Marine One

in your squadron, didn't you?'

'What else you got, Tinny?'

'One other thing. This might be big. Got a contact in the Secret Service. Former Marine. May be our secret weapon.'

'Why would someone from the Secret Service have any information?'

'This boy is the head of security at Camp David, my friend. He was waiting for the president on the night of the crash.'

I sat up straight. 'He could be the key to the entire thing.'

'Exactly.'

'Think he'll talk to us?'

'Let's just say he's unenthusiastic. Seems others in the government don't want anyone to find out who was at that meeting. Which, of course, makes me push all the harder. But he's not very pushable right now. I'll work it.'

'What's his name?'

'No can do. He swore me to secrecy. Says he'll go stone-cold know-nothing and lie through his teeth if I even breathe his name to anyone. Especially you.'

'He knows about me?'

'Well, I had to tell him why I was calling, didn't I? It's not like some investigator is going to just wonder about all this for his own good. He recognized you from the Senate hearings. Gotta run.'

'Keep me posted.'

'Oh, yeah.'

As I hung up, the phone rang again. I checked the caller ID and saw area code 212. Only Kathryn would be up this late. 'Mike Nolan,' I said, answering the phone quickly.

After a pause, a deep, smooth voice said, 'Mike, this is Tom Hackett.'

He was the last person I expected to call me, but if I'd thought about it or been quick enough, it would have made instant sense. He was one of the most famous lawyers in the country, a plaintiffs' attorney from New York. He called himself, or the legal press called him, Mr. Class, as in class actions, not because he had class. He filed massive class-action lawsuits against corporations for any number of reasons and settled them for enormous amounts of money, a nice portion of which went to him. He was one of the wealthiest lawyers in the country.

The reason I didn't instantly know the reason for the call was that I had forgotten that he went to law school with the first lady, Mrs. Adams. 'What can I do for you?'

'First of all, we've never met. I am an attorney in New York and deal in major cases-'

'Yes, I know who you are.'

'Good. Listen, I wanted to tell you that you did a very nice job at the Senate hearings. Very dramatic. You got Blankenship very angry, which was probably why you were there. Nicely done.' He paused. 'So I understand that you've been retained for this representation, but not by WorldCopter, by AII, their insurance company. But they would only be involved if there was going to be a civil lawsuit.'

'And where'd you hear that?'

Hackett said, 'That doesn't really matter. I have ways of learning lots of things. So am I right?'

'Maybe.'

'Does that mean that you're unsure?'

I fought back the anger building inside me. I just didn't need that right then. I hung up.

The phone rang again immediately. I saw the same number. I picked it up again. 'What?'

'It's very rude to hang up on a caller.'

'It's very rude to call someone you don't know and insult them.'

'I was not intending to insult you-'

'Yes, you were. If you have anything worthwhile to say, say it. I'm busy.'

'No doubt. Here is what I do have to say, so listen carefully. I am representing the first lady, or former first lady. Mrs. Adams. I also have indications that I will be representing all the others who perished on Marine One against WorldCopter in a civil lawsuit. You have of course heard the NTSB's initial statement that there was no foul play. That means, a fortiori, there was a defective helicopter. And that means your client owes my clients compensation. WorldCopter does not need the publicity a civil trial would bring. I don't think WorldCopter wants me to take the depositions of every employee of their factory where this helicopter was made and show how disastrous their entire operation is. I don't think they need me digging into their security procedures and security files to show that their employees never obtained the security clearances required by the United States government, and I don't think they need me proving that they killed the president, whether intentionally or otherwise. But if I can have your assurance of confidentiality-may I have that assurance?'

'So I take it from your threats that you're planning on filing a lawsuit?'

'In the face of the information coming out in the Senate investigation and the NTSB statement, I have to prepare for that eventuality, don't I? It would be malpractice not to. I haven't decided yet, but I must confess what I have learned is very disturbing. But the reason for my call is to discuss something of importance to your client and mine. So may I have your assurance of confidentiality?'

'Yes, except for my ability to convey whatever it is you're about to say to my clients.'

'Of course. That's the whole point. But you are not free to disclose it to others inside your firm-except perhaps Rachel-or others who might be interested, such as your wife, Debbie… or the press.'

