Part 8
Jed stared at Leo. "You are going to help me?"
"Yes and I have an idea that might work. All you have to do is trust me."
Jed wasn't sure what to think. Leo, above anyone, was the one that wanted to make sure Jed was safe. Any time and any place. "Leo..." He warned."
"I'm going to help you get away from The Secret Service."
There was conviction in his voice. Jed nodded. "Ok."
Leo brought out his telephone and dialled. He saw that Jed was about to object. "Trust me."
Jed closed his mouth and waited.
"Hi, it's me. I need a favour. Can you come to The White House right away? I'll get you in. Good. I need you too.... Yeah, that's right. Thanks." Leo closed the phone. "We're on our way."
"Can this person be trusted?" Jed took a few steps closer to Leo.
"Yes. I wouldn't call if I did not believe he could be."
Jed simply nodded. "Now what?"
"Now my friend, we wait."
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So, The President is back?" CJ once again asked Margaret.
"That's what I've been told. He is also not seeing anyone right now. Don't know anything about The First Lady though." Margaret looked up from her desk. "You want me to call his cell phone? He said I should if there was anything."
CJ thought for a few seconds. "Would you?" The fact that Leo had told Charlie to be down here and not upstairs with The President did not sit well with her.
"Sure." Margaret picked up the receiver and started dialling.
The clear tone of Leo's cell phone made Jed jump slightly.
"You need get your nerves under control if you are going to pull this off." Leo opened his phone. "Yes? Yeah, Margaret. Ok, put her on." He waited and watched as Jed tried to calm down. "Hi CJ. I'm with The President."
Jed turned back to Leo wondering what crisis was awaiting now. He did not have time for it now.
"He's a little under the weather. No, it's not serious."
CJ was just checking up on him. Jed started relaxing considerably.
As CJ asked about Abbey Leo thought fast. "Well, er.. I really can't say anything about that because I do not have all the answers myself. I'll let you know when I have some more... No, CJ... If it was you think The President would be here right now?"
Now Jed tensed up. CJ was asking about Abbey. He grabbed a hold of the end of the bed for support.
Leo noticed the change in Jed. "I've got to go. Yeah, I will." He closed the phone and approached Jed. "Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'll be.... fine." Even though he said it to Leo Jed was not so sure of that himself.
CJ gave the receiver to Margaret. "Thanks." She wasn't sure why she felt that Leo had been holding something back from her. Why would The President be here if his wife was not? She had been lied to before but this was different. Abbey was not only her boss' wife but she considered The First Lady a friend. If something were wrong with Abbey then she would want to know. Then again, maybe Leo was being completely honest. No, this was Leo. Leo did not hesitate to hold back things from them if he needed to. She also knew if she dug deeper she would surely suffer Leo's wrath. Possible even The President's. She shook her head slightly as she walked through the corridors. Best to leave things alone.
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Remember, you can not tell anyone about this. Ever. This is one thing you can not put on your resume." Leo told his guest quietly as they got closer to their destination.
"You know you can trust me." The man replied.
"Yeah, that's why I called." Leo gestured in the direction they were heading.
Jed checked his watch as he had every two minutes ever since Leo left. The more time he was alone the more his thoughts drifted to Abbey. To what he had done. Images floated through his mind. Images he would never be able to forget. No matter how hard he tried. He picked up a photo he had been looking at. He had taken it a few years ago. Abbey was sitting on the porch at Manchester and smiling into the camera. Simply dressed in jeans and a Notre Dame Sweater with her wet her making a few wet spots on her shoulders. No make up and no shoes as she simply smiled as Jed remembered. He had snuck up on her and not given her any warning when he took the picture. She looked ravishing. He traced the lines of her body with his fingers. Knowing what he did, knowing he caused her death how would he ever survive himself?
One very difficult thing remained and it horrified him to even think about it. He had to tell his daughters. He had to tell them the whole truth. They deserved nothing less. He hoped in time they could find a way to forgive him or at least try to find a way to live with what had happened. He would gladly accept any choice they made even if it included him in the smallest way. Then again how could he expect that from them if he did not even know how he would live with what he had done himself. He looked down at the picture again. When this 'mission' was completed there was one more thing he had to do. He had to see Abbey's body.
Leo opened the door and gestured for the man to step inside.
Jed quickly stood putting Abbey's picture on the table next to him as Leo and an unknown man entered. He approached them carefully.
As soon as the door was closed Leo started talking but in a more quiet voice then he usually did. "Sir, I'd like you to meet Dennis."
Jed shook the man's hand. "Hi, I'm Jed Bartlet." Like he thought the man would not know who he was. "I take it Leo has told you how important it is for you to keep quiet about this?" He studied the man but it did not take long before he saw they were similar in many ways. Height, body and they eyes had the same blue colour.
"Yes." Dennis replied simply. "Nice to meet you by the way."
