Page 90 of Never

But she was never alone for very long, and today her peace was interrupted by Jacqueline Brody, her Chief of Staff. Jacqueline laughed a lot and never seemed tense, but she had a steel core. Her thin, muscular body came from a disciplined combination of strict diet and regular hard workouts. She was a divorcee with grown-up children, and seemed to have no romantic life, indeed no life at all outside the White House.

Jacqueline sat down and said: ‘Ben Riley came to see me this morning.’

Benedict Riley was Director of the Secret Service, the agency responsible for bodyguarding the president and other senior figures thought to be at risk. Pauline said: ‘What did Ben have to say?’

‘The people guarding the vice-president have reported a problem.’

Pauline took off her reading glasses and put them down on the ancient table. She sighed. ‘Go on.’

‘They think Milt is having an affair.’

Pauline gave a so-what shrug. ‘He’s a single man, I guess he’s entitled. It doesn’t sound like a problem. Who’s he sleeping with?’

‘That’s the problem. Her name is Rita Cross, and she’s sixteen.’

‘Oh, fuck.’

‘Exactly.’

‘How the hell old is Milt?’

‘Sixty-two.’

‘Dear Christ, he ought to know better.’

‘The age of consent is sixteen in DC, so at least he’s not committing a crime.’

‘But still…’

‘I know.’

Pauline suffered an unpleasant vision of the portly Milt on top of a slender teenager. She shook her head to get rid of it. ‘She’s not – Milt doesn’t pay her for sex, does he?’

‘Not exactly…’

‘What does that mean?’

‘He gives her presents.’

‘Such as?’

‘He bought her a ten-thousand-dollar bicycle.’

‘Oh, dear. This is bad. I can just see it in theNew YorkfuckingMail. Could Milt be persuaded to end the relationship, I wonder?’

‘Probably not: Milt’s bodyguards say he’s infatuated. But I doubt if it would help. One way or another she’ll probably end up selling her story.’

‘So a scandal is more or less inevitable.’

‘And that could happen early next year, just as the primaries are starting.’

‘So we have to get out in front of it.’

‘I agree.’

‘Which means I have to fire Milt.’

‘As soon as possible.’