Intersection (56 page)

“I just have no idea what to do, Alex.”

Alex got up and positioned herself to sit in front of the smaller woman on the bed. “All right, Look…here’s the deal… and before you say
anything
, I want you to hear everything.”

“Okay.” Cassidy nodded her agreement.

“I mean it Cass, everything.”

“Okay,” she assured.

Alex sighed. “I know that you love your job and I know that Dylan is in the middle of a school year…”

“Alex…”

“Cassidy…you promised me,” the agent reminded her lover and received a nod. “All right, there are a couple of options. One…you can go stay with your mother and I will find some place nearby.” The teacher’s change in expression was immediate and she was clearly not pleased with the agent’s first option. “Okay,” Alex continued. “Two, we can find someplace together so that Dylan can stay in the same school.” Alex gauged Cassidy’s warmer reception to that idea. “Or,” the agent paused. “Promise me you will listen?” Cassidy nodded again. “Or we move. Nick’s old house in Westport is for sale. It’s been on the market a while.” Alex saw Cassidy’s eyes narrow in confusion. “Look, it would mean that you would have to teach somewhere else and it would mean Dylan would have to change schools… and I know you want stability, for him... But there’s the train… And we would be closer to Nick and you would be removed from...” Alex was cut off abruptly by a soft kiss. “What?”

“You’re rambling again,” Cassidy smiled.

“Cassidy… I’m not trying to take you away…. Well I am, but I just think that if…and I know it’s soon to think about us, well…” Another kiss interrupted Alex’s thoughts. “Rambling again?” The agent asked awkwardly.

Cassidy laughed and kissed Alex again gently. “I love you, Alex Toles.” Alex looked perplexed and the teacher chuckled. “I can’t decide anything right now,” she smiled.

“I know….I’m sorry… I just…I wanted you to know that…I want you to feel…”

A finger pressed tenderly to the agent’s lips. “I know. And I love you for all of it.” Cassidy pulled Alex back and put her head on the agent’s chest. “I don’t think I care where we are, as long as we’re together… the three of us.” Alex did not respond. “Alex?”

“I don’t want to push you, Cass...and I don’t want to… I just want you to be safe…and feel safe.”

Cassidy held on tighter to the woman beside her. “I do, Alex. And, I don’t think you are pushing. If anything…well, I realized today that I don’t ever want to be without you again… not ever. I just need to sort it out… a little, you know?”

“I do,” the agent said. “Do you think you can sleep a little?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

“Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“That house…”

“Yeah?”

“Well…is…”

Alex smiled silently. “I’ll take you to see it.”

“Does it have a big kitchen?”

“It
was
Nicky’s house… so yes. Why?”

“Well, butlers usually have big kitchens,” Cassidy smiled.

“Is that right?”

“Um hum.”

The agent grinned. “Even butlers with no culinary skills?”

“Yeah… they just do more dishes,” Cassidy offered.

“Oh….I’ll try and remember that,” Alex kissed Cassidy on the forehead. “Get some sleep.” There was no answer. Cassidy had already drifted away and Alex could hear the slow, steady beat of her heart as she finally relaxed. “You are something else, Cassidy O’Brien. Thank God you love me.”

t’s everywhere!” Christopher O’Brien practically screamed. John Merrow sat behind his desk with a smirk on his face, holding the phone to his ear and trying to suppress the laughter that he felt mounting. “I should think you would be relieved Congressman, that Cassidy is safe; might I add thanks to Agent Toles.”

“Of course I am.”

“Interesting that Agent Toles put that all together. She is quite perceptive,” he said; hinting that he suspected the congressman may have played a role in Alex’s knowledge of Fisher. John Merrow was relieved that Fisher was gone, but his trust in the congressman was waning.

“Well, I am glad that Cassidy is safe, Mr. President….but this story…well…”

“Ah…you mean the story about Cassidy’s kidnapping or the story about Cassidy and Agent Toles?” Merrow asked with some satisfaction.

“Cassidy has always been the all American girl, John….people love her. Now, this is not the distraction I need…trying to negotiate this bill and these…”

John Merrow had little time for such nonsense. There were many things that Merrow had learned over the years. Everything he did had a purpose, everything. Everything he said had a meaning, no exceptions. He dealt with life and death in tangible ways every day. He had hesitated entering
politics. He was strongly persuaded by some of his colleagues that his presence in the White House would be beneficial to their endeavors and it was made clear to him that a career in politics was expected. For years, Colonel Merrow worked to keep his country safe from threats, real threats. Who someone loved, where they worked, what color their skin was or how they worshipped were not concerns to John Merrow. That was the most honest part of his political platform.