Jed simply nodded as he turned to Leo knowing what Leo had planned. "You want me and him to switch places?"
Leo "That's the plan. We need to get Dennis some of your regular clothing and you just have to put on his clothes along with the fake beard."
Jed looked back at the man. He had not even noticed that the beard was a fake. Maybe this could work. "Ok, let's get to work."
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"Ok, that should be it. Let's go." Jed started for the door after having adjusted his attire.
Leo hurried after him. "Sir, what about your wedding ring?"
Jed stopped dead in his tracks. He looked down at his left hand where the simple golden band seemed to sparkle at him. "I'm not parting with it."
"I'm not asking you to but removing it from your hand would be a good idea."
Reluctantly Jed took of his wedding ring and put it his one of his pockets. "Ok, there."
"Now stay calm and this will work." Leo nodded to Dennis who dressed in a light blue pyjamas got in bed. He turned back to Jed. "You ready?"
Jed took a deep breath. "Let's go."
As Leo opened the door Jed stepped outside and Leo soon followed. They started walking with normal pace down the hall. "Mr. McGarry." They both halted as they saw Ron approaching. Leo left Jed and started walking towards Ron. "Ron?"
"How is the President?" Ron barely looked at the man standing a few steps behind Leo. He knew it was a guest of his.
Jed started feeling very warm. The lightning was a bit dark but if Ron took a close look would he see? He started to pretend to look at a painting so his face would be turned away from Ron.
"He is...coping. At the moment he is resting."
"I just need a minute of his time."
As Ron walked passed Leo and then quickly passed Jed in the direction to the bedroom Jed panicked. "Leo.." He hissed.
Leo shushed him. "Wait.."
They waited but for each passing second Jed was sure he was going to be busted. He was not feeling very well.
Soon, Ron returned to Leo. "He seems to be asleep. I'll return later." He gave Leo a quick nod and left.
Jed could not believe his luck. He stepped up next to Leo. "You knew?"
"It's not the first time he's looked in on you and decided not to disturb you." Leo took Jed's arm and they started to walk again.
Jed shook his head slightly. "And here I thought he only came to me with emergencies."
"Yeah." Leo hardly paid attention to Jed as he looked ahead making sure the coast was clear.
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"Does not!""Does to!"
"Not!"
"To!"
Toby leaned back resignedly in his chair. "I give up."
CJ leaned forward, smiling triumphantly. "I told you he does."
"I'm not saying I agree with you, just that I'm tired of arguing with you. I know he doesn't and nothing you say is going to change my mind."
"Does to!"
"CJ, stop it!" Toby picked up his pen. "I have to concentrate on using simple language in the President's remarks when he welcomes the Prime Minister of Japan to the summit."
"That summit is two weeks away, Toby."
"The President wants to say something in Japanese and I want to be sure he doesn't say anything that could...you know...embarrass us all."
"Jed Bartlet doesn't speak Japanese. Somehow that surprises me." CJ leaned back and looked thoughtful.
"No, and I don't speak Japanese either, so I have to write out his remarks in English, get them translated into Japanese and clear the whole thing with The Office of Protocol."
"Okay, I'll leave you to your work." CJ stood and walked deliberately to the door. Spinning around to face Toby, she exclaimed, "Does to!" Then she sprinted down the hall, her laugh causing everyone to look up from their work.
Not to be outdone, Toby bolted from his chair and skidded out the door. Watching CJ moving in the distance, he called out. "Josh does not own a pair of Spiderman pyjamas!" Scowling at the stares of his co workers, Toby shut the door and went back to his work. What was he thinking? CJ had set him up. He hoped no one mentioned it to Josh.
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Jed looked at The White House from the sidewalk. He'd made it. He was out. He started the car once again and drove away. Since Leo had told the guards that his friend, Dennis, would borrow his car, they did not think twice about it. Jed hoped they were more careful about who they let into the building than who they let out. He remembered that The Secret Service had lost Richard outside the hospital. If that man was responsible for what had happened and he knew they were on to him, he would not be at home. Jed reached into his pocket and quickly looked at the address. He hoped he would have enough time to find the cabin he suspected Richard was at. He remembered Abbey mentioning that he had one when she had to call him once for a medical emergency. Except for the hospital no one knew about that cabin, so hopefully the Secret Service did not either, yet.
Leo stood by the window. Since he had not heard anything, he figured Jed must be out by now. He had wondered several times if it had been so wise to help him. What if, God forbid, Jed's feelings got over him and he tried to kill... No, Leo shook his head. He could not allow himself to think that way. He had made his decision to help Jed when Ron again would not respond to whether Abbey was in fact dead or alive. It was too late to go back on that now. It was a gamble. All of it. If Richard would be at the cabin at all? How long before the Secret Service would find out that an impostor slept in The President's bed? If The President would take things too far once, if, he came face to face with Richard?
TBC........