The Heart Read online

  “John,” Carol looked over Lena. “What did they say about Carolyn?”

  “She’s been shot.” John replied to his ex-wife.

  “You’re still the same uppity—” Edward hesitated

  “Finish that thought and I’ll do the same thing I did years ago.” John stepped towards Edward. He looked at Carol. “You turned your back on Carolyn when she was five years old. When she became the First Lady of Virginia was the only time any of you would give her the time of day because her skin is a tad darker than yours. That dark skin didn’t bother you when we were making love. It only bothered them.” He pointed to her parents. “You couldn’t take being shunned by your family, so you turned your back on me and her. Now you want to stand here and make demands. Carolyn wouldn’t want you here and neither do I.” He stated and walked to where Gavin was pacing the floor.

  Lena’s heart went out to her husband. She could feel the pain radiating through him. “It doesn’t appear you are welcome here.”

  “My daughter would want me here!” Carol yelled.

  “When she is able to speak, we’ll ask her. Until that time it’s best that you leave.”

  “Good evening,” JD spoke after he had heard enough. He extended his hand. “Mr. Worthington.” Edward shook his hand. “Mrs. Worthington,” the woman nodded. JD turned to Carol. “Ms. Worthington, I’ll speak with Gavin. Afterwards, I’ll give you whatever updates on your daughter’s condition there is.”

  Carol huffed, “I don’t want anything from you. You’re the reason that my Carolyn is hurt. That should be your wife in surgery not my daughter. ”

  Monique watched as the color drained from her Uncle JD’s face. “I thank God it wasn’t. And I pray that your daughter will survive this brutal attack. I will do everything in my power to find the person who did this and punish them to the fullest extent of the law. However, I will not stand here to be berated by a woman who wishes my wife harm. If, you would excuse me.”

  “You don’t have to look far.” The woman hissed. “All you have to do is look in a mirror to find the guilty party.”

  Monique watched the woman’s eyes as they trailed JD. “I’ll be damned,” she said as the reality of the situation hit her. She stepped back to blend in with the agents that were in the area. Pulling out her cell, she called Ned. “Give me everything you have on a Carol Worthington. I want her bank account checked for large withdrawals and her movements during the last six months. And Ned, I need that now.” Monique then turned and whispered something to one of the agents. Four agents immediately formed a barrier between the Worthingtons and JD.

  JD stopped. “You’ll get yours. You will.” She smirked as she walked off with her parents trailing behind.

  “What in the hell was that all about,” JD asked John and Lena.

  A stunned John watched as Carol entered the elevator. “I have no idea.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Calhoun watched as JD and his contingency of agents left the room. Speaking with Mrs. Harrison’s agents gave him a good view of the area. Other than the agents, only Al Day and Ryan Williams remained. He knew what Day was capable of. However, Williams was another matter. While on the Harrison’s compound, he rarely had contact with the woman. However, common sense told him that Thompson wouldn’t have a slouch on Harrison’s wife. Injury or no, she had to be a threat. “The family has been through a lot tonight.” Calhoun said to the four agents standing a few feet from the door to JC’s room. “Let’s give them a little more privacy. You two take a stance at the end of the hallway. Don’t let anything or anyone get by you without clearance from me. You two take the other end. We have men covering the stairwell. Let’s be sensitive to their needs, a child has been shot.”

  “Yes sir,” the agents replied, and then took their positions.

  Ryan watched as the agents adjusted their positions, wondering why they’d moved. Looking down to the other end of the hall, the other agents had moved as well. Observing the area, she noticed that the stairwell was not been secured. She started to say something to the agents down the hallway, but the hairs stood on the back of her neck and were a clear indication to proceed cautiously. “Oh hell,” she murmured as she nonchalantly stood, rolling her neck from side to side as if she was trying to relieve stress. Ryan pulled her weapon from the back of her pants and placed it inside the arm sling she was now wearing. She stepped into the room. “Al, can I speak to you for a minute?”

  Al and Tracy looked up. “Sure,” Al replied. He looked at Tracy, “I’ll be right back.”

  “I need a hug,” she said to Al.

  Al gave her an incredulous look. “You need a hug.”

  “Yep, right now.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “We have a situation.” She said as she placed her weapon in the front of his pants. “I don’t know all that’s involved, but someone is about to come through that stairwell. We need to move them.”

  Al looked over her shoulders to survey the situation. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed the side of her lips, “Is that Calhoun at the nurses’ station?”

  Ryan nodded. “Yes, he’s checking his watch.”

  “Can you handle this?”

  Ryan gave Al a look that almost made him laugh. “Alright, I’ll take care of them.”

  Al stepped back into the room as Ryan sat back down and crossed her legs. Not knowing who was in the loop for communication, she couldn’t call for help without alerting the person they needed to catch. So instead, she pushed the number nine key on her cell. That sent a signal to Brian and Samuel that there was an alert.

  Samuel was in the makeshift situation room with James when the alert beeped. He looked at the cell, Ryan’s name appeared. “What room is JC in?” he asked James.

