Donovan looked the senator over. It was the first time he had actually met the man face-to-face, or had even spoken to him, for that matter— his assignment came through the ADIC at the Bureau’s Washington field office. Braden was a tall man, about sixty years of age, with silver-white hair that showed no hint of thinning. His face seemed permanently tanned, and his classic features looked as if they had been lifted from an ancient Roman bust, from his noble brow to his aquiline nose to his deeply cleft chin. His eyes were a hollow blue, capable of communicating the full range of emotions a president requires, from compassionate concern to righteous indignation. He looked trim, even athletic, but that may have been due to the padded shoulders in his black pin-striped Valentino suit. He is the picture-perfect politician, Donovan thought, the cardboard cutout you got your photo taken next to on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. There was no doubt about it, John Henry Braden would make a perfect U.S. president—or at least he would look like one.

Donovan took a seat in a leather wingback chair across from Braden’s desk. Everyone in the room grabbed handfuls of paper and quickly exited, except for one man who remained behind and took the chair beside Donovan’s.

“Agent Donovan, Brad Lassiter—Brad is my chief of staff.”

The two men shook hands.

“You come highly recommended, Mr. Donovan. Brad here tells me you’re the best and brightest the Bureau has to offer.”

“I’d hate to contradict your chief of staff.” It was a good answer— one that merited a smile and a nod from the senator. Washington is no place for modesty, Donovan had quickly learned; people with power are busy, and they don’t have time to stand around while you twist your skirt into knots.

“I don’t need to tell you that this couldn’t have come at a worse time. The convention is coming up in a little more than two months, and then we’ve got the presidential debates; after that it’s a horse race all the way to November. We don’t need this distraction right now.”

“No, sir.”

“The voters don’t need this distraction either—they need to stay focused on the issues.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Brad here tells me you’re going to take care of this little distraction for us.”

“That’s my intention, yes.”