Free I Do Solemnly Swear by D.M. Annechino

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    “Emily, I need to speak with Leonard LaPlant, the medical examiner.”
    ***
    Less than twenty-four hours after McDermott had told her how David Rodgers died—barely enough time for her to catchher breath—President Miles faced an anxious group of journalists. McDermott had urged her to let William Riley make the announcement, but after his first ambiguous press conference, she decided to take control before things got out of hand.
    Her state of the union address to Congress was only days away, and she hadn’t yet drafted an outline. What would she say to 535 constituents, most of whom would rather tar and feather her than give her the time of day? One thing was certain: somehow she’d have to find a way to dazzle them, to convert at least some of her adversaries into supporters.
    Kate gripped both sides of the podium so tightly her knuckles turned white. She saw familiar faces: Ed Applegate from the
Post
, Kimberly Butler from the
Times
. Some were supporters, others harsh critics, but all could affect her credibility with the power of their words. She awaited her cue, watching for the red light just above camera number one. Her charcoal business suit accentuated her honey-blonde hair. An audience of 120 journalists and seventy million Americans intently listened.
    She reached for her reading glasses.
    “Good morning, my fellow Americans.” She’d argued with Riley, but he insisted that she start her speech this way. “A terrible tragedy, an injustice of gross proportions, has befallen the White House and the entire country.”
    Befallen? Was Riley kidding?
    Kate disliked these words more now than she had when she’d read them earlier. Who the hell did Riley think she was, Lyndon Johnson?
    “I am unable to give you specific details at this time, but David Rodgers was assassinated.”
    The crowd, of course, reacted to this stunning announcement with a wave of chatter.
    Out of the corner of her eye, Kate could see Riley shaking his head, his look one of disapproval. “He didn’t have to run for president. He could have spent the rest of his life traveling the world with his beloved wife, enjoying the fruits of his labor, rewarding himself with his vast financial resources. But as a concerned patriot, he answered a calling. His country beckoned him, and he did not turn his back. Instead, he sacrificed his life for the America he loved. He was not only the president of the United States; he was my dear friend.”
    She pounded her fist on the podium and ended by saying, “I stand before the world and make two promises: First, I will utilize every resource available and aggressively pursue President Rodgers’s assassins. When apprehended, they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, swiftly and without mercy. Second, David Rodgers’s dream of a once-again united America will not fall by the wayside. I make this pledge: with your continued support, we will return this great country to peace, prosperity, and equal opportunity for all. Thank you.”
    For an agonizing moment, silence enveloped the room. Kate held her breath. If her speech had any impact, why was she staring at expressionless faces? Sweat trickled between her breasts, and a stab of anxiety twisted into her gut. Then the reporters stood and applauded thunderously.
    She waited for the room to quiet. “I’ll do my best to answer some questions.”
    A hundred journalists yelled, “Madam President!” Questions shot out like bullets from an assault weapon.
    “Are there any suspects in the president’s murder?”
    “Do you believe there is a conspiracy?”
    “Wasn’t his food tested by the Secret Service?”
    “How does it feel being the first female president?”
    “Do you think you’re in danger?”
    “How many staff members will you replace?”
    “How do you propose to gain the support of Congress?”
    She fielded the questions well, answering some directly, waltzing around others.
    But overall, Kate felt as though the