Free Affairs of Steak by Julie Hyzy Page B

as they spoke somberly into television cameras, the White House their backdrop.
    Bucky came in fifteen minutes after me. “Can you believe the crowds out there?” he said as he peeled off his coat. “I could barely get past them. One of the uniforms had to physically restrain this one girl who tried to tackle me. For an update!”
    “What happened to her?”
    “No idea. Don’t these people have any sense of decorum?”
    I sighed. “It gets worse.” I told him about the prior night’s adventure on the Metro.
    “When was the last time you took a vacation?” he asked.
    “Time off is a luxury I can’t afford right now.”
    Bucky pulled out a bag of potatoes, emptying the spuds onto the countertop with a soft
thud-thud-thud
. Their earthy smell filled the quiet kitchen, and if I closed my eyes I could pretend it was just a normal day. Just me and Bucky, making breakfast for the president. But I knew better. Virgil was upstairs doing that. I looked at my watch. Or maybe not. Chances were, the president had already finished and was on his way to the West Wing.
    “I don’t know.” Bucky hefted a potato and began to peel. “I think you can’t afford not to. Look at how tightly wound you are.”
    “If it weren’t for Virgil trying to take over—”
    “Don’t give him power he doesn’t deserve.”
    I glanced over at my second-in-command. “I don’t.”
    “Sure you do. He’s good, and he’s got the First Lady’s ear, but you’re making a name for yourself with this family, too.”
    “Thanks, Bucky.”
    “Just telling the truth. He’s good. You’re better.” With a cock of his head, he added, “
I’m
better.”
    I started to smile, but it died on my face as Doug Lambert came in. He looked as though he hadn’t slept all night.
    “How did it go?” I asked him.
    His voice was hoarse. “You know about the press briefing, but there’s a change,” he said. “Before talking about the tragedy at Lexington Place, the president will allow Secretary of State Quinones a few moments at the microphone. He will be accompanied by his wife and father-in-law. Quinones wants to thank the public for helping bring his wife’s father home safely. After that announcement, the president will discuss the double murder, announce what arrangements are being made to help the victims’ families find justice, and finally take questions. It’s going to be a rough one. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”
    I thought about what Ellis had said last night. “It’s almost as though the White House is under siege.”
    Doug seemed to slump. I was sorry I’d opened my mouth.
    “At least the kids and First Lady are away for this. When will they be back?”
    “We’re in discussions about that right now. Until we know more, the president is suggesting that his wife and kids stay out of Washington. They’re with family in Florida but are due back tomorrow.”
    “Oh no.”
    “Mrs. Hyden is scheduled for a goodwill trip to Africa. As far as we know, she will return for the funerals, take the kids to Camp David for a few days, then continue with her African plans.”
    “Will the kids go with her?”
    “We’re thinking of having the kids’ Grandma Marty accompany them to Camp David, where they will stay until all this is cleared up.”
    “What about their schooling?”
    Doug looked like a beaten man. “We’re working on it.”
    I was sorry to keep bothering him. “No one is aware of my involvement, right? In either of these situations?”
    “Officially,” Doug said with a meaningful glance, “Mr. Bettencourt was found by police in Crystal City. Unofficially, the Quinones family is very grateful to you.”
    “They didn’t need to know it was me.”
    Doug swallowed loudly, then massaged his throat. “They insisted. Mr. Quinones wants to thank you personally.”
    Anything but that. I started to protest, but Doug’s pitiful expression stopped me. Belatedly I realized that arguing did little more than make his