An itch settled itself between her shoulder blades; then her eyes narrowed. Had Lizzie been trying to warn her about Bell that day she came to lunch? Had she missed the signal, whatever the signal was? Her eyes narrowed in thought. Before she could think twice, she moved over to the in-house phone and buzzed her secretary, Connie Quintera. “Connie, I want you to stop whatever you’re doing and go through the visitors’ logbook. I want to know how many times Baron Bell has been to the White House this past year. I want times logged in, times logged out, and who he met with while he was here, and I want it ASAP. I’m in my quarters, so bring it to me as soon as you have it. Thanks, Connie.”

The president went back to the window to stare out at the falling snow. Always when she was in a reflective mood, she thought about how she’d gotten to this place in time. And then she thought about who it was that had put her here at the eleventh hour. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was in some deep trouble if she didn’t come through with the promise she’d made to the vigilantes. She shivered at the thought of what could and would happen if she didn’t make good on that promise very, very soon.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t tried. She had, but she’d been shot down from so many directions, she’d had to fall back and regroup. She was still too green, too new at her job, to fully appreciate that, within certain limits, she could do whatever she wanted.

No matter what anyone said, no matter how much they professed to be on her side, Connor knew she was dealing with the good ol’ boys, and the good ol’ boys still didn’t cotton to a woman president. Especially her chief of staff, Aaron Lowry. In private, she called him a pit bull. He always showed just the right amount of respect for her position, but she knew he didn’t like her. How she’d become saddled with him was still a bit of a mystery to her.

Not coming from the world of Washington, a virtual outsider to politics in a year when the public was demanding that the foxes guarding the henhouse be put out to pasture, she found herself having to create an administration from scratch. And, somehow, when Lizzie had at first refused to come on board, she had acquired Lowry as her chief of staff. It was one of so many things here in this exalted house that were mysteries to her, and that was another reason she wanted Lizzie Fox in the White House to watch her back. Her eyes narrowed again. She was a woman of her word. Always had been, always would be. She’d grant those pardons or die trying.