Стюарт Вудс - Indecent Exposure

“Just great, until today,” Holly replied.

A waiter passed among them with a frosty champagne bottle, topping off glasses.

An anchorman came back from commercial, holding a sheet of paper in one hand and a microphone in the other.

“Here it comes,” Holly said.

“Some incredible news has just come in,” the man said. “Let’s go to Cassie Crane outside Republican campaign headquarters in New York.”

A young woman with a microphone stood on the sidewalk in a light rain, next to a geeky young man wearing a dark suit and heavy glasses. “Chris, I’m here with Jason Foxworthy, who is a poll analyst with the Jack Marion campaign. Jason, I think it’s best for you to tell your own story, then we’ll have some questions.”

“Thank you, Cassie,” the young man said in a surprisingly deep voice. “Late last night I picked up a phone in our office and overheard a conversation between James Heckley, a speechwriter for Senator Marion, and Max Wafford, the owner of the Washington Debater , a conservative newspaper. I know it was Heckley because I could see him across the room as he spoke, and I recognized Wafford’s voice from seeing him on TV shows. Also, Heckley called him Max, twice, during the conversation. They were confirming details of the big story that broke today about the alleged bribe taken by Will Lee. In fact, it might be more accurate to say that they were getting their stories straight, because Heckley was reading a draft of the story, and Wafford was suggesting changes to make it stronger and more damning. When they had finished their conversation, Wafford said that he was holding the Debater ’s presses to get it into the early-morning edition. They both seemed very pleased with themselves.”

“Let’s be clear, Jason,” Cassie said. “You are saying that you overheard James Heckley and Max Wafford contriving this story?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Foxworthy replied. “The story is a lie, a complete fabrication.” He held up an iPhone. “And I recorded all but ten or fifteen seconds of their phone conversation.” He held up a wrinkled sheet of paper. “And I retrieved the draft from the wastebasket beside James Heckley’s desk.”

Cassie addressed the camera. “Chris, I have to get Jason to a secure location right away, and we’ve got a car standing by for him. There’s one more revelation in the story, though — I’ve heard from two campaign staffers that James Heckley left campaign headquarters nearly two hours ago for Teterboro Airport, where a private jet was waiting to fly him out of New York. First reports say that the airplane had filed a flight plan for Caracas, Venezuela, but of course that destination could be changed en route. Back to you, Chris.”

The anchor stared gravely into the camera. “Cassie, that was a brilliant piece of reportage, and we here all thank you for it. Unfortunately, the polls have already closed.”

It was as though lightning had struck the living room — everyone was talking at once, some happy, others in tears. Two people were shouting into their cell phones.

Stone stood up and pointed at the TV set. “Everybody shut up!” he shouted.

The anchorman was now standing next to the campaign map. “We have just heard that Florida has reported its election results, and by a margin of less than four thousand votes, Katharine Lee has carried the state, and with Florida’s twenty-nine electoral votes, has been reelected President of the United States, winning three hundred and three electoral votes. I think it’s fair to say that a national catastrophe has been averted.”

Cheering erupted in the room, and Holly fell into Stone’s arms.

Stone awoke a little after seven AM to the sound of Holly talking on the phone. She hung up. “Big news,” she said. “Max Wafford has been arrested by the FBI on a charge of election tampering. They’re still looking for James Heckley, but his flight diverted to Mexico City and landed there early this morning.”

Stone switched on the TV, and every news station was reporting its version of the Heckley/Wafford story. Kate’s victory in the election seemed almost like an afterthought. He switched it off. “I don’t think I can take this on an empty stomach.”

As if on cue, a maid knocked and pushed a cart into the room. Moments later, Stone and Holly were sitting up in bed eating scrambled eggs and bacon. The TV was back on.

“And what does your day hold?” Stone asked.

“I’m visiting the State Department and being introduced to my staff, or at least, those I don’t already know from working with them on the National Security Council. Stan Adamson is going to be there to introduce me. And you?”

“I’m due for a drink with Kate and Will in the family quarters at six. So are you.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Since they appointed me their personal attorney, I’ve put together a team at Woodman & Weld, which will be known as The Barrington Group. There’s a thick envelope on the table across the room containing a document I put together explaining everything. I’ll deliver a copy to them this evening.”

“I’ll look forward to reading it.”

“There’s something else I want to discuss with you, but I don’t want to talk about it here.” He tapped an ear with his forefinger.

Holly looked shocked. “Really? Not here?”

“That’s correct,” Stone said. “We’ll talk about it later, when the circumstances are more favorable.”

“Whatever you say,” Holly replied. She jumped out of bed. “I’ve got to get myself together.”

That evening they took the elevator to the basement garage, where Holly’s SUV awaited them. The street door was open, and Stone pulled her up the ramp with him.

“I’ll be just a minute,” Holly called to her security team.

Stone put his briefcase into the SUV, then they turned down the block.

“Okay, shoot,” Holly said, taking Stone’s arm.

Stone didn’t hesitate. “I want you to have the house swept by your security team for listening devices, and I want them to do this at least every three or four days, but not on a regular schedule. Your car, too.”

“Are you coming over all paranoid on me, Stone?”

“I don’t think that the political opposition is going to cheerfully accept the election results,” he said, “and we’ve already seen how far they’re willing to go.”

“But Wafford is already in jail, and Heckley is a fugitive.”

“Wafford has certainly already been bailed out, and being a fugitive won’t keep Heckley from operating for long. Even if I’m wrong about this, it won’t hurt to be a little paranoid.”

“All right, whatever you say.”

“Also, you have to start being more careful in how you proceed with your life.”

“What do you mean?”

“For instance, you had your car meet me at the Manassas Airport yesterday. That’s personal use of an official vehicle, and that could come back to bite you on the ass.”

“I suppose,” Holly said.

“When you get to the office tomorrow, I want you to report that to your chief administrative officer, have him give you a bill for the cost of that service, and reimburse the State Department with a personal check. Thereafter, anytime you make personal use of any government property or service, do the same thing. You want to establish a consistent paper trail.”

“Oh, all right.”

They reached the next corner, and Stone turned them back toward the house. “The other thing is, we’re probably being photographed while we’re on this little stroll, so you’d better get ready to see the photographs in the National Inquisitor , because that little rag is one of Max Wafford’s properties.”