Page 17 of An Impossible Love
Chapter Eight
Emmy steered her car carefully through the throng of journalists, emergency service vehicles, and frantic parents. A plume of smoke rose from the high school in front of her. She saw Lucas Harper fielding questions from his men, and Emmy parked and went directly to him.
“Hey, Lucas.”
“Em, thank God. Listen, the President heard about the bombing and wanted to come straight here. I told him we wouldn’t allow it unless the place was secure, and we wouldn’t impede the rescue effort.”
Emmy nodded, seeing the faces of terrified students and parents. “How many?”
“Last count, thirty-two. That includes the caretaker who we think was murdered last night—obviously when they placed the bombs. C-4 on a timer. Luckily—if I can even use that word in these circumstances—the gymnasium was only just beginning to fill. Another ten minutes, and we’d be talking mass casualties.” He sighed, shaking his head. “There’s no way I’m letting the president come here at the moment. We’d just be taking the focus away from the emergency services.”
“How’s he doing?”
Lucas shook his head. “Not good. He’s beside himself that this could happen, as you’d expect. Em, I need you at Camp David. We can’t take this attack, so close to the president, as anything other than a warning.”
“I agree.”
“I’m sorry about your vacation.”
Emmy smiled at him. “Lucas, really, don’t worry about it. You want me protecting the pres?”
“Closely. I know he likes to chat to you; I think it would help if he had you there.”
Emmy frowned a little. She was being used as a nursemaid? Lucas read her mind. “Em, you’re an asset. That the President confides in you isan asset.”
“Lucas, all he’s confided in me so far is that he’s thinking about getting a dog.”
“It’s a start.”
Emmy drove to Camp David where she was met by Duke. He asked her what the scene of the bombing had been like. “Hell,” she said simply. She couldn’t stop thinking about the searing grief on the faces of those students and parents. In a heartbeat, their safe world was gone. It reminded her of the before and after moment when they told her Zach was dead.
Everything ends, just like that.
“Lucas tells me he wants me with the president.”
Duke nodded. “He’s up at Aspen with Moxie and Charlie Hope. The VP is at the White House.”
They walked to the president’s cabin and were let in by Greg, who quickly briefed them.
“They’re talking about a live address from here to the nation. Moxie thinks he should go back to the White House.”
“Maybe. If they’re bombing near here, it’s obviously a threat.”
“Yup.”
They went to main room and saw Orin Bennett deep in conversation with his advisors. He looked up and nodded at them, and Emmy could see the depths of sadness in his eyes. She nodded back, hitched up the side of her mouth in a reassuring smile, then smoothed her expression. It wasn’t her place to make the president feel better; she was there to keep himsafe.
Orin was preoccupied arguing with Moxie. “No, Mox, going back to the White House will make me look weak—as if I’m running away. We still don’t know who was behind this, or if their motivation was to strike at us. It seems arrogant to leave when maybe I could do some good here.”
Moxie and Charlie looked at each other, then Moxie sighed. “Fine. Vice President Hunt has told us she has a statement ready but won’t release until after our message is out.”
Kevin McKee spoke up then. “The statement is almost done and your speech for the address is in progress. In fact, sir, if you would excuse me…”
“Go, go. Thanks Kevin.” Orin waved him away. He risked a glance at Emmy. He’d seen the small smile, appreciated it. What he wouldn’t give to feel her arms around him now?
Focus.Kids were dead. Jesus, he couldn’t imagine what those parents were going through right now. He finished up the meeting and instructed them to call in the cameras and lighting. “I’ll do the address here, but I want it to be formal.”
“You got it, Mr. President.”
