home, or if he called an escort service some time during the day, then obviously you're clear.
If she was one of your guests, then I'm afraid the paddy wagon will kick up some mud.'
'Understandable,' Orr admitted. 'You have the guest list from the party.'
'Yes, sir. We are in the process of interviewing the attendees.'
'Detective, I truly appreciate the call,' Orr said. 'If we hear anything about the mystery woman, I will certainly let you know.'
'Thank you, Senator. I will do the same.'
Orr terminated the call. He sat back and crossed his big arms. 'Who is she? Any thoughts, guesses?'
No one spoke. Orr was not surprised. When Ken Link worked at the CIA, Op-Center was perceived as a rival. The former admiral had an opportunity for payback and took the shot. There were always potential enemies among allies, and no one wanted to say anything that might backfire. Washington was a town of two degrees of separation. Between the four of them, they had known everyone at the party. Everyone at the party knew virtually everyone in D.C.
'All right then,' Orr went on. 'Kat, does this change our strategy for the interviews tonight?'
'Not as far as the comments about Mr. Wilson,' Kat replied. She looked over her notes. 'When asked about the death you were going to say, 'As an inventor, Mr. Wilson left behind a significant technological legacy.' Two mentions of his credentials as a scientist to suggest that Wilson was no banking genius. I do not see why we need to change that.'
'I agree, but the murder charge is sure to come up,' Kendra said. 'The senator will need to address it.'
'I would deflect it with a boilerplate comment about the charges being hearsay or a police matter,' Kat told them. 'Get in and out, say something that doesn't invite a follow-up.'
'Why?' Kendra asked.
The question surprised Kat. 'Because the press would love to link the senator or any public figure to a homicide,' Kat said.
'We're already linked,' Kendra pointed out. 'Wilson was dead within two hours of leaving the party.'
'Where are you going with this, Kendra?' Orr asked.
'The USF will have a platform built on the common-sense rights of American citizens. That includes justice for all and a presumption of innocence. Let's be proactive about that. Tell the interviewer that innuendo is impertinent, intolerable, and eroding our society. That the quest for sensational headlines is counterproductive to the dignity inherent in our judicial system.'
'That's like trying to reason with a cheetah or shame a snake,' Kat said. 'A predator can't change what it is.'
'Let them hiss. I'm talking about presenting our courage,' Kendra said. 'We can't be afraid to take on the press, and this would be a good time and place to marginalize them.'
'I agree that the point is worth making,' the senator said thoughtfully. 'But the immediate aftermath of Wilson's death is probably not the best time.'
'You'll have the nation's ear,' Link said.
The admiral did not usually weigh in unless he felt strongly about something. Orr could not remember a time when his inner circle was this divided. Kendra was sitting ramrod straight, her expression tense. Kat was drumming her pen on her pad. Link was hunched over the table as if he were playing a naval war game, staring at a map and toy battleships. Orr did not know whether it was the pressure of the upcoming convention, the shock of the latest revelation, or both. He could not let himself be affected by either of those. As president, which he hoped to be, Orr would have to respond to greater crises with vision, intelligence, and poise.
'Ken, are you at all concerned that we will appear opportunistic or defensive?' Orr asked.
'Not especially,' Link replied. 'Speaking the truth aggressively is a mark of confidence. As for opportunism, it's the media that is taking advantage of you. You're only getting this particular airtime because of Wilson's death.'
'The audience will perceive the media as neutral,' Kat insisted. 'They are the medium. We are the message.'