Christopher O’Brien was a pawn in a large game of chess, and he was Merrow’s pawn. It wasn’t the president’s decision to choose all the pieces for the chess board, but once they were in play it was his responsibility to keep them as assets and not allow then to become liabilities. The president respected Cassidy O’Brien. He was certain that she was, in many ways, the congressman’s ticket to his current position. She was attractive but she was also intelligent, articulate, compassionate, outgoing and genuine. People loved her. He doubted that Cassidy’s relationship with Alex was any threat to O’Brien; except of course to the man’s never-ending ego. And, he did not want O’Brien creating drama surrounding Cassidy. It was contrary to Merrow’s positions and the president needed consistency. Worse, anything that might hurt the congressman’s ex-wife was certain to embolden Alex Toles. John Merrow could not afford the agent digging into anything that might lead to him. “Look, Congressman…You know the press, it’s a seven minute wonder. They’ll be bored with it tomorrow. My advice, Chris? Ignore it.”

“I have already been asked for a comment. How do you think I should respond to my wife taking off with a female FBI agent?”

John Merrow cleared his throat. His impatience was mounting. Alex was far more than just an FBI agent to John Merrow and the congressman’s off handed remarks were beginning to strike a personal chord with the president. “Last I heard, Congressman, Cassidy was your ex-wife and you were living with someone else.” There was no response. “Be cautious, Chris.”

Christopher O’Brien was not certain what that meant. The one thing he did understand was that image was everything in his business. “It’s part of the game.”

“Well, if I were you I would worry about Ways and Means, Congressman… and I don’t mean Cassidy’s.”

Alex excused herself from the kitchen table to accept the president’s call. “Good morning, Alex.”

“John….listen… thank you for…”

He interrupted the agent’s pleasantries. “How is Cassidy?” He asked sincerely.

The agent looked back toward the kitchen. Cassidy was sitting with Dylan on her lap sipping a cup of coffee and talking to her mother. She was still quiet and Dylan was clinging to her. They hadn’t told him any details yet and Alex knew they would need to tell him something. The boy was old enough and smart enough to know that something had happened and he did not want to be far from his mother. “She’s all right,” Alex took a deep breath. “Just all right.”

“It takes time, Alex. You know that.” The silence on the other end of the phone spoke volumes to John Merrow. “Listen, Alex… I hate to do this…”

“What is it?”

“I had a call with O’Brien this morning.” Alex rubbed her forehead and cracked her neck. She had spoken to the congressman briefly while Cassidy was in the bath tub the previous night. It was a very short conversation only to tell him that the teacher was safe. “Alex? You there?”

“Yeah…I’m here,” she answered with a stern tenor to her voice.

Merrow let out a sigh. Alex was important to the president. Things had gotten messy. He needed to protect himself but he had promised himself years ago that he would always protect
Alex. And, he had a deep affection for Cassidy O’Brien. “He’s going to comment to the press.”

“What?”

“Alex…The press is all over your relationship.”

“Jesus Christ, John.”

“I know. I told him to let it lie…O’Brien is…”

“A narcissist?”

Merrow laughed. “Well….”

“John… he has no right to say…”

“Alex, he’s impetuous and he’s naïve….”

“She’s been through enough. He’s a selfish…” Alex interjected.

“Yes. He is. I just wanted you to know; in case you were planning on heading back. If I can do anything for any of you….”

“John…I don’t know what I would have done without you yesterday, without Taylor…If Brady hadn’t…”

“Well, be that as it may…..I met with Tate. Your transfer will be granted, but the suspension will have to stand for a bit, Alex.”

Alex smiled and shook her head. “I appreciate that. Look, John…I’m at my brother’s still. Dylan’s birthday is Saturday…I just…”

“What is it Agent?”

“I think we’ll stay away from New York. I have a place in mind, but Cass is… well…”

John Merrow laughed. “Alex, you can be very persuasive. I think I understand. I will talk to my people. We’ll see if we can’t spin something.” The president was thankful for the agent’s obvious desire to step away for a bit. It would give him time to regroup and he hoped, if the agent and the congressman’s ex-wife could get some peace, maybe it would quiet Alex’s need to dig as deeply. “Let me know where you’ll be. I’ll have Templeton talk to O’Brien’s people. Step away, Alex, I’ll handle the congressman.”

“He won’t like that.”

“Well, his actions impact this administration. Just let me know…and Alex?”

“Yeah?”

“Have you thought about Taylor’s offer?”

“To go back to the NSA?” She asked.

“Yes.”

Alex pursed her lips. “Yes.”

“And…”

“I don’t know. Right now I just need to…”

“I understand. Keep me in the loop, okay?”

“Of course, Mr. President,” she said jokingly.

“All right, Captain….Give Cassidy my best…and wish that boy a happy birthday for me. Is O’Brien coming…”

“No. O’Brien told me he will be in D.C.,” Alex answered.

“Might be just as well, Alex.”

Alex looked again to the family she had grown to love. “For me, yes…for Dylan…”

“Ummm,” John Merrow understood. He had two children himself. He smiled. His affection for the agent now evident in his words. “Dylan’s a lucky kid, Alex. He has you and he has Cassidy. I’m sure he knows that.”

“No…I’m the lucky one, John.”

President John Merrow nodded and looked at his phone. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his family. Alex, she was the most loyal person he’d ever met. She would do no less. She was his friend and yet she could become his enemy. He would need to keep her closer now than ever. “Understood. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“John?”

“Yes?” He asked.

“I need some time with them…but just watch your back.” Her concern for him was apparent.