Free Home Free by Fern Michaels

there. I’m going to need someone to hang with. I don’t see me and Martine buddying up and having girl talk. So, yeah, I’m sure I’m taking him. Then I’ll blow him off when we get back.”
    As the wind buffeted and pushed them forward, Nikki managed to get the car door open, the three of them literally falling forward. “Which brings us to, what are you going to wear? Is it just the one day or for the weekend?”
    Maggie banged her head back against the headrest. “You had to bring that up, didn’t you? I don’t have a clue. I guess that kind person who is sending me the e-mail might cover all of that. Why didn’t I just say no?”
    Nikki turned to face Maggie in the backseat. “Because first and foremost you are a reporter, and your reporter instincts kicked in. You want to know the why and the what of the invitation. Go for it, Maggie. Stop worrying about Annie. She will understand. Speaking strictly for myself, I’m as curious as you are.”
    Alexis chirped up. “You might want to take that gold shield with you. You know, just in case. Whip that baby out, and the world is your oyster. Didn’t Lizzie say the president doesn’t know or didn’t want to know who we were going to give the shields to?”
    â€œSomething like that,” Nikki said, turning the key in the ignition. “By the way, thanks for lunch, Maggie. And thanks for the entertainment.”
    Alexis giggled and agreed. Maggie just groaned.

    Maggie quickly opened her e-mail the moment she reached her office. She read it once, then twice, then three times, until she had it committed to memory. The Secret Service would be picking her and Jason Parker up at her home in Georgetown and ferrying them to the White House, from where they and six other guests would be flown to Camp David on the president’s helicopter, Marine One. Should her choice of bring-along guest change, she should call the number provided immediately. The e-mail went on to explain that while whatever presidential plane had the president aboard was denominated Air Force One, the helicopter with the president in it was Marine One since the Marine Corps was responsible for flying and maintaining it. Dress was informal. Departure for the return would be Sunday at 0800 hours. The last thing the e-mail asked was if either she or her guest had any food allergies. “Respond as soon as possible,” was the way the message ended. There wasn’t even a signature at the end.
    Maggie leaned back in her swivel chair, her eyes still on the printed e-mail. Why wasn’t she elated at being invited to Camp David? She closed her eyes as she pictured Nikki’s and Alexis’s expressions when they were talking about Jason Parker. Neither woman knew him, and yet they seemed to know about him. Then there was Lizzie and that strange expression in her eyes. She remembered how creepy she had felt when they talked about coincidence. Maybe she shouldn’t take Jason to Camp David with her. Since she hadn’t asked him, it wouldn’t be a problem to cancel Maggie and guest. Then whom would she take? Her secretary? Such a dilemma.
    Now she was irritated. With the situation and with herself. So irritated she barked, “Come in,” when she heard a knock on her door. She looked away from her computer screen to see Jason Parker standing in the doorway. She continued to bark, “What are you doing here?” The bark didn’t lessen when he advanced a step without being invited forward. Maggie clicked SAVE, and her screen went blank.
    â€œBad day?” Parker asked cheerfully.
    â€œDon’t you ever work? You keep showing up here out of the blue. Did we have a meeting I forgot about?” The bark was by then a snarl. She tilted her head and saw Ted Robinson motioning to her and waving a fistful of papers at her from the doorway. The snarl became even snarlier, if there was such a word, when