The Value Of Valor - KJ3 (44 page)

Jay shook her head in wonder. “You’re going to be media stars, you know—featured in
Time
magazine. Pretty soon we’ll have to get you an agent.”

“Very funny. Jay?” Terri hesitated. “I…we’re a little worried about the publicity. What about those men who tried to kill you?”

Jay squeezed Terri’s hand. “You have nothing to worry about.” She looked up, searching the crowd. “Peter? Can you come here a minute?”

“Yes?”

“Terri says her people are worried about repercussions from the men who tried to kill me.”

“I can assure you, Dr. Lightfoot—”

“Terri, please.”

“Terri,” Peter nodded, “you are perfectly safe. The man who was behind the accident died in prison yesterday—the authorities moved him from protective custody into the general prison population. It seems the other inmates didn’t like him very much.” He winked. “The ex-convict he hired to carry out the plot and the two men who actually drove Jay off the cliff were arrested by the FBI last week.”

“Wow. That’s great. Then Jay has nothing more to worry about.”

“No, she doesn’t, and neither do you. Accept the accolades and attention—you deserve it.”

Lynn Ames

The awards ceremony was held in the Rose Garden. Kate, Max, Kevin, Lorraine, Barbara, and Peter sat on the dais; the president stood in the center at a podium.

Kate looked out at the audience—Jay, Trish, the first lady, and Terri were all there. She fidgeted, still uncomfortable with being labeled a hero. Peter, sitting next to her, was equally uncomfortable, Kate knew.

They exchanged a glance as the president began to speak.

“The six people who share this dais with me today are very special.

They are all heroes in their own right. Faced with a dangerous, powerful enemy and insurmountable odds, they never gave up. Although their lives were in constant jeopardy, they ignored the perils and pushed forward, risking everything to save my life, but more importantly, to restore true democracy to the United States.”

He turned to face those seated to his left. “To Dr. Barbara Jones and Max Kingston, I bestow the Presidential Citizens Medal. This award recognizes exemplary deeds of service to this nation. Congratulations and thank you from a grateful nation.”

The president shook each of their hands in turn, handing them their medals.

“For Kevin Cathcart, who as a New Zealander is not eligible for the Citizens Medal, I have created a special citation. Your bravery in protecting Kate and helping to subdue the enemy was exemplary. I extend to you the thanks of all Americans.” The president shook Kevin’s hand.

“The President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service is the highest honor a president can give a government employee—it recognizes exceptional achievements that are of unusual benefit to the country. It is my distinct pleasure to bestow this honor upon Lorraine King, whose undercover work inside an insidious international organization saved lives and exposed traitors. Congratulations, Agent King, and thank you from a grateful nation.” The president leaned forward on the podium. “There is a second honoree in this category—a man I knew as a good personal friend for many years. CIA Agent Keith Keniston was a great man who gave his life in service to his country. It was largely his information that allowed us to uncover this plot. I will personally miss him a great deal.” The president bowed his head before regrouping.

“The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest honor I can bestow upon a private citizen. Believe me—if there were one higher—I would have selected it for Katherine Kyle and Peter Enright. These two extraordinary individuals put their lives on the line to save what this country stands for—integrity, honesty, truth, and compassion.

The Value of Valor

“It has come to my attention that Peter and Kate are reluctant to accept this award—they’re not convinced they are worthy. Ladies and gentlemen, for me, being a hero means more than simply being brave, it also means being humble and selfless. I know of no two people who embody those qualities more than Kate and Peter.”

The president looked at each one of them in turn. “To Kate, thank you hardly seems adequate. You discovered the truth, you managed to stay alive despite imminent danger to share that truth with Peter, and you knowingly put yourself physically in harm’s way to effect my rescue. I present to you the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A grateful nation thanks you.”

“To Peter, I don’t know what to say to you. You were principally responsible for uncovering and unraveling an intricate plot and exposing an organization that poses a threat to the entire world. You kept Kate alive, protecting her and others who had enough knowledge to help me, at great personal risk and with nearly catastrophic results. I present to you the Presidential Medal of Freedom. A grateful nation thanks you.”

