Mary shuddered. “Why would he want to get involved with—?”
“Stanton Rogers never forgave Paul Ellison for being President. He felt cheated. He started out as a liberal, and he married a right-wing reactionary. My guess is that his wife turned him around.”
“Have they found him yet?”
“No. He’s disappeared. But he can’t hide for very long.”
Stanton Rogers’s head was found in a Washington, D.C., garbage dump two days later. His eyes had been torn out.
31
President Paul Ellison was calling from the White House. “I’m refusing to accept your resignation.”
“I’m sorry, Mr. President, but I can’t—”
“Mary, I know how much you’ve been through, but I’m asking you to remain at your post in Romania.”
I know how much you’ve been through. Did anyone have any idea? She had been so unbelievably naive when she arrived, filled with such ideals and high hopes. She was going to be the symbol and spirit of her country. She was going to show the world how wonderful Americans really were. And all the time she had been a cat’s-paw. She had been used by her President, her government, by everyone around her. She and her children had been placed in mortal danger. She thought of Edward, and of how he had been murdered, and of Louis and his lies and his death. She thought of the destruction Angel had sown all over the world.
I’m not the same person I was when I came here, Mary thought. I was an innocent. I’ve grown up the hard way, but I’ve grown up. I’ve managed to accomplish something here. I got Hannah Murphy out of prison, and I made our grain deal. I saved the life of Ionescu’s son, and I got the Romanians their bank loan. I rescued some Jews.
“Hello. Are you there?” the President asked.
“Yes, sir.” She looked across her desk at Mike Slade, who was slouched back in his chair, studying her.
“You’ve done a truly remarkable job,” the President said. “We’re all terribly proud of you. Have you seen the newspapers?”
She did not give a damn about the newspapers.
“You’re the person we need over there. You’ll be doing our country a great service, my dear.”
The President was waiting for an answer. Mary was thinking, weighing her decision. I’ve become a damned good ambassador, and there’s so much more that still has to be done here.
She said, finally, “Mr. President, if I did agree to stay, I would insist that our country give sanctuary to Corina Socoli.”
“I’m sorry, Mary. I’ve already explained why we can’t do that. It would offend Ionescu and—”
“He’ll get over it. I know Ionescu, Mr. President. He’s using her as a bargaining chip.”
There was a long, thoughtful silence. “How would you get her out of Romania?”
“An army cargo plane is due to arrive in the morning. I’ll send her out in that.”
There was a pause. “I see. Very well. I’ll square it with State. If that’s all—?”
Mary looked over at Mike Slade again. “No, sir. There’s one thing more. I want Mike Slade to stay here with me. I need him. We make a good team.”
Mike was watching her, a private smile on his lips.
“I’m afraid that’s impossible,” the President said firmly. “I need Slade back here. He already has another assignment.”
Mary sat there, holding the phone, saying nothing.
The President went on. “We’ll send you someone else. You can have your choice. Anyone you want.”
Silence.
“We really do need Mike here.”
Mary glanced over at Mike again.
The President said, “Mary? Hello? What is this—some kind of blackmail?”
Mary sat, silