"Another heavy situation in the Situation Room?"
Fawcett sucked in his breath. Then, as calmly as his trembling fingers would permit, he locked the car door and picked up his attache' case.
"Care to comment?" Mayo asked.
Fawcett marched off toward the security gate. "I shot an arrow in the air . - ."
"It fell to earth, I know not where," Mayo finished, keeping step.
"Longfellow. Want to see my arrow?"
"Not particularly."
"This one is going to land on the six o'clock news."
Fawcett slowed his pace. "Just what are you after?"
Mayo took a large tape cassette from his pocket and handed it to Fawcett. "You might like to view this before air time."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Call it professional courtesy."
"Now that's news."
Mayo smiled. "Like I said, view the tape."
"Save me the trouble. What's on it?"
"A folksy scene of the President playing farmer. Only it isn't the President."
Fawcett drew up and stared at Mayo. "You're full of crap."
"Can I quote you?"
"Don't get Gute," Fawcett snapped. "I'm in no mood for a slanted interview."
"Okay, straight question," said Mayo. "Who is impersonating the President and Vice President in New Mexico?"
"Nobody."
"I've got proof that says otherwise. Enough to use it as a news item. I release this and every muckraker between here and Seattle will crawl over the White House like an army of killer ants."
"Do that and you'll have a dozen eggs on your face when the President stands as close to you as I am and denies it."
"Not if I find out what sort of mischief he's been up to while a double played hide-and-seek down on the farm."
"I won't wish you luck, because the whole idea is outlandish."
"Level with me, Dan. Something big is going down."
"Trust me, Curt. Nothing off limits is happening. The President will be back in a couple of days. You can ask him yourself."
"What about the sudden burst of secret Cabinet meetings at all hours?"
"No comment."
"It's true, isn't it?"