Page 16 of The Presidents Shadow

MADDY, MARGO, AND Jessica are standing side by side when I walk in. They look like an all-girl singing group from another era. This would be funny if my encounter with Townsend hadn’t been so infuriating.

I’m sure my family easily figured out that the brief presidential visit had something to do with the extraordinary chaos in Kyoto and Copenhagen.

“Things in this world must be way out of his control if Townsend came to talk to you about it,” says Jessica.

“Yes,” I say. “President Stupid knows how terrible things are, and I think even he realizes that they will likely get worse.”

“So, he was asking for your help,” Maddy says. It’s a statement, not a question.

“Correct.”

“So what’s the plan?” she asks.

“There is no plan,” says Margo.

Jessica snaps her head toward Margo and asks, “How do you know that?”

“Because they only spoke for about thirty seconds,” Margo answers. “Nobody can make a plan in thirty seconds. Not even the great Shadow.”

“She’s right. There is no plan,” I say. “He wants my help. But I know his type. I’d bet everything he wants to use these tragedies for his own profit and glory. So I told him to get the hell out.”

From our windows we can see the last two units of Townsend’s flying motorcade lift up and into the sky.

All three women stand still, their faces filled with shock and confusion.

Then Maddy explodes with anger.

“I can’t believe it,” she yells. “The world is being destroyed right before our eyes, and Lamont Cranston won’t try to save it?”

Maddy’s outrage and passion are understandable, but she still has a lot to learn about me and my methods.

“Listen,” I say. “Townsend is evil, super-evil. I would never do anything to help him, but—”

“But what?” Maddy yells. “But what, Lamont?”

“I will do everything in my power to save the world.”