This guy was really pissing me off. 'If you think your little name-dropping game will intimidate me, just save yourself the energy. You don't impress me.'

'Please forgive me; I thought that it might generate some camaraderie between the two of us. I feel like I know you quite well already.'

'You don't know me 'quite well,' nor will you ever. And if you ever do, you'll probably be on your back staring at the sky wondering what the hell just happened. So what is it you have to say?'

'Did I receive your assurance of confidentiality as I outlined it?'

'Yes.'

'Very well then. I'm sure you appreciate that I believe, as does my client, that we have a very strong claim against your client.'

'I think any rational person would wait until there's a determination of the cause of the crash before they even think about filing a lawsuit against somebody. But what I think really doesn't matter. You've probably put all kinds of wrong ideas into your clients' heads. But again, I'm waiting for you to say something that matters. So far I haven't heard it.'

Hackett took a deep breath, apparently annoyed. That was just fine with me. If life was just, someday I'd have the chance to hit him in the head with a chair. He said, 'I have persuaded the first lady that now actually might be an opportune moment to resolve issues between our clients, not only her, but I believe I could obtain the authority of the widows of all the others on the aircraft to resolve their claims right now, before we expend huge amounts of money in costly discovery, and adverse publicity for your client. And I assure you there will be substantial adverse publicity. But what we have in mind is that we would be willing to resolve all claims, in a confidential settlement that would not be disclosed to anyone, not even the fact of the settlement. If she or I were later asked by the press why we had not filed a lawsuit as we had contemplated, the answer would simply be that there had been discussions between the two sides, and she was satisfied with what they had said. Simple as that. That's all she or I or anyone else related to the case would, or could, ever say. No one would ever know that WorldCopter had paid her a settlement.'

'Well, I think that the likelihood of that remaining secret is about as likely any other secret held by the U.S. government. You may as well just e-mail it to the Washington Post.'

'You underestimate our ability to remain confidential.'

'What's your proposal?'

'We are prepared to consider resolving all claims of the first lady as well as the survivors of all others who died aboard Marine One for a sum totaling one billion dollars.'

'You're kidding me, right? Are you seriously demanding a billion-dollar settlement with no evidence of liability?'

'I'm trying to save you from seeing that evidence, Mike. Because I promise you that if this case goes forward, I will have evidence that this crash was WorldCopter's fault, and the NTSB will find it was WorldCopter's fault. I will have experts that testify not only that it was WorldCopter's fault, but that it was reckless. We will recover punitive damages. Do you really believe that a jury is going to sympathize with a European helicopter manufacturer that killed the president of the United States?'

'I'm not to the point of even trying to evaluate that. I'm trying to figure out what caused the accident. Tell me, what evidence do you have that this is WorldCopter's fault and that they should pay you anything?'

'Mike, that's what I'm trying to save you from.' He hesitated, no doubt for effect. 'Maybe this is too complex for you. Maybe you're used to automobile accident cases. You should pass this information and offer on to whoever has more experience in these matters. Because if you go forward and this lawsuit is filed, it is going to be WorldCopter's worst nightmare.'

I'd never encountered anyone like him before. 'Is this how you usually begin a case? Threatening and blustering to avoid the merits of the case? So you don't have to do any work?'

There was a notable pause on the other end of the line. 'Do you not know my reputation? Do you really believe I'm afraid to go to trial? What I'm afraid of is that people like you will not understand the implications of what is happening and not make the appropriate recommendations to their clients until it is too late. That's what I'm afraid of. I'm afraid that you will force me to drag you into the arena, the courtroom, and embarrass you and your client. If you don't think I've tried cases, if you don't think I'm capable of trying this case, ask around. Talk to some people who have been practicing law awhile who have tried some big cases. See if they agree.' He waited until that sunk in, then said, 'Listen very carefully.'

'What?'

'This offer of settlement that I have just outlined to you must remain confidential. If it is leaked to the press in any way, if there is any implication to the press that the first lady is looking for money, I will not only deny it, but I will attribute the offer to you. I will tell the press that contrary to what you are saying, in fact you called