The Value Of Valor - KJ3 (14 page)

dish that sat atop a nearby rock formation. There was a larger TV in the living room, but she didn’t want to wake Alexa, whose room was only a short distance away, by turning it on.

Although she spent most of her time on the reservation these days, Terri still liked to indulge her secret passion for Washington politics. She first got hooked while watching handsome Bobby Kennedy in the 1968

election campaign before his assassination. She had sat transfixed as she watched the events unfold on the tiny black and white television her roommate had kept in their college dorm room.

Lately, she’d been drawn to the C-SPAN network’s coverage of the White House morning press briefing, which was conducted by the president’s press secretary. Terri admired Katherine Kyle, especially after what she’d been through. Despite having so recently lost her lover, she seemed strong, self-assured, intelligent, and witty, and she carried herself with great dignity.

As Terri listened to the press secretary handle difficult questions with humor and honesty, she moved around the room, preparing for the day ahead. She paused when her eyes alighted on the jewelry box in the far corner of the dresser. Slowly, she removed Alexa’s ring from within and examined it. She moved over to the night table and held the ring under the light, turning it in all directions and watching the diamonds sparkle.

Not for the first time, she noted the inscription on the inside: “Forever.”

“Where do you belong, Alexa? Someone out there is mourning you.

Who is it? What brought you to us? And who wants you dead?” Terri blew out a frustrated breath, tired of pondering questions she could not answer.

After the episode the day before, she wasn’t sure Alexa would stay long enough for any of them to solve the mystery. Terri picked up the phone and dialed Andrea’s number again.

After exchanging pleasantries, Terri got right to the point. “Alexa suffered a serious setback yesterday, and I’m not sure what it means for her. I need your help.”

“Tell me what happened,” the psychologist said.

Terri finished recapping the previous day’s events by saying, “I feel certain that she’ll regain her memory. I’m concerned about how long it’ll take because she was so agitated yesterday. I’m afraid she’ll try to leave us before we have answers.”

“And that will make her an easy target for whoever tried to kill her before.”

“Yes, precisely. Not only that, but where will she go? What will she do? She knows nothing of where she came from. How will she make a living?”

Lynn Ames

“Terri,” Andrea said softly, “you’re very attached to this young woman, aren’t you?”

Terri paused. “Yes, I’m afraid I’ve come to look at her somewhat like a second daughter.”

“You know she’ll leave when her memory returns, right?”

“I do know that,” Terri said quietly. “But she’s impossible not to care for. She’s kind and warm; she has a gentleness about her that makes you want to shield her from any harm.”

“You can’t protect her from her life. She needs to know who she is in order to understand why those men were trying to kill her.” After a brief pause, Andrea continued in a gentler tone. “I sense that you’re conflicted about whether you really want her to remember or not.”

Terri contemplated that. “I am, I think. Not only because of my feelings for Alexa, but because I’ve been watching Trystan with her. I think my daughter is falling in love.”

“Oh, my. That does complicate things. I don’t suppose you’ve told Trystan about the ring.”

“No, I haven’t had the heart.”

“Terri, if your daughter is falling in love, it’s a far kinder thing to tell her Alexa belongs to someone else now, before their relationship progresses any further, don’t you think?”

“I suppose you’re right about that, too,” Terri said resignedly. There was another silence on the line. “Andy? Do you suppose there’s any chance Alexa would never regain her memory?”

“I can’t rule it out, but statistics show that most people do get it back, some sooner than others. Terri, if you’re wondering what I think you are, that’s a very dangerous path.”

“What are you saying?”

“I’m saying, I think it’s great that you’ve taken this young woman in and nurtured her back to health, both physically and mentally. You’ve shown her love and kindness, and I can see that she’s enriched your lives.

But this woman will find herself again. When she does, she may leave and never come back.”

“Although my intuition tells me you’re wrong, I’ll accept whatever happens in the future. I can’t worry about that right now. I need to prepare for today. Today she’s convinced that she’s a burden and that she’s endangering our lives.”

