Page 2 of The Presidents Shadow

THE ENTIRE CRANSTON family household is suddenly plunged into a state of shock and sadness. All of us loved and respected Jericho so much.

“Forget my graduation,” Maddy tells me, knowing how bad I feel that I wasn’t there to help. “You’ve got something more important to—”

“No,” I say firmly. “We may have lost Jericho in this nightmare. But we’re not going to lose one of the most important days in your life.”

“But—” Maddy begins to say something. I cut her off.

“No arguing, Maddy. I’m coming to your graduation.”

Maddy’s graduation is a day for her to shine, and her brightness is a beacon through all the haze that surrounds me now.

I also want to show Maddy that I am completely in her corner, which I haven’t done a great job of lately.

We’ve been arguing about her decision to take a summer internship in the New York City public defender’s office, even though she knows I have very little use for anything remotely related to government work.

Her next move after the internship bothers me equally.

In the fall, Maddy plans on going to law school.

I would much prefer that she finish training in Tibet with Dache and then get out into the real world and do something to help.

But now is not the right time to continue this argument, and she knows it.

“Okay,” Maddy says. “But don’t forget that you’ll have to sit through the guest speaker’s commencement address.”

“Oh, damn,” I say. The Right Reverend Lanata Hooper. The warmongering scum-bucket capitalist who’s made billions of dollars off the poor. How could I possibly forget?

“That woman has no more right to use the title ‘reverend’ than…” I don’t finish the sentence.

A deadly silence overwhelms the room. Maddy, Jessica, and Margo all exchange worried glances.

After waiting for the world’s longest minute, Margo finally speaks. “What’s wrong, Lamont? You look like you’re in another world.”

I open my eyes and speak softly.

“I am in another world,” I say. “A world without Jericho.”