  James looked at his notes, “Suite 240.”

  Samuel nodded then walked out of the room.

  Brian was with JD and Pearl when he received the alert. When he saw Ryan’s name he stepped away and dialed Samuel. “What’s up?”

  “I’m en route to room 240.”

  “That’s where Tracy is.”

  Brian took the nearest stairwell, “I’m right behind you.”

  As Ryan expected, a man dressed as an agent came through the stairwell door. The shoes were a dead giveaway. There wasn’t an agent on staff that could afford Italian loafers. And if they could, they wouldn’t wear them on the job.

  The man walked over to Ryan. “Are you Ms. Williams?”

  “Yes,” Ryan replied. “And you are?”

  “Take a look at my hand.” Ryan did. “It’s a dot gun. One twitch of my finger and you are out in two seconds.”

  Ryan looked up at the man. “What do you want?”

  “I need to get into that room.”

  Ryan looked down the hallway. “Don’t think about it Ms. Williams, just stand and open the door.

  Ryan sighed as she stood. “I don’t think you really want to go in there.”

  “Now, Ms. Williams.”

  Ryan shrugged her shoulders, “Okay. But I want you to remember you asked for this.”

  The man looked down the hallway at the agents. Once he was satisfied they had not alerted anyone, he pushed Ryan inside. She fell to the floor on her arm. “Ouch. Now, that hurt.”

  “Hello, sweetheart. I see you brought company.” Al said from the bed where he laid with her weapon pointed at the man. He didn’t ask any questions, he simply pulled the trigger.

  “Oh hell, Al,” Ryan jumped up as the man hit the floor. “You weren’t supposed to do that. Give me the gun.” She grabbed it from him and pushed him from the bed just as the agents stormed the room. “Boy am I glad to see you guys.”

  Brian and Samuel ran in behind the agents. “Who is that?” Brian asked referring to the dead man on the floor.

  “I have no idea,” Ryan replied as Samuel bent down to the lifeless body.

  An agent stepped forward. “Ma’am, we need your weapon.”

  “Sure,” Ryan was a
bout to turn the weapon over to the agent when Brian spoke. “I’ll take that.”

  “Where’s Calhoun?” Al asked.

  The agents looked around. One stepped outside the door and looked down the hallway. “He was here a minute ago.”

  “I think you should locate him.” Al stated, “Now.”

  “Where are Mrs. Harrison and her son?” an agent asked as Brian’s phone buzzed again.

  “I’ll tell you as soon as you locate Calhoun.”

  Brian immediately left the room.

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Standing outside near the south exit of the hospital, Joshua leaned against the building, waiting. According to Ned, it wasn’t going to be long. Now, at least they knew how the candidate’s itinerary was getting out. The only question that remained was why.

  Calhoun ran from the building smiling when he saw the chopper waiting. The fist that came out of nowhere, breaking his nose, stunned him as he fell to the ground. He looked up to see Lassiter standing over him. “You broke my damn nose.”

  “Consider yourself lucky.” Joshua snatched him up by his coat. “I usually kill people.” He stood the director up and brushed off his clothes as he spoke. “Now, you know me. You can come quietly or, I can carry you.” He smiled. “What’s it going to be?”

  The director stood there holding his nose. “You can’t touch me Lassiter.” He smirked. “You think you have me. But you and I know all I have to do is talk and I’m a free man.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. “Come on, let’s go through your little interrogation.”

  Joshua knew the smug bastard was right, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. He grabbed the man by the neck and slammed his head into the brick building. “The hard way you say, okay,” he said as the man slid to the ground. Joshua grabbed the man’s lapel and sat him up against the building. Standing over him, Joshua looked down. “I have one question. Why?”

  Blood running down his face, the man shook his head from side to side. “You wouldn’t understand.”

  “Try me,” Joshua replied as he threw his handkerchief at the man.

  Calhoun took the handkerchief and wiped at the blood. “I gave the agency thirty years of my life. I lost my wife and the respect of my children for the agency. I was a true patriot. What did they do? They turned their backs on me. They placed some young boy that doesn’t know a damn thing about this country as Director. I have to report to him.”

  “Let me get this straight. You were willing to take the life of a woman and betray your Country because the agency looked you over for a promotion and a for a measly million dollars?” Joshua yanked the man up. “You’re right, I don’t understand. And the next time you call yourself a patriot, those will be the last words you say.” He dragged the man back into the building, mumbling to himself. “I know why they passed you over. Because you’re stupid. I can’t even call you dumb. Calling you dumb would be an insult to dumb people.”

  ♥ ♥ h

  Monique was standing at the door of the stairwell when she heard the commotion. The door swung open and Calhoun was thrown through. Monique and several other agents barely got out of the way.

  Agents immediately surrounded Calhoun and Joshua, none of them sure who to apprehend. JD and John turned to watch the scene unfold. Seeing it was Joshua, JD walked over. “Joshua?”

