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“I’ll have the guards told that keeping my return confidential is a matter of national security. My men will circulate the rumor that there’ve been threats made on the life of the First Lady—something to that effect.”

“That’s good. It’ll serve our purpose.”

Spence looked at him. “Then you’re still committed to it?”

David, thinking back on the recent scene with Vanessa, said, “More than ever. I’ve been with her tonight. She’s still obsessed with the baby’s death. Our problem hasn’t gone away.”

Spence, looking directly into his own reflection in the mirror above the sink, said, “Then we have a lot of work to do.”

“First things first.” David rose. “I can’t tell you how much I missed you, or how glad I am to have you back. Now please, for God’s sake, take a bath.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

“Ms. Travis, your conduct is inexcusable.”

“I’m well aware of the magnitude of my mistake, Mr. Jenkins. It’s been a humiliating experience for me.”

Frowning sternly, WVUE’s general manager continued. “Senator Armbruster called—personally—to give me his version of what happened. His account was even more detailed than the news stories. I listened with increasing dismay over your rank unprofessionalism, and I’m flabbergasted to know that an employee of this station could behave in such a manner.”

“I regret causing you and WVUE any embarrassment. If I could undo it, I would.”

It was in her best interest to appear penitent, and she was, for the mistake she’d made. But she resented Armbruster going behind her back and tattling as though she were a wayward child. If he’d had more to say to her, he should have said it to her face.

“Compared to the enormity of your error, the consequences were minimal. Thank God. The President’s press conference helped to put the incident in perspective.”

“Yes, sir, it did.”

“All’s well that ends well.”

This chirping comment came from Howie Fripp, who’d been called in on the carpet with her. Up till now he’d been gnawing on a hangnail and sweating rings into the underarms of his dingy white shirt. Barrie knew that his anxiety wasn’t for her. He cared only about his own hide and how intact it would be when the general manager was finished.

Jenkins pounced. “It was you who actually dispatched the cameraman, wasn’t it, Fripp?”

“Uh, yeah, but only because Barrie called and told me to. She said she was sitting on the story of the century.”

“God forbid,” Jenkins said.

It stuck in her craw, but she felt obligated to defend Howie. “Howie can’t be held responsible, Mr. Jenkins. I called him at home and asked him to dispatch a photographer.” Her cheeks grew hot beneath the general manager’s baleful stare. “One of the many decisions I’ve come to regret.”

She regretted it because having the media there had turned a bad situation into a disaster. But that call also twinged her conscience because it had been made out of spite. She’d been miffed at Gray for rejecting her expression of sympathy. She’d never been a Clete Armbruster fan. As to Vanessa, until Barrie had been swept up into a phantom intrigue that threatened her life, she had looked upon the First Lady with barely concealed derision. And, as long as she was being honest with herself, she confessed to feeling jealous of Vanessa because Gray was still in love with her.

So when Barrie dialed Howie and delivered her urgent message that night, she hadn’t been feeling charitable toward any of them. Exit objectivity.

Oh, the call had been justified. Selfish, maybe, but justified. Given that set of circumstances, no reporter in the history of journalism would have failed to call for backup. It could have been the story that launched her career into superstardom.

In retrospect, however, it made her appear as insensitive as a dyspeptic vulture. She supposed she was getting her just deserts.

Jenkins said, “Armbruster could sue our ass nine ways from Sunday over this, and frankly, I couldn’t blame him if he did.”

“Senator Armbruster had good reason to be upset,” Barrie said meekly. “I put him through several minutes of hell, for which I apologized profusely. I’ve also called the White House numerous times, hoping to personally make amends to the President and First Lady. They refuse to take my calls.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Howie muttered.

Jenkins shot him a dirty look.

Barrie continued, “I wish to let President and Mrs. Merritt know how grievously I regret my mistake and to apologize for any distress I might have caused them.”

“Very noble of you, Ms. Travis. But if and when they accept your call, do not represent yourself as an employee of WVUE.” He clasped his hands together on his desktop and looked at her levelly. “As of now, your association with this television station is terminated.”