Chapter 40

Eventually duty called me home to the Vice Presidential Residence. Jennifer hadn’t seen our official home and she was very curious and just bit concerned. “Do you think the media will let me alone? Is there anything that I’m supposed to do that I need to learn about? Will you be around to help get me accustomed to everything???”

The cutest thing she asked, reminded me of her as a little girl. “Tommy, do you think people in Washington will like me?” She was still a child, suffering from a devastating disease that left her badly disfigured. Jennifer had no idea how pampered she was about to become.

“My darling ... my Chief of Staff tells me that he had a woman assigned to be your assistant who will handle all your calls, respond to your non-personal mail, take care of having your laundry and dry cleaning done, and be there to help you whenever you have to appear at a public function. I promise that everything will work out just fine.”

Jennifer still looked dubious as Air Force Two landed at Andrews. By the time we were buckled in and Marine Two took off, she was too busy sight-seeing to worry about petty and jealous employees who might gossip about her. Something told me that Polly had made the rounds and gotten support from her D.C. social set, making Jennifer’s introduction as simple and gentle as it could possibly be.

When our motorcade pulled up in front of the Residence, Charlotte McKinney, who ran the house for me, had every staff member out on the steps to greet my new bride. They actually applauded as Jennifer stepped out of the limo. As she approached the steps, Charlotte stepped forward, offered her hand, and said, “Mrs. Morrison, how wonderful to greet you in your new home.”

They’d met at the wedding but there was no time for them to get to know each other. Jennifer took Charlotte’s proffered hand, then she leaned in and got a hug before they left me on the porch to go tour the house together. I guess I was replaced for the moment.

When I got to my desk I found a note from Sam.

Welcome home, Thomas.

Please join me at the White House as soon as possible.

Let Stacy know when you are ready to head over, bring Jennifer, and Sheila will give her the tour while we talk. Plan to have dinner with us before you two lovebirds head home.

Sheila insists.

It was just like that - short and sweet.

There was no small talk. This was an order, not a request. Sam was all business, which meant something bad was in the air. I called the Cottage and asked Stacy to let the President know that Jennifer and I would be over within ninety minutes. She thanked me very graciously, which sent my trouble antennae up another notch.

Jennifer’s eyes widened when I told her we were invited to the White House for dinner to meet the President and his family. She and Charlotte rushed upstairs, where Charlotte had overseen the task of moving my wife into her new closets. All was apparently in order and they went to work picking out just the right outfit to impress my boss. Something told me that my boss was too deep in the weeds to think about fashion right now, but I kept that thought to myself.

Sam did not come out to greet us when Marine Two set down on the Cottage lawn. There was no reason for him to do so, but the simple fact that he didn’t meant he was too wrapped up in whatever they were dealing with to walk out front. Sheila and Jennifer hit it right off and she was whisked away to meet the children, have a snack, walk around the most famous home on Earth, and generally be treated like royalty.

Sam met me in the Situation Room.

“Thomas. Welcome back to Washington. I hope you got some rest, because you are going to need it.” He looked pale and hesitant. Whatever it was looked like it was going to be bad.

He wasted no time, before plunging ahead. “Thomas I have to tell you a story. It’s a story that shames me, but since you are going to be so brutally wrapped up in it, you deserve to know the ugly truth about a huge mistake I made some years ago.

“When I was first moving up the ranks in the Senate, I became somewhat close to Charles Thornton. Charles and John Gray were having all kinds of trouble in those days. You remember it all. I’m sure. The trouble they had got them both killed.”

He looked so sad all of the sudden, that I knew he was about to drop a heavy burden on my shoulders. Rather than let my President down, I squared my shoulders and said, “Just tell what you need and I’ll get it done for you, Boss.”

Sam went inside himself for little while and I waited patiently.

“Charles was having all these serious security and safety issues. People around him kept selling him out. It frustrated me to see a man so embroiled in this type of thing, so I hired some very scary ex CIA people to back track the trouble and find out who was responsible.

“I should have kept my mouth shut, instead.

“The spooks brought me one name. It was the fiancé of one of George Soros’ grandchildren. This particular man was being groomed for a very high place in the Soros Empire. Some investigators said that Soros personally picked this man to marry that grandchild. She was that dear to him. The information looked righteous and I hired a different set of spooks to kill him, thinking that would end the problem.

“Nothing simple ever works out, Thomas. Don’t take the easy road, no matter what. I’ve been there and I know what I’m talking about.