  “Mr. President. It gives me no pleasure to deliver this piece of crap to you.” He stood there frustrated. “I got to tell you. I desperately want to kill this man. I refrained because I know you do not like the idea of taking a life.” He said angrily. “At some point, we have to come to an understanding that sometimes the people who attack our country need to die.” He threw his hands up. “That’s all I’m saying.”

  Some of the agents didn’t have the restraint that their new Commander in Chief had, as they openly laughed at Joshua’s dramatics. “Would killing him make you feel any better?” JD asked, trying like hell not to laugh.

  “You damn right it would!” he walked away, stopped then walked back, “Sir, Mr. President-Elect, Sir.” Then he stormed off down the hallway.

  Monique turned to her Uncle. “You got to love a man that is so passionate about his country.”

  The communication devices began going off. The same sounds had been heard before, and JD’s heart dropped. “Where’s my wife?” he frantically asked the agents. Samuel, Ryan and Al stepped off the elevator. JD immediately turned to Al. “Where’s Tracy?”

  “I’m not sure, but she’s fine.” Al replied.

  “What in hell do you mean you’re not sure? I left her and my son with you.” He yelled, “Where in the hell is she and JC?”

  “I’m right here Daddy,” came the weak child’s voice.

  The sea of agents parted as Brian stepped through with JC in his arms. Tracy ran by the agents and threw herself into her husband’s arms. JD hugged Tracy and kissed her cheek, then reached out and took JC from Brian’s arms. He had his son on one shoulder and his wife crying into the other, hugging them fiercely. Then he inhaled and almost choked.

  “Yeah,” Brian folded his arms across his chest. “That was my reaction too.”

  “Babe,” he said to his wife. “Where were you?”

  Tracy turned, placing her hands on her hips as she looked at her brother. “He threw me in the dumpster.”

  JD looked up at Al. “I didn’t throw her in the dumpster.” He explained. “I threw them down the trash chute.”

  The night had been so horrendous; JD felt this comic relief moment was needed for everyone involved. He began laughing and couldn’t stop. Holding JC as securely as he could he bent over in laughter. “I’m sorry, babe.” He laughed harder at Tracy’s exasperated face. After JD began laughing the others around them joined in.

  Lena was worse than JD. “Tracy, it is funny.” But Tracy wasn’t having it.

  Al didn’t laugh, but he was smiling. “Look Sugie, I had to get you out of that room. Would you have wanted JC to be in there when that man came in?”

  “Of course not.”

  “There was no other way. I had to throw you out in the trash.” Lena really let go then.

  JD grabbed his wife and kissed her. “I love you. I don’t care what you smell like.”

  Tracy playfully hit him in the chest. “I love you, too.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  It was a long night. JD finally had the opportunity to speak with the media and things seemed to settle down at the hospital. Afterwards, he went home to make sure each of his children were fine and to reassure them that JC and mommy were okay. He returned to the hospital, where he and Tracy fell asleep in JC’s room. Around five that morning, he received word that Calvin was awake. Walking in the room, he was pleased to see that Calvin was actually sitting up talking to his wife. “Hey man. I finally got to take a bullet for you. I was beginning to feel left out.”

  “Man, that’s not even funny.” JD held out his hand, giving Calvin a pound. “You know I love you like a brother.”

  “I know,” Calvin replied. They held each other’s stare for a moment, acknowledging the mutual understanding. “What’s with all the agents at the door?”

  JD looked around the room. “Jackie, may I have a moment with Calvin?”

  “Of course,” she smiled and kissed her husband. “I’m going to check on Carolyn. Then I’ll be right back.”

  “Alright baby.” Calvin watched as she walked out the door.

  JD took a chair and pulled it next to Calvin’s bed. “We have a lot of decisions to make. We have a lot of positions to fill beginning with the Vice-President slot. I have to submit a name that will clear hearings.”

  “Those are decisions you and your Chief of Staff need to discuss.”

  JD nodded his head. “That’s what I’m doing. Here’s what I want to do.”

  Calvin knew JD needed him to listen but he had to stop him before he continued. “JD, you’re asking me to be your Chief of Staff?”

  “No. I’m the President-Elect of the Uni
ted States of America asking you to serve your Country.” He sat forward. “This is what I want to do. I want to name Jerry McClintock as my Vice-President.”

  “He’s a republican.”

  “I hadn’t noticed,” JD joked, then sighed. “Calvin, it’s time for someone to take steps to unite this country. Jerry’s a good man.”

  Calvin listened as he proudly accepted what his friend had offered him. Once that cleared his thoughts, he was stunned at what JD suggested. “Do you think the Country is ready for that?”

  “We’re going to get them ready.” JD stood. “You have one week to get yourself well. Then we are going to hit the ground running.”

  ♥ ♥ ♥

  Tracy was sitting in the suite area of JC’s room when Pearl walked in. “Good morning Ms. Press Secretary,” she smiled.

  Pearl bowed, “Thank you, thank you, Mrs. Harrison-Lady in waiting.”

  “Is that what I am?” Tracy frowned over her tea cup.

  Pearl nodded and laughed, “I’m afraid so.”