“That would be against my own self-interest,” he said. “I may even have to support another candidate.”

“That’s crazy talk.”

“I know it is, but how could I want her to be reelected if that caused me to lose you.”

“I didn’t say you’d be losing me.”

“But I’d have to wait another four years, when she can’t run again.”

“Four years isn’t such a long time,” she said.

“You sound as though you don’t believe that.”

“All right, it’s a long time, but there’s the promise of something new for me, if she’s reelected.”

“A promise from Kate?”

“Sort of a promise.”

“You mean a hint of a promise.”

“If you like.”

“And what is Kate dangling before you, like a ball of yarn before a kitten?”

“The Agency.”

“Are they going to shoot Lance?”

“No, but he might get kicked upstairs.”

“Director of Homeland Security?”

“Could be.”

“Do you think Lance would take that? He’d probably have more fun staying where he is.”

“No doubt, but there could be something else for him in the offing.”

“What else is there?”

“Think about that for a minute.”

Stone thought about it. “No!” he said after a moment.

“Why not?”

“The VP slot on the ticket?”

“Why not?”

“Lance would hate that—there’s no power involved.”

“How about if he were VP, but were given the whole national intelligence system to play with?”

Stone thought.

“And after that . . .”

“Oh, God, Lance for President?”

“I’m just guessing, but he’d only be VP for four years.”

“Do you think he would take it?”

“Do you think Lance could possibly see himself as President?”

“I’ve no doubt of it,” Stone said. “And you’d replace him at the Agency?”

“Possibly.”

“But then I’d never see you again.”

“Not necessarily.”

“You mean, like now—a couple of times a year?”

“We could do better than that.”

“How?”

“The country might like it better if the director of central intelligence were a stable married woman.”

“You mean, instead of a wild and crazy single woman?”

“Well, yes.”

“But you couldn’t live in New York or any of those other places where I’ve gone into the housing business.”

“Well, not all the time.”

“Now I get it,” Stone said, “you want me to move to Washington.”

“Or the Virginia suburbs.”

“That is a breathtakingly bad idea,” Stone said, shivering.

“I’m sorry you think so.”

“It’s not personal.”

“Oh, then what is it?”

“I’m not sure I could make that sacrifice, even for my country.”

“Could you make it for me?” she asked.

“I think my offer is the better one,” Stone said.

She said nothing.

“Well?”

“I’ll think about it.”

39