D.C. Dead (Stone Barrington 22)

“Okay, I’ll give it a whirl,” she said.

They drove out to a mall, lunched at a little restau

rant, and went to see The Social Network. They both thought it was great.

Back at Clinton Field, they let themselves through the security gate with the card they had been given, then had to slow again for the same plane they’d seen earlier.

“That stude>h tnt seems to be taking two lessons a day,” Teddy said. “That’s quite a load of work.”

“He must have a lot of time on his hands,” Lauren said. “Maybe he’s too rich to work.”

“Maybe so,” Teddy replied.

30

STONE AND DINO SAT IN A BORROWED OFFICE IN THE WEST Wing of the White House and gazed at the middle-aged Filipino woman who sat across the desk from them. She was fidgeting a little, and there was a film of perspiration on her forehead. She was the fourth of the four White House maids who cleaned the family quarters, the first three having been a waste of time to question.

“Mrs. Feliciano,” Stone said, “we’d like to talk with you for a few minutes about your work.”

“I try very hard to do the best job I can,” the woman said. “I hope there haven’t been any complaints.”

“Oh, no,” Stone said, “nothing like that. We’re just interested in some of the visitors you may have encountered in the family quarters.”

“Does the president know you’re talking to me?” the woman asked.

“Yes, he does. We’re speaking to you at his request.”

“The president told you to talk to me?” Now she looked more nervous than ever.

“No, Mrs. Feliciano, not just you. We’re talking to all the maids who work in the family quarters to get a few questions answered.”

Her shoulders slumped in relief. “Well, I don’t know anything,” she said. “I just clean.”

Stone smiled and tried again to put her at ease. “How long have you worked at the White House?” he asked.

“Twelve and a half years,” she replied.

“And how long have you cleaned the family quarters?”

“A little over three years.”

“Good. Now think back over the past two years or so. Have you, when you were cleaning upstairs, ever seen anyone in the quarters who did not belong there?”

“Oh, no, sir, the Secret Service people would never allow any unauthorized persons in the quarters.”

“How about authorized persons, like the cooks and repairmen?”

“Oh, yes, I see them all the time.”

“How about Mr. Kendrick? Did you ever see him in the quarters?”

“Mr. Brix? Oh, yes, many times.”

“What would he be doing when you saw him?”

“Well, he would sometimes bring in people from the outside, like to install new carpets or curtains, or he would supervise when they put in a new TV, or once, a new ice machine.”

“Did you ever see Mr. Brix in the quarters with a lady?”