minutes.”
“What for?”
“I’ll explain when we get there. We’ll try not to interfere with your dinner.” Tim hung up.
“We’re about to have visitors—Tim Coleman and a man named Leo Berg, who used to run the White House Secret Service detail. I don’t know what they want.”
The doorbell rang, and Will got up.
“Tim lied; they weren’t a few blocks away, they were outside.” He let the two men in.
“Senator,” Berg said, “thank you for the opportunity; I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’m glad to have you aboard, Leo. Now what can I do for you two?”
“Senator, Tim tells me that there was an attempt on your life some years ago by a right-wing militia group.”
Will glanced at Tim sharply.
“I’m sorry, Senator, but I felt Leo should know about this.”
Will turned back to Berg. “That’s correct. It was a group calling themselves The Elect, and it was run by a retired general named Willingham. Both Willingham and the assassin died in the attempt.”
“Because of that, Senator,” Berg said, “I want to ask for Secret Service support earlier than it would ordinarily be granted in a campaign.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary?”
“Sir, these militia groups are in touch with each other; if you’ve annoyed one of them, you’ve probably annoyed more.”
“I don’t know, Leo,” Will said. “I don’t want to ask for anything that other candidates won’t be getting.”
“They can make their own requests,” Berg replied.
Kate piped up. “Listen to the man, Will,” she said firmly.
Will sighed. “All right, I’m listening.”
“I’d like to do a sort of preliminary survey for the Service,” Berg said. “Then I’ll contact them tomorrow to arrange for your protection from Saturday, and if you’ll allow me to do this now, I think I can save you some intrusion by a lot of agents.”
“Come into the study,” Will said. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Scotch,” Tim replied.
“Nothing for me,” Berg said.
Will introduced Berg to Kate, and they all sat down.
“Now,” Berg said, “let me familiarize you with what’s going to happen from the point of view of the Secret Service, and Mrs. Lee, I’m glad you’re here to hear this, because it’s going to affect you, too.”
“I’m all ears,” Kate said.
“The Service will likely assign you a detail of sixteen men, Senator,” Berg said. “A dozen of them will work in four-man teams on eight-hour shifts, and they’ll be with you wherever you go. The other fourwill float, depending on the circumstances. Mrs. Lee, there’ll be six assigned to you, and two will remain with you at all times.”
“I don’t think that will be entirely necessary, Mr. Berg,” Kate said, “since I work at the CIA, and that is a very secure environment. They can escort me to and from work, though.”
“Good point,” Berg said, taking notes. “Is there a downstairs bedroom in the house?” Berg asked.
“Yes,” Kate replied. “There’s a maid’s room at the rear. We don’t have any live-in help, so it’s empty.”
“Good. There’ll be two men in the house at all times, and that will allow them to take turns sleeping at night.”
“Do they have to be in the house?” Kate asked plaintively.
“I’m afraid so. Don’t worry, they’re trained to be as unobtrusive and discreet as possible. Senator, they’ll be in your office, as well, and in the corridor outside. And anywhere either of you goes, you’ll be driven in a Service automobile, probably a Lincoln Town Car.”
“How nice,” Kate said dryly.
“Who lives in the big house across the street?” Berg asked. “It’s dark.”
“The ambassador to Saudi Arabia,” Will said. “They’re not there much.”
“Good; maybe the Service can arrange to use it as an outpost. They’ll go through the State Department for that. What’s out back?”
“A garden, and beyond that another garden and another house,” Will said. “The owner does
“What for?”
“I’ll explain when we get there. We’ll try not to interfere with your dinner.” Tim hung up.
“We’re about to have visitors—Tim Coleman and a man named Leo Berg, who used to run the White House Secret Service detail. I don’t know what they want.”
The doorbell rang, and Will got up.
“Tim lied; they weren’t a few blocks away, they were outside.” He let the two men in.
“Senator,” Berg said, “thank you for the opportunity; I’m looking forward to it.”
“I’m glad to have you aboard, Leo. Now what can I do for you two?”
“Senator, Tim tells me that there was an attempt on your life some years ago by a right-wing militia group.”
Will glanced at Tim sharply.
“I’m sorry, Senator, but I felt Leo should know about this.”
Will turned back to Berg. “That’s correct. It was a group calling themselves The Elect, and it was run by a retired general named Willingham. Both Willingham and the assassin died in the attempt.”
“Because of that, Senator,” Berg said, “I want to ask for Secret Service support earlier than it would ordinarily be granted in a campaign.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary?”
“Sir, these militia groups are in touch with each other; if you’ve annoyed one of them, you’ve probably annoyed more.”
“I don’t know, Leo,” Will said. “I don’t want to ask for anything that other candidates won’t be getting.”
“They can make their own requests,” Berg replied.
Kate piped up. “Listen to the man, Will,” she said firmly.
Will sighed. “All right, I’m listening.”
“I’d like to do a sort of preliminary survey for the Service,” Berg said. “Then I’ll contact them tomorrow to arrange for your protection from Saturday, and if you’ll allow me to do this now, I think I can save you some intrusion by a lot of agents.”
“Come into the study,” Will said. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Scotch,” Tim replied.
“Nothing for me,” Berg said.
Will introduced Berg to Kate, and they all sat down.
“Now,” Berg said, “let me familiarize you with what’s going to happen from the point of view of the Secret Service, and Mrs. Lee, I’m glad you’re here to hear this, because it’s going to affect you, too.”
“I’m all ears,” Kate said.
“The Service will likely assign you a detail of sixteen men, Senator,” Berg said. “A dozen of them will work in four-man teams on eight-hour shifts, and they’ll be with you wherever you go. The other fourwill float, depending on the circumstances. Mrs. Lee, there’ll be six assigned to you, and two will remain with you at all times.”
“I don’t think that will be entirely necessary, Mr. Berg,” Kate said, “since I work at the CIA, and that is a very secure environment. They can escort me to and from work, though.”
“Good point,” Berg said, taking notes. “Is there a downstairs bedroom in the house?” Berg asked.
“Yes,” Kate replied. “There’s a maid’s room at the rear. We don’t have any live-in help, so it’s empty.”
“Good. There’ll be two men in the house at all times, and that will allow them to take turns sleeping at night.”
“Do they have to be in the house?” Kate asked plaintively.
“I’m afraid so. Don’t worry, they’re trained to be as unobtrusive and discreet as possible. Senator, they’ll be in your office, as well, and in the corridor outside. And anywhere either of you goes, you’ll be driven in a Service automobile, probably a Lincoln Town Car.”
“How nice,” Kate said dryly.
“Who lives in the big house across the street?” Berg asked. “It’s dark.”
“The ambassador to Saudi Arabia,” Will said. “They’re not there much.”
“Good; maybe the Service can arrange to use it as an outpost. They’ll go through the State Department for that. What’s out back?”
“A garden, and beyond that another garden and another house,” Will said. “The owner does
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