Chapter 18

"Mr. President, Ron needs to speak with you." Leo glanced at Zoey. "Privately, sir."

Jed looked at Leo with curiosity. Something else had come up. "Okay. Zoey, can you leave me alone for a few minutes?"

"Sure, Dad. I'll get some coffee. Cream in yours?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Jed watched as Zoey and her agent left the sealed waiting area. He turned to Leo and to Ron. "What's going on?"

"Sir, several things. First, you've been sent a new photo. And we have determined that this one is real. It is authentic."

"Yes, Ron? What is it a picture of?" Jed thought it was another one of Abbey kissing somebody.

"The First Lady's wedding rings."

"Her what? Let me see!" Jed grabbed the photo in Ron's hand.

"Can you verify that these are the missing rings?"

Jed looked closely at the picture. Whoever had sent these even had the courtesy to enlarge the internal etching that said, 'Forever Yours, Jed'.

"Yes, they look like them. And with the etching, they would have to be Abbey's. When did you get this?"

"This morning, sir. And we have also determined that the picture in the New York Times is a fake. It had been so professionally put together so the average photo editor would not give it a second thought."

"So somebody has an elaborate plan to split Abbey and me apart. But why? And who?"

"We're checking on that right now. And we don't know how this person got the rings. We can only assume right now that there is a Residence employee involved in this. We are currently reviewing all the personnel files of those that have clearance to work in the Residence. Until then, I would prefer you stay either here or in the Oval until we finish."

"Ron, I have to ask. Do you think somebody tried to kill Abbey with the pills? It's so unlike her to try suicide. Between her Hippocratic oath and our religion, this doesn't make sense as a suicide."

"We're investigating that possibility. We do know that she had requested the pills this morning so it is her prescription. But we are looking to see if there are any fingerprints on the bottle that shouldn't be there. It's a long shot, but we're still trying."