Page 65 of Shadow of Doubt

“Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy the summer. You and Sølvi even got to have Marco come visit. That must have been terrific.”

Having his deceased wife’s son—the little boy that he loved like his own—stay with them had been beyond terrific. What’s more, Sølvi had been wonderful about it, including having the grandparents along. She was a natural with Marco. There were times when it was just the three ofthem at the cottage on the fjord that he felt life couldn’t serve up anything more perfect.

“It was a good summer,” Harvath admitted.

“Bullshit,” Nicholas replied, a smile on his face. “It was a great summer. Every time I spoke with you, I could hear it in your voice.”

“That’s because you always called after five o’clock.”

“I always know I’m over the right target with you when the jokes start flying. Your sense of humor is your escape hatch.”

“Damn it,” said Harvath, as they pulled up to the villa. “We’re back already. Well, good talk. Let’s not do this again soon.”

“Everybody’s replaceable, Scot. Keep that in mind. Even you. You don’t have to stop what you’re doing, but you can change how you do it. They can’t force you to be in D.C. If you want to be with Sølvi, go be with Sølvi. You’ve earned the right to dictate your own terms.”

“Thanks, Doc.”

Nicholas shook his head as he opened his door. Harvath was never going to change. “Just think about what I said. Okay?”

CHAPTER 30

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Maggie Thomas held the White House in high esteem. To her it not only represented the pinnacle of political power but was also a shining symbol of what America stood for.

The character of the person who sat in the Oval Office was exceedingly important. They set the tone for the nation and were a projection to the rest of the world of how the United States saw itself. In her estimation, Paul Porter was an excellent president.

She had come to that decision based on who the man was, not on his party affiliation. Maggie prided herself on her lack of political bias. It was something else she had inherited from her grandmother, and it had served her well in D.C.

The only lens through which she viewed politics was “will the issue in question serve the interests of the American people and make the country better?” That was it. Plain and simple.

Over the course of his presidency, Porter had been faced with difficult foreign policy challenges. Each time, he had stepped up, done the right thing, and told the American people the truth—regardless of the consequences to his career. His courage, humility, and steadfast dedication to integrity were not only refreshing, but they also inspired fierce loyalty in the people who worked for him.

“Nervous?” Conroy asked as they entered the West Wing and headed toward the Cabinet Room.

“No,” Maggie replied. “I’ve briefed the president before.”

Steady as a fucking rock,Conroy thought to himself.Good.Competence and sobriety were exactly what they needed right now.

“POTUS likes you,” the DDO stated. “So, there’s nothing to be nervous about.”

“Andy, I’m not nervous. And whether he likes me or not is inconsequential. That’s not what I’m paid for.”

“You’re right,” Conroy conceded. “I apologize. I guess I may be the one who’s a little bit nervous.”

In the middle of the hallway, Maggie stopped and looked at him. “You? Why?”

“I hear the president’s team is extremely unhappy with the lack of visibility on Belarus. They’ve sharpened one of the fence posts along the South Lawn and are shopping for the right head to put on it.”

“Who told you that?”

“I’ve got a source inside the administration.”

“Of course you do,” Maggie replied. “Whoever it is, they’re lying to you.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If we’re correct, the world is a hair’s breadth away from Russia detonating a nuclear weapon. As unhappy as some on President Porter’s team may be with our penetration of Minsk, he’s not going to begin swapping out horses in the middle of the river.”

---