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“Is that new?”

I chuckle. “Fair. Would you call Tom Brigg’s campaign manager?”

Cassidy smiles. “On it. Do you mind if I step into the bedroom?”

“Nope. I doubt I’ll see it any time soon,” I reply just as Luke appears in the doorway.

“Director Brennan is expecting your call,” Luke says.

“Thank you. Give me the room for a few moments.”

Luke nods and closes the door. Can’t anything go according to plan?

I’m relieved when I have a minute to call Jameson. “Hi.”

“Rough day, huh,” Jameson says.

“Not the worst. Certainly not the best.”

“Any more information?”

“We have people on the ground assessing what happened. The advance team should have nixed those permits. There’s no way the ABL should have been that close to the arena. Things happen, Jameson. I know that. This was preventable.”

“Is it going to fall on you?”

“No. Not this time. The blowback seems to be directed at local law enforcement. That doesn’t mean itshouldbe directed at them, at least not solely,” I reply.

“Are you worried about being out there?”

“No. This wasn’t an accident, though. I have my suspicions. I’ll wait for the team’s assessment to make a final judgment.”

“Suspicions?” Jameson asks.

“This wasn’t aboutme—not in a physical sense. It is about this election—and the next one. Too many things in thiscircumstance don’t add up for me. There is something I need to ask you.”

“What do you need?”

“Cassidy and Luke have been working with Tom Briggs’s team all afternoon. The rally will be rescheduled for Thursday. I’d hoped you would join me.”

“I’ll have Master Jinx check my schedule,” Jameson teases me.

I chuckle. Jameson has started bringing Jinx into her office a few days a week, so he won’t be lonely. He seems to rule the East Wing these days. I’m still unsure who gave Jinx a lift to the West Wing last week. He spent two hours sleeping under my desk in the Oval Office. I could lie and say it annoyed me. It felt like a touch of much-needed normalcy in an otherwise hectic and sometimes surreal existence.

“Thank you for consulting Jinx.”

Jameson laughs. “So, you’re headed home tomorrow?

“It looks that way,” I reply. “Jameson?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

“For?”

“Reaching out to Jess.”

“You’re welcome,” Jameson says. “Are you okay?”