“Who?” Simmons demanded.
“The actor, the spitting image of the President who plays him in TV commercials and on comedy shows.”
Oates sat up. “I think I see your point. The resemblance is remarkable, but we’d never get away with it, not on a face-to-face basis. Sutton’s voice is a far from perfect imitation, and anyone who is in close daily contact with the President would see through the deception.”
“Yes, but from thirty feet his own wife couldn’t tell the difference.”
“Where is this leading?” Metcalf asked Fawcett.
The White House Chief of Staff took his cue. “Press Secretary Thompson can hand out a press release saying the President is taking a working vacation on his New Mexico farm to study congressional reaction to his Eastern aid program. The White House press corps will be kept on the sidelines — a situation that’s not uncommon when the President isn’t in the mood to answer questions. All they’d see from a roped-off distance would be him — in this case, Sutton the actor — entering the helicopter for the flight to Andrews Air Force Base for departure in
“Why not have a phony Vice President go with Sutton?” Mercier suggested.
“Both men can’t fly on the same plane,” Lucas reminded him.
“Okay, send him on a plane leaving at night,” Mercier persisted. “Not much news coverage is given to Margolin’s movements. No one would notice a stand-in.”
“Or care,” added Oates, alluding to the public apathy toward vice presidents.
“I can handle the details from the White House end,” offered Fawcett.
“Two down,” said Simmons. “Now what about Larimer and Moran?”
“This is an odd-numbered year,” Mercier said, warming up to the scheme. “Congress recesses for the entire month of August — only two days away. Our one slice of luck. Why not invent a mutual fishing trip or a junket to some out-of-the-way resort?”
Simmons shook his head. “Scratch the fishing trip.”
“Why?”
Simmons gave a tight smile. “Because it’s known all over Capitol Hill that Moran and Larimer relate like syrup and vinegar.”
“No matter. A fishing hole conference to discuss foreign relations sounds logical,” said Oates. “I’ll write up the memorandum from the State Department end.”
“What do you tell their office staffs?”
“This is Saturday; we’ve got two days’ grace to iron out the bugs.”
Simmons began making notes on a pad. “Four down. That leaves the
“I think I can come up with a convenient cover,” offered Metcalf. “I’ll work through the Coast Guard Commandant. The crew’s families can be told the yacht was ordered on an unscheduled cruise for a top-secret military meeting. No further details need be given.”
Oates stared around the room at his companions. “If there are no further questions—”
“Who else do we let in on the hoax?” queried Fawcett.
“A poor choice of words, Dan,” said Oates. “Let’s call it a ‘distraction.’ “
“It goes without saying,” said Metcalf, “that Emmett of the FBI will have to handle the domestic end of the investigation. And, of course, Brogan of CIA must be called in to check out the international conspiracy angle.”
“You’ve just touched on an ungodly thought, General,” said Simmons.
“Sir?”
“Suppose the President and the rest have already been spirited out of the country?”
Simmons’s speculation brought no immediate response. It was a grim possibility none of them had dared consider. With the President beyond reach of their vast internal resources, their investigative effectiveness would be cut by 80 percent.
“They could also be dead,” Oates said in a controlled voice. “But we’ll operate on the premise they’re alive and held somewhere in the United States.”
“Lucas and I will brief Emmett and Brogan,” Fawcett volunteered.
There was a knock on the door. A Secret Service agent entered, walked over to Lucas and spoke softly in his ear. Lucas’s eyebrows arched upward and he paled slightly. Then the agent retreated from the room, closing the door behind him.
Oates stared at Lucas questioningly. “A new development, Oscar?”
“Ben Greenwald,” Lucas answered vacantly. “He was killed thirty minutes ago. His car struck a city maintenance vehicle.”
Oates wasted no words of sympathy. “With the powers temporarily vested in me, I name you as the new Director of the Secret Service.”
Lucas visibly recoiled. “No, please, I don’t think I can—”
“Doesn’t make sense to select somebody else,” Oates interrupted him. “Like it or not, Oscar, you’re the only man who can be named for the job.”
“Somehow it doesn’t seem right to be promoted for losing the men I’m sworn to protect,” said Lucas dejectedly.
“Blame me,” said Fawcett. “I forced the yacht cruise on you before your people were fully prepared.”
“There’s no time for self-recrimination,” Oates said sharply. “We each have our jobs cut out for us. I suggest we get to work.”
“When should we meet again?” Simmons asked.
Oates looked at his watch. “Four hours from now,” he replied. “The White House Situation Room.”
“We’re flirting with exposure if everyone shows up at the same time,” said Fawcett.
“There’s an underground utility tunnel running from the basement of the Treasury building beneath the street to the White House,” Lucas explained. “Perhaps some of you gentlemen could enter unseen from that direction.”
“Good idea,” Metcalf agreed. “We can arrive at the Treasury building in unmarked government cars, cross under the street through the tunnel and take the elevator to the Situation Room.”
“That settles it then,” Oates said, rising from his chair. “If any of you ever dreamed of going on the stage, this is your big chance. And I don’t have to tell you, if the show’s a flop, we just may bring down the whole country along with the curtain.”
14
After the brisk air of Alaska, the hot, humid atmosphere of South Carolina felt like the inside of a sauna. Pitt made a phone call and then rented a car at the Charleston airport. He drove south on Highway 52 toward the city and took the turnoff for the sprawling naval base. About a mile after turning right on Spruill Avenue, he came to a large red brick building with an ancient rusting sign perched on the roof advertising the Alhambra Iron and Boiler Company.
He parked the car and walked under a high iron archway with the date 1861 suspended on a panel. The reception area took him by surprise. The furnishings were ultramodern. Chrome was everywhere. He felt as though he’d walked onto a photo layout from
A sweet young thing looked up, pursed an ever so small smile and said, “Can ah help you, sir?”
Pitt stared into the mossy green magnolia eyes and imagined her as a former homecoming queen. “I called from the airport and set an appointment with Mr. Hun-ley. My name is Pitt.”
The recognition was automatic and the smile didn’t alter so much as a millimeter. “Yes, he’s expecting you. Please come this way.”
She led him into an office decorated entirely in brown tones. Pitt was suddenly overwhelmed with the sensation of drowning in oatmeal. A rotund, smiling little man rose from behind an enormous kidney-shaped desk
