There were guards, soldiers in helmets and uniforms, on both ends of the Fourteenth Street Bridge across the Potomac, and more on Fourteenth Street. And on Fifteenth, Chesty saw still more soldiers guarding the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, the Department of Agriculture, the Post Office, the Treasury Department. And marines were stationed at twenty-yard intervals outside the White House fence.
A lieutenant c0ionel in a helmet came up to the limousine when it stopped at the gate in the White House fence.
,i,m Colonel William Donovan,” Donovan said, rolling down the window. “I’m expected. Mr. Whittaker is with me.”
The officer carefully consulted a typewritten list clamped to a clipboard.
,May I have your identification, please?” he asked. Donovan extended a plasticcovered card. The officer examined it and handed it back. “Thank you, sir ‘ ” he said.
“I haven’t had time to get Mr. Whittaker identification,” Donovan said. “I’ll vouch for him.”
“I’m sorry, sir ‘ ” the officer said. “The only personnel I am permitted to pass inside are those on the list. Mr. Whittaker is not on the list.”
“I told you he’s with me Donovan said. The officer started shaking his head. “Not only is he my deputy,” Donovan went on, “but he’s a friend of the President.”
“What you’re going to have to do, sir the officer said, “is drive over to the old Army-Navy-State Building. You can arrange to have this gentleman passed through there. Ask for Colonel Retter.”
“Bill ‘ ” Chesty Whittaker said, “I’ll just catch a cab and go over to the house. I’d just be in the way, anyway.”
“The President needs all the friends he can get today,” Donovan said. “He would be glad to see you.”
“Tell him, Bill, please, that I’m ready to join his damned team Whittaker said. “If he wants to see me, call the Q Street house.” He started to open the door.
Donovan stopped him. “You take the car he said. “I’ll walk up the drive.
He got out of the car.
“Colonel,” he said, “your devotion to duty is commendable.”
Chesty could not tell if his friend was being sarcastic or not.
The officer made a gesture to a White House policeman, who stepped out onto Pennsylvania and stopped the traffic so the limousine could back out of the drive.
Chesty gave directions to the chauffeur, and five Minutes later was at the house on Q Street.
He let himself into the house and put his suitcase at the foot Of the stairs leading to the upper floors. Then he checked the thermostat. It was set at sixty. He moved it to seventy-two and a moment later heard the oil burner kick on.
He then walked down the corridor to the butler’s Pantry and through it to the kitchen. He unlocked the kitchen door, went down the shallow flight of stairs, and crossed the brick-paved drive to the garage.
All three doors of the garage were closed, and he could see no lights in the apartment over the garage. It was possible, he thought, deeply disappointed, that Cynthia wasn’t home.
He climbed the stairs and pushed the doorbell button. There was a chime from inside, and a moment later he heard movement.
And the door opened.
Cynthia Chenowith smiled with genuine pleasure when she saw him.
“I didn’t know you were coming,” she said.
“Wild horses, that sort of thing,” he said;
She was in a robe, and her hair was wrapped in a towel. There was a stray wet lock on her forehead. Her skin glowed.
“I just got out of the shower,” she said.
“No!” he said mockingly.
“Wiseass,” she said, laughing, and kissed him quickly, then beckoned him inside. He noticed she had not dried her left buttock, and the robe was glued to it.
He followed her into the living room. She started to make him a drink, but he stopped her.
“I think cognac,” he said.
She looked at him curiously.
“I’ve been on the edge of a vicious headache all day,” he said, “The cognac seems to help.”
She found a snifter, filled it generously with Courvoisier, and handed it to him. “Drink this while I get dressed,” she said.