provided a welcome release, and by seven thirty,she’d showered and settled in to eat breakfast and watch the morning news.She’d taken her first bite of grapefruit when her phone buzzed with a text.

Morning. Hope it’snot too early to text.

She smiled at Zoey’smessage with its spelled out words and punctuation, and typed her reply.I’vebeen up for hours. You?

---