Chapter 3
"Mr. President, your lunch will be here shortly."
"Did you order me some of that rabbit food again?"
"Sir, if you're talking about salad, yes, I ordered that."
"Mrs. Landingham…"
"Sir, I'm only following doctor's orders. If you have a problem with the doctor's orders, then you need to discuss it with her."
"Delores, you hurt me."
"Why is that sir?"
"I don't follow my wife's orders. So I ask why do you feel the need to follow them?"
"Sir, I follow the doctor's orders. If they also happen to be your wife's, then that's just a coincidence."
"Delores…"
"Tell me you'll eat your salad Mr. President or I'll get some green beans to go with it."
"Is that a threat?" Jed smiled. He loved this kind of interaction with his favorite secretary. It made the days much more bearable.
"No. sir. One cannot threaten the President of the United States. It's a statement of fact."
Jed remembered the smile when she had said that. Then sadly remembered two days later when she had been killed bringing back her new car on his request.
'God, how my heart still aches knowing that I had been responsible for her death. Yeah, the report said a drunk driver had hit her. But it was my fault. She would never have been in that location had I not requested her to come back.
There was another death I feel responsible for. Leo's. It started with the argument at Camp David and then the massive heart attack. Then I pressured Leo into taking on the Vice-Presidential nomination. The added stress of the travel and the speeches and the schedules contributed to his death. And I was the one to persuade him to take it on. Leo had his doubts but I knew he would have made a great Vice-President. Now, Leo would not reach that pinnacle of his career. No, he was buried in Arlington and would not be there tomorrow.
And it was my fault.'
The shadows continued to move.