Murder in the White House (Capital Crimes Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

muttered the President through clenched teeth. “Someone
inside
. Tomorrow… goddamn newspapers, television…
inside the White House
, for God’s sake…”
    “We’ve got to release the story,” said Gimbel. “He’s been dead three hours…”
    The President sighed heavily, looked at Ron. “I had some kind of hope that maybe the investigation would come up with something so that when we announced it we could say we knew who did it—
or
at least we had asuspect. I suppose we’ll be criticized for not announcing—”
    “Not necessarily,” Ron interrupted. “It’s accepted investigative procedure to hold the story for a few hours.”
    The President stood. He seemed suddenly to have shaken off the shock that had subdued him. He nodded decisively toward the door, and Fairbanks and Gimbel followed him out of the Lincoln Sitting Room. The passageway was blocked by a knot of investigators—one scribbling in a small notebook. They jostled each other to make way for the President, but he turned abruptly into the Lincoln Bedroom. He switched on the lights and closed the door.
    “Who’s in charge of the investigation?” the President asked. He looked around the room, then chose to sit on the edge of the ornately carved Victorian bed.
    “Well, it’s a Secret Service operation first,” said Gimbel. He sat on a chair facing the President. “Of course, the FBI… And the Metropolitan Police…” He frowned. “Too damn many.”
    The President nodded.
    Ron stood uneasily beside Gimbel, resting a hand on the back of the chair Gimbel had chosen. “It needs a coordinator,” he said.
    “Right,” said the President. “Lansard Blaine is dead, and that’s reason enough for a thorough and efficient investigation… God, I don’t want to sound callous—particularly not tonight—but do you realize what this could do to us?” He shook his head. “The murder of Blaine could bring down this administration. I mean, literally. We could lose every bit of political power we have, every bit of moral authority… We could be leftwith congressional government. And as for reelection… This investigation has got to be complete and quick. What’s more, it’s got to look as good as it is… thorough, effective. And there can be
no
suggestion in it anywhere that
anyone
is beyond it. That anyone is being protected. Including me…”
    “Lyndon Johnson appointed the Chief Justice to head the investigation into the assassination of Kennedy,” said Gimbel. “Take a man like Judge Frost. Appoint him coordinator of the investigation—”
    “No,” said the President emphatically. “I’m not going to pass it to someone outside. It’s an executive problem. It belongs here. Unless I’m a real suspect myself, I want to command the investigation personally. But I obviously can’t give it all my time…”
    Gimbel shrugged. “I can handle it for you.”
    The President looked up at Fairbanks. “I’m thinking of Ron,” he said.
    Fritz Gimbel looked up over his shoulder at Ron Fairbanks standing behind him. “Ron doesn’t… have enough designated authority—”
    “I’ll give it to him,” said the President. “I’ll give him command over all the investigative agencies involved. I’ll give him subpoena power. He’ll coordinate the entire investigation through his office. Ron?”
    “I think the idea of a single coordinator is fine, Mr. President. I’m not sure, though, that I’m the one who should have that authority—”
    “I disagree,” said the President. “I was thinking about it… in there. You’re young. You’re a lawyer. You’ve been around here long enough to know the moves, and you’re not politically dependent on me orbeholden to me. Hell, you didn’t even want the job at first. You and I know each other pretty well, Ron. I think I can trust you, you know what I want.”
    “You want a tough investigation, with some—”
    “Sensitivity,” the President finished for him.
    Fairbanks shrugged.