Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon

 

 

As chairman of the Senate Investigating Committee, Adam Warner received a steady stream of visitors at his home in Georgetown, and the sessions in his study often lasted until the small hours of the morning. There was little doubt that when this was over and Michael Moretti’s Organization was broken, the presidential race would be an easy victory for Adam.

He should have been a happy man. He was miserable, facing the greatest moral crisis of his life. Jennifer Parker was deeply involved, and Adam had to warn her, to tell her to escape while she still had a chance. And yet, he had another obligation: an obligation to the committee that bore his name, an obligation to the United States Senate itself. He was Jennifer’s prosecutor. How could he be her protector? If he warned her and it was discovered, it would destroy the credibility of his investigating committee and everything it had accomplished. It would destroy his future, his family.

Adam had been stunned by Colfax’s mention of Jennifer having a child.

He knew he had to speak to Jennifer.

Adam dialed her office number and a secretary said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Adams, Miss Parker is not in.”

“It’s—it’s very important. Do you know where I can reach her?”

“No, sir. Can someone else help you?”

No one could help him.

 

 

During the next week, Adam tried to reach Jennifer several times each day. Her secretary would only say, “I’m sorry, Mr. Adams, but Miss Parker is away from the office.”

Adam was sitting in the study starting to call Jennifer for the third time that day when Mary Beth walked into the room. Adam casually replaced the receiver.

Mary Beth walked up to him and ran her fingers through his hair. “You look tired, darling.”

“I’m fine.”

She moved over to a suede armchair across from Adam’s desk and sat down. “It’s all coming together, isn’t it, Adam?”

“It looks that way.”

“I hope it’s over soon, for your sake. The strain must be terrible.”

“I’m bearing up under it, Mary Beth. Don’t worry about me.”

“But I do worry. Jennifer Parker’s name is on that list, isn’t it?”

Adam looked at her sharply. “How did you know that?”

She laughed. “Angel, you’ve turned this house into a public meeting place. I can’t help but hear a little of what goes on. Everybody seems so terribly excited about catching Michael Moretti and his woman friend.” She watched Adam’s face, but there was no reaction.

Mary Beth looked at her husband fondly and thought, How naïve men are. She knew more about Jennifer Parker than Adam did. It had always amazed Mary Beth how brilliant a man could be in business or politics, and yet be so silly when it came to women. Look how many truly great men had been married to cheap little floozies. Mary Beth understood about her husband having an affair with Jennifer Parker. After all, Adam was a very attractive and desirable man. And like all men, he was susceptible. Her philosophy was to forgive and never forget.

Mary Beth knew what was best for her husband. Everything she did was for Adam’s own good. Well, when all this was over, she would take Adam away somewhere. He did look tired. They would leave Samantha with the housekeeper and go someplace romantic. Perhaps Tahiti.

Mary Beth glanced out the window and saw two of the secret service men talking. She had mixed feelings about their presence. Mary Beth disliked the intrusion on her privacy, but at the same time, their being there was a reminder that her husband was a candidate for the presidency of the United States. No, how foolish of her. Her husband was going to be the next President of the United States. Everyone said so. The idea of living in the White House was so tangible that just thinking about it warmed her. Her favorite occupation, while Adam was busy with all his meetings, was to redecorate the White House. She would sit alone in her room for hours, changing furniture around in her mind, planning all the exciting things she was going to do when she became First Lady.