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

it. The world has lost an able peacemaker. The nation has lost a great public servant. And I have lost the irreplaceable… a friend.”
    He spoke without notes. His emotion seemed wholly genuine. The news people sat in respectful silence.
    “As President—and as a friend of Lansard Blaine—I am determined that we will find out who killed him and why. For that reason I have this morning signed an executive order, creating the office of Special Investigator and giving that office extraordinary powers to direct and coordinate the investigation into the murder of the Secretary of State. I have appointed as SpecialInvestigator the man who is sitting beside me—Ronald Y. Fairbanks.” He stopped and for a brief moment stared thoughtfully at Ron. People in the back of the room stood to look over their fellows and identify Fairbanks. “Ron Fairbanks has served in the White House as Special Counsel from the first day of this administration. He is a Californian, an honors graduate of Stanford. He was a law clerk to Justice William Friederich, and he has served in the White House while on leave from the Washington firm of Harrington & Hoy. I have complete confidence in Ron. He will direct and coordinate the work of the Secret Service, the FBI, and any other investigative agency that may become involved in the effort to solve this crime, to bring the killer to justice. I have given him full special powers, to see any file or other evidence, to question anyone, and to issue subpoenas. His instructions are to find out who killed Lansard Blaine and why—
no matter where, or to whom, the investigation may lead.
”
    The President paused again, glanced at Fairbanks, then at his watch. “We may be able to answer some questions.”
    “Mr. President!”
    “Mrs. Coughman.”
    “Mr. President, can you tell us why the Secretary of State was in the Lincoln Sitting Room after eleven o’clock last night?”
    “As Secretary of State, Lansard had developed a habit of using the Lincoln Sitting Room occasionally as a private, quiet place where he could make telephone calls and perhaps rest for a few minutes. He often met with me in our private quarters on the second floor, and the Lincoln Sitting Room was convenient for him. He metwith me and some members of the Congress last night in the Oval Office, until a few minutes after eleven. I was not aware that he had gone upstairs then, but apparently he had gone up to the room for privacy. He was found with a telephone in his hand. Apparently he was making calls. We haven’t yet found out if he was talking to someone on the telephone when he was—”
    “Mr. President!”
    “Mr. Craig.”
    “I believe the Secretary of State was divorced and had no children. Is that right?”
    “He was divorced many years ago. He had no children. I myself called his former wife last night and informed her of his death, before we issued the official announcement. He had no other immediate family.”
    “Mr. President.”
    “Mr. O’Malley.”
    “Is there any truth to the rumor that the Secretary of State was recently asked to resign?”
    “I never asked him to resign. I never suggested he should. He had told me, however, that he was interested in leaving public life and was making some inquiries about another professorship or a position in private business. But that was entirely voluntary on his part.”
    “Mr. President!”
    “Miss Gorman.”
    “The number of people with access to the second floor, particularly during the night, is quite limited, is it not? Doesn’t that lead to a tentative conclusion that this murder was committed by someone fairly highly placed in the White House?”
    “All I am going to say in response to that question, Miss Gorman, is that no one, absolutely no one, includingmyself, is beyond suspicion. And Mr. Fairbanks has plenary authority to investigate
anyone
.”
    Special Investigation Office, The West Wing, Wednesday, June 13, 2:00 PM
    “It’s not exactly your bag, is