“Talk to her. Explain that you knew the risks when you decided to help her in the first place. Help her see that every day that passes without her reappearing in the world helps to convince the killers that she is dead.”

“Okay.”

The Value of Valor

“Be careful; there’s a fine line here. You don’t want her to feel as though you’re forcing her to stay against her will.”

“Of course not.”

“Good luck, my friend. Let me know if you need any more help.”

“Thank you, Andy. I knew I could count on you.”

Peter sat in the Oval Office, waiting for the president to finish his phone call. He took in the luxuriant blue carpet emblazoned with the presidential seal, the pictures on the walls of past presidents commemorating some of history’s most important moments, and the man behind the huge mahogany desk in the deep cherry leather chair. Charles Hyland looked like he was born to sit in that seat. Calm, confident, and completely in control, he was a natural leader, and Peter was grateful for that stewardship.

“Sorry about that, Peter.” The president gestured at the phone.

“No problem, sir. Would it be better if I came back another time?”

The president laughed heartily. “I wish there was such a thing as a

‘good’ time. Unfortunately, my time is never my own these days.”

“I’m sure not, sir.”

“Have you given our little situation any more thought?”

“Yes, sir. Based on what you’ve told me and my own observation, I doubt that the vice president could have acted alone in this.”

“I agree.” The president picked up a solid gold pen and twirled it in his fingers. “Who else is involved?”

“I can’t be sure, sir, but I have an educated guess.”

“And that is?”

“Robert Hawthorne.”

“Hawthorne?” The president was incredulous. “Why?”

“That’s what I can’t figure out, sir. I can’t find an obvious motive.”

“Then what makes you suspect him?”

“His name appears too often in a few too many odd places.”

The president nodded. “The phone call you told me about with Wheeler shortly before the call to China.”

“Yes, sir. That and the fact that when I tried to access Hawthorne’s phone records, I got shut out.”

“Meaning you didn’t have clearance?”

“Something like that. Yet I had no trouble whatsoever getting into the vice president’s phone log.”

“Curious, to be sure.”

“Yes, sir. I think the man has something to hide.”

The president pondered Peter’s hypothesis. He had never particularly cared for Robert Hawthorne, but the notion that the man would
Lynn Ames

undermine the presidency, and by extension his country, in this way—it seemed unthinkable. “All right. What’s your recommendation?”

“We have several options. You can recall the station chief and question him.”

The president dismissed that idea out of hand. “The man’s a pro. I don’t think he’d be likely to tell us much.”

“I agree.”

“You could confront either the vice president or Hawthorne with what you know.”

“What do you think?”

“I think you don’t want to get the two of them together. You need to isolate one of them.”

“Which one?”

Peter shook his head. “You know the players better than I do, sir.

Which one of them is more likely to cave under the pressure of knowing he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar?”

Without hesitation, the president said, “Wheeler.”

“Okay, the vice president it is then.”

The president’s face was grim. “How far do you think I should go?”

“As far as it takes for you to get the information we need to put a stop to whatever’s in play—who put the plan in place, what was the endgame, and are there any other players involved?”

The president tapped his pen on the desk absently as he thought. “If Wheeler did make that phone call and placed the order, I could make an argument for treason. That should scare him into spilling his guts.” He looked up at his visitor. “I have to tell you, Peter, this is a heck of a way to start an administration.”

“I’m truly sorry, sir.”

“Yeah,” the president said pensively, “me too.”

At the door, Peter turned back to the president, who was gazing through the French doors out onto the White House lawn.

“Sir?”

“Yes?” President Hyland swiveled his chair back around to face Peter.

“How well do you know Michael Vendetti?” He hadn’t planned to bother the president with this but felt he and Kate needed more information about the deputy press secretary than they had.

The president seemed taken aback by the question. “Pretty well, I think. Why?”

“What kind of man is he?”

President Hyland narrowed his eyes in thought. “He’s a good enough sort. A little high-strung, perhaps, but knowledgeable and dependable.”

“Does he have an ego?”

