Free Edge of Honor by Richard Herman Page B

he was involved with a woman down there, Elena Martine, the head of the UN Observer Mission.”
    “Didn’t we meet her at a reception?”
    “How could I forget,” Maddy replied. Elena Martine had been introduced by the French ambassador and had been the star of the evening, upstaging every woman there. More than one tongue had been seen wagging or drooling, depending on the sex of the owner. As a result, Elena had gone on every Washington hostess’s blacklist. No wife in her right mind wanted a temptation like Elena floating around the cocktail and dinner party circuit.
    “What’s wrong with Little Matt’s dad being involved with someone if he’s single?” Sarah asked.
    “It all depends on the circumstances,” Maura answered. “He was in Africa to do a job for his government. I remember something on the news. How did it turn out?”
    “Actually, not bad,” Maddy answered. “There was some fighting but the current situation seems fairly stable—for Africa.”
    Sarah climbed onto the couch and cuddled beside her mother. “Mom, are you ever going to get involved with another man again?”
    Maddy knew it was futile to avoid the subject. “Not while I’m president, Chubs.” She playfully poked the eleven-year-old’s ribs. Sarah was skinny as a rail and had never been chubby. But her brother Brian had often called her Chubs to irritate her.
    “Mother!” Sarah protested. “I’m being serious.”
    “So am I, darlin’.” She hesitated, searching for theright words. “If I became romantic with a man while I’m president, it would become a political issue. Unfortunately, truth is the first casualty in politics. Too many people would twist the truth to use a relationship to keep me from doing my job. It wouldn’t be fair to the country or the man. Or you.”
    “Why do they want to keep you from doing your job?”
    “Because some people see the world differently than I do.” She changed the subject. “Bedtime.”
    Maura snorted, demanding their attention. “Tell her the rest.”
    Sarah looked confused and Maddy gave a mental sigh. Why do children have to grow up so fast these days? she thought. “What your Grams is talking about is power. Many people are in politics because they want the power to make other people do what they say. They’ll lie, cheat, and steal to get power and keep it. They want to be important. They want everyone to know who they are and treat them special, even when they don’t deserve it.”
    “Oh,” Sarah said. “You mean they’re on an ego trip. My teacher is on one all the time.” She scooted off the couch and gathered up her books. “Personally, I think being truthful is more important than anything else and if you like someone, you shouldn’t be afraid of getting involved.” She kissed Maura on the cheek before giving her mother a peck. She flounced out of the room.
    “Out of the mouth of babes,” Maura said, her words barely audible.
    “Whatever are you talking about?” Maddy said, returning to her reading.

FOUR
    Moscow
    Mikhail Vashin hated everything about Gen. Col. Peter Prudnokov; the classic good looks, the perfect fit of the air force uniform on his tall, athletic body, and the aura of command that drew people to him, including Geraldine Blake. And she knew better. “Please, Peter Davydovich,” Vashin said, using the three-star general’s patronymic, “sit down. This is an honor and I am pleased that you should think of me.”
    Prudnokov looked uncomfortable. He knew the price of the meeting would be high, maybe too high for him to pay. “It’s a small problem,” he said, “that I cannot solve. Yet it is one that deeply upsets my family.”
    “And the problem?” Vashin knew, but he wanted to hear the general beg for help.
    “It’s my daughter. She is missing and we cannot find her.”
    Vashin’s hatred ratchetted up a notch at Prudnokov’s self-control. “And you would like my help?” A simple nod answered him. “We are not the