When it was over, Kate helped Peter off the stage. “You know I hate looking weak,” he grumbled.

“Listen, Technowiz, you can always be a tough guy. Besides, vulnerable men are sexy.”

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

“Congratulations,” Trish said, giving Kate a warm hug.

“Thanks.”

“Kate, I-I just want to say how happy I am for you and Jay. It’s great to see that sparkle back in your eye.”

“Thanks, Trish. Not to mention, of course, that you got your ace writer back.”

“Well, I wasn’t going to mention it…” Trish laughed. “If that story doesn’t win a Pulitzer this year, it’ll be a crime.”

“I hope you’re right. Thank you for running with it as a special edition, by the way. If we had failed in saving the president…well, that might have been our only means of exposing the plot.”

“Do you think you’ve put them out of business?”

“Not even close,” Kate said. “You know what they say about cutting off the head of a Hydra?”

“Cut off one, it grows two more.”

“Exactly. That’s the kind of organization the Commission is. We’ve slowed them down for the moment, but I’m sure we’ll hear from them again soon.”

“I’m sorry for interrupting,” the president broke in. “Kate, may I borrow you for a moment?”

Lynn Ames

“Of course, sir.”

The president led them along the same path they had walked that fateful night when he had asked her to meet Keith at the reception. Both of them shivered.

“Kate, have you enjoyed your time off?”

“Two weeks alone with Jay?” She laughed. “It’s been tough, sir, but I’ve muddled through.”

“I have to say, you look much better these days. You seem really happy.”

“Jay has that effect on me, sir.”

“And you on her,” he noted, watching her as she talked with Mimi in the distance. “I wondered if you were ready to get back to work.”

“Of course, sir, any time you need me to.”

“Good. Here’s the thing, though, Kate.” He stopped momentarily, biting his lip as he decided how to word what he would say next. “I’m not entirely convinced that press secretary is where you belong.”

“No, sir? Have I not been doing a good job?”

“It’s nothing like that. You’re the best there is.”

They began walking again. “Then what is it, sir?” Kate asked.

“I want to find a more…suitable position for you.”

Kate frowned. “I can’t imagine there could be such a thing, sir.”

“How would you feel about a more senior level post?”

“Sir?”

“I want to create a new position for you—I haven’t worked out all the details just yet, but the title would be senior adviser to the president.

There’s no one whose judgment or expertise I value more. You would be on a level with my chief of staff. What do you say, Kate?”

“Mr. President, I’m incredibly flattered. But you can’t be serious. I’m not qualified…”

“Of course you are. I wouldn’t ask you otherwise. Look, if you’re tied up dealing with the press all the time, you can’t be examining more global issues. I want to free you up to look at the big picture—to help me chart a strategy for this nation and this administration.”

“This will cause a lot of resentment on your staff, sir.”

“The hell with them,” he waved dismissively.

“You need them, sir.”

“I need you, Kate.”

“Sir, I don’t know what to say.”

“Why don’t you take a day or two to think about it?”

“Thank you, sir, I’ll do that.”

“Kate?”

“Yes, sir?”

The Value of Valor

“Peter asked me a question a while back before everything went to hell about Michael Vendetti being somehow tied to Bob Hawthorne. I want you to know I called him in and questioned him about it.”

“You did, sir?”

“Yes. He admitted everything. Seems he was desperate to be press secretary to the president of the United States. He was part of the Breathwaite-Redfield thing. He says Hawthorne was the ringleader.”

“No kidding.” Kate shook her head sadly.

“I fired him on the spot, and I’ve turned the information over to the authorities.”

“Thank you, sir. I’m sorry to hear all that. I didn’t think Vendetti was a bad guy.”

“I never thought so, either. I guess we were both wrong.”

They walked along in silence for a while longer.

“Sir? I’m a little worried about something—actually, more like someone,” Kate said.

“Who is it?”

“Lorraine King, sir. Her cover is blown now. The Commission isn’t going to take kindly to that. They’re going to come after her.”