The Value of Valor

The president paused to consider. “I suppose he might. I don’t really know.” He regarded Peter quizzically. “Any particular reason you’re interested in Michael?”

“Is he friends with Hawthorne?”

“What? I don’t believe the two even know each other.”

“So he wouldn’t have any reason to call the chairman’s office multiple times on January 22nd?”

“January 22nd? Two days after the inauguration? Absolutely not.”

“Very well, thank you, sir.”

“Did he?”

“Call Hawthorne?”

“Yes.”

Peter nodded. “Six times in five hours.”

The president recoiled in surprise. “That’s a lot of calls.”

“I agree, sir.”

“Any theories?”

Peter decided to keep his suspicions to himself until he had more information. “Not at the moment, sir, no. Just questions.”

“You have questions.” Terri sat at Alexa’s bedside.

“Yes, I do.” Alexa picked at the intricately woven Navajo blanket that covered her bed. “I’m so confused. Am I a bad person?”

Terri was surprised by the question. “Why would you ask such a thing?”

“Someone wants me dead. Why?” She raised perplexed eyes to meet Terri’s steady gaze.

“I wish I knew, Alexa. I cannot believe that you’re anything other than a kind and gentle soul.”

“But we don’t
know
that.”

“I know it in my heart.”

“You say that with such certitude.”

“I’ve seen into your heart, Alexa. I don’t need to know anything else.

A person like you, who worries about whether she is good or bad and cares about the lives of others, cannot be evil. You have a good spirit. I can feel it.”

“Then why are people trying to kill me?”

Terri shrugged, unable to give Alexa the answers she sought and unwilling to lie. “I don’t know. All I know is that it’s too dangerous for you to leave here until we can answer that question.”

Alexa’s eyes flashed darkly. “You’ve got that backward. It’s too dangerous for your people if I stay.”

“Alexa.” Terri adopted as reasonable a tone as she could manage.

“The tribe knew the risks when we decided to protect you. The tribal
Lynn Ames

elders held a council and all agreed. We held a two-day chanting ceremony to ward off evil and reinforce good. We’re at peace with our decision. Every day that you remain with us reinforces the killers’ belief that you’re dead. They won’t look for you unless you give them a reason to do so.”

Alexa contemplated Terri’s words, trying to find fault with her logic; she could not, so she decided to try a different tactic. “I don’t like that I’ve brought disharmony to your people.”

“You haven’t done any such thing.”

“Having an outsider living on the reservation is difficult enough, but one who portends trouble—that’s too much.”

“Since when have you become such an expert on my tribe?”

“I’ve had plenty of time to read and to study your beliefs.”

Terri got up and walked to the window, looking out past the street to the horizon. “There is much that isn’t written about us. Like our sense of family, Alexa.” Terri paused, uncertain whether she should say what was in her heart. “I have counted many blessings in my life. I’ve experienced the best of both worlds—my native traditions and your culture. I’ve had the joy of raising a wonderful daughter.”

“Yes, she is,” Alexa agreed.

“I’ve gotten to take the lessons I’ve learned and the skills that I’ve developed and use them to help my people. I’m a lucky woman.” She turned back to face Alexa. “Now I have a new blessing in my life—you.

You bring me joy and laughter. I’ve come to look at you as a second daughter.” She sat down on the edge of the bed and took Alexa’s hand. “I know you’ll go someday soon, when you’ve recovered your true self. In the meantime, I’d love it if you would stay and let me enjoy your company a little longer.”

Alexa opened her mouth to speak but found that there was nothing to say. Instead she leaned forward and enveloped Terri in a heartfelt hug.

“How can I resist you?” She wiped at the tears on her cheeks. “I don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”

“No thanks are necessary. Your continued improvement is reward enough.”

“Is this a private party or can anyone join?” Trystan stood in the doorway, watching her mother and her friend with great affection. She hadn’t heard much of the conversation but caught enough to know that her mother had convinced Alexa to stay. Her heart was jubilant.

“Good morning, Acheehen.”

“Hi, Trystan.” Alexa smiled shyly, remembering how her friend had comforted her and taken care of her the day before.