Katharine Rule Lee, in addition to being a candidate for president, was also the first lady of the United States, running to succeed her husband, William Jefferson Lee, and she never needed a lift anywhere.

“What, to the airport? Has the Secret Service run out of black SUVs?”

“No, to Los Angeles.”

“Whatever happened to Air Force One?”

“It’s just fine, thank you, but the Marine helicopter sent to take her to Dulles, where she was to meet Air Force One, is down with a broken wing, or something, and it would be much more convenient for her if she could fly with us. Is there room?”

“How big a party are we talking about?”

“Her secretary and two Secret Service agents.”

“No further entourage?”

“Just me, and I was going with you anyway.”

“Hold the phone and I’ll call Mike.”

“Right.”

Stone pressed the hold button, chose another line, and called the cell phone of Michael Freeman, chairman and CEO of Strategic Services.

“Mike Freeman.”

“It’s Stone. I have a request—feel free to say no, but you’ll regret it the rest of your life.”

“In that case, yes.”

“You have just agreed to fly the first lady of the United States, her secretary, and two Secret Service agents to Los Angeles on your Gulfstream with us.”

There was only the briefest of silences. “Yes,” Mike said again. “I can do that.”

“Thank you, kind sir. See you at the airport.”

“I’m already at the airport.”

“Am I late?”

“No, I’m meeting with a client who’s passing through.”

“All right, I and my party will be on time. I can’t speak for the first lady.”

“That’s the beauty of owning an airplane—our ETD is whenever I say it is.”

“See you there.” Stone disengaged and pressed the hold button again. “The answer is a resounding yes.”

“Oh, good,” Ann said with a sigh.

“Next question, is she ready to leave for Teterboro?”

“She’s sitting in a black SUV at the East Side Heliport and she doesn’t have anywhere else to go. She may beat us there.”

“Tell her to meet us at Jet Aviation. It’s the one with the very large white airplane parked just outside the door. I’ll let them know she’s coming.”

“Don’t do that, she doesn’t like any fuss. She’ll just want to pee and get on the airplane.”

“Tell her she can pee on the airplane, it’s equipped for that, and she’ll save the bother of the Secret Service throwing everybody out of the ladies’ room at Jet Aviation.”

“I’ll pass that on,” Ann said.