“I know. That’s why I called her in this morning to offer her a position inside the White House.”

“You did, sir?”

“Yes. You and I both know we haven’t heard the last of the Commission; they’ve got people everywhere—we saw that firsthand.

I’ve charged her with coordinating our efforts to root out their operatives, starting with the FBI, CIA, and Secret Service. As you know, she’s already gotten a head start on my contingent.”

“That’s great, sir. But it still doesn’t protect her personally.”

“I’m worried about that, too. She’s mulling over taking a new identity and undergoing plastic surgery but hasn’t made any final decisions.”

Kate nodded.

“Kate, I really do hope you’ll give my offer serious consideration. I don’t make it lightly. I think you’d be a great asset in that post.”

“As I said, sir, I’m incredibly flattered. Jay and I will give it serious consideration, I promise you.”

“Do you think they deliberately double-teamed us?” Jay asked, as she climbed into bed.

“Of course they did. The strategy was for the first lady to work you over while the president was pitching me at the same time.”

“Shrewd.”

“He didn’t get to be president by being dumb.” Kate bit on a convenient earlobe.

Lynn Ames

“Mmm. So what do you think?”

“I think you taste magnificent.”

“Not about that, Katherine. About the job.”

“What job?” She licked Jay’s collarbone, sending a shiver down her spine.

“The president’s adviser job. Stay focused.”

“I am focused,” Kate said in a husky voice.

“All right, that’s it.” Jay grabbed a pillow and hugged it.

“Hey, I was busy.”

“And I was trying to have a conversation with you.”

Kate growled, finally relenting. “Okay. I think it’s amazingly flattering, it’s barrier-breaking for a woman to be at that level, it’s history-making since it’s a position that doesn’t currently exist, and I think it’s political suicide for the president.”

“Why?”

“Every Cabinet member and high level staffer would be pissed. It would kill morale and stifle productivity.”

“The first lady said the president needs you to focus more globally; you can’t do that when you’re dealing with the media full time.”

“I know, I got the same pitch. Trust me, Jay. The internal fallout would eventually have repercussions for him on the outside. I would be a huge liability.”

Jay bristled. Kate put a soothing hand on her arm. “Not because I wouldn’t be good at the job, honey, but because it would detract too much from what he’s trying to accomplish.”

“Is that it? Don’t you want to think about it more?”

Kate captured Jay effortlessly with a smoldering gaze. “Right now, love, the only thing I want to think about is you.”

Jay sighed, gladly setting the discussion aside for another day. Like Kate, all she wanted to think about at the moment was a future spent together. The details—well, they really didn’t matter.

THE END

The Value of Valor

Other Novels by Lynn Ames

Coming in May 2006—
The Flip Side of Desire

Trystan Lightfoot allowed herself to love once in her life; the experience broke her heart and strengthened her resolve never to fall in love again. At forty, however, she still longs for the comfort of a woman’s arms. She finds temporary solace in meaningless, albeit adventuresome encounters, burying her pain and her emotions deep inside where no one can reach. No one, that is, until she meets C.J. Winslow.

C.J. Winslow is the model-pretty-but-aging professional tennis star the Women’s Tennis Federation is counting on to dispel the image that all great female tennis players are lesbians. And her lesbianism isn’t the only secret she’s hiding. A traumatic event from her childhood is taking its toll both on and off the court.

Together Trystan and C.J. must overcome their challenges to find the flip side of desire.

Books in Print—The Kate and Jay Trilogy

The Price of Fame

When local television news anchor Katherine Kyle is thrust into the national spotlight, it sets in motion a chain of events that will change her life forever. Jamison “Jay” Parker is an intensely career-driven
Time
magazine reporter. The first time she saw Kate, she fell in love. The last time she saw her, Kate was rescuing her. That was five years earlier, and she never expected to see her again. Then circumstances and an assignment bring them back together.

Kate and Jay’s lives intertwine, leading them on a journey to love and happiness, until fate and fame threaten to tear them apart. What is the price of fame? For Kate, the cost just might be everything. For Jay, it could be the other half of her soul.