“His actions at Wildwood before and during the recent attack on the First Lady are the subject of a formal investigation. In addition to certain procedural irregularities, there have been accusations of dereliction of duty lodged by Special Agent Christopher Manning. It’s all spelled out in this memo I’ve prepared.”

Stanton handed the president a folder.

“Because the First Lady and several of the family members will be called as witnesses in the inquiry, any contact with Thorsen at this point is out of the question.

“Two. Thorsen entered the field office Wednesday afternoon and engaged in a verbal altercation with his superior, Special Agent-in-Charge Diana Ishimaru. According to eyewitnesses, Thorsen left in an agitated state. Later that evening, he was seen leaving a bar in St. Paul, reportedly so drunk he could barely stand. According to Ishimaru’s neighbors, a man fitting Thorsen’s description pounded on their door at oneA.M. looking for Ishimaru. He appeared to be quite inebriated. The neighbor directed him to Ishimaru’s home. At one-thirty-seven, this same neighbor heard shots fired next door and called the police. The officers who responded discovered Ishimaru dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Thorsen’s clothing was found in the home. His car was parked-badly-on the street in front of the house.

“Three. Agent Thorsen has disappeared.”

“And that’s where things stand now?”

“No. There’s more. Thorsen contacted the Minneapolis field office this evening, claiming that Tom Jorgenson was the target of another assassination plot. The agent who spoke with him said he sounded like a man gone over the edge. A short time later, Thorsen showed up at a gas station next to the hospital where Jorgenson was recuperating. He threatened the clerk and a customer with a gun. As much as I hate to say this, it appears more and more likely that Agent Thorsen is under severe emotional strain. At this point, we consider him extremely dangerous.”

Dixon nodded and sat back.

Stanton said, “Sir, it’s my understanding that Thorsen was involved in an investigation here in Washington just a few days ago. At your request.”

“I asked Thorsen to do me an unofficial favor.”

“A favor? I have reason to believe the investigation was of a very serious nature.”

“I asked him to look into a few matters concerning Robert Lee’s death.”

“Were you worried about your own safety?”

“When I’m ready to share my concerns with you, Director Stanton, I will.”

Stanton’s face grew perceptibly stonier. “Sir, I would like nothing more than to be able to clear Agent Thorsen and to remove this dark cloud that’s hanging over the Secret Service. Can you tell me anything that might help me do that?”

“No.” He and the director locked eyes a moment. It was Stanton who finally broke. The president said, “I expect to be updated on everything that occurs in your investigation of Thorsen. Thank you for coming, Director Stanton. We’ll remain in touch.”

After the director left, Dixon turned to Lorna Channing. “What do you think? Has Thorsen gone over the edge?”

“It certainly appears so.”

“I’m thinking that nothing anymore is the way it appears.”

“It’s hard to imagine this has all been orchestrated. And to what end?”

“I don’t know, Lorna. But I’m sure my father’s hand is behind all this. I don’t know how he’s done it, but it’s him all right. I can feel it.”

He walked to the middle of the room where presidents before him had stood and had faced the crises that made them great or marked them to be all but forgotten. He felt the weight of history on his shoulders. The burden was his. Not Carpathian’s or Llewellyn’s or William Dixon’s. It was his call, the way everything would go from that moment forward. It was a daunting realization, but he wasn’t afraid. In fact, he felt the tremble of an old excitement flowing through him, the kind that had been so familiar on the playing field.

“Lorna, get our people together, all of them, here. We have work to do. And get my father here first thing in the morning.”

“What do I tell him?”

Dixon thought for a moment. “Tell him it’s fourth and long. And his son has decided to go for it.”

chapter

forty-four

Bo had breakfast at a small greasy spoon on West Seventh called Oscar’s, not far from the river. It was full of people who shopped the Salvation Army regularly, guys who’d hustled enough change to cover the $1.99 two eggs, hash browns, toast, and coffee special. Bo fit right in. He could have used a shower, a shave, and a clean change of clothes. However, all things considered, he was in good spirits because beyond a few drops, it hadn’t actually rained the night before, and he was still a free man. The coffee tasted as if it had been made from mud scooped off the bottom of the Mississippi, and the egg yolks were like clay. Bo ate every last bite and sat for a while at the counter, bent over his coffee mug, trying to figure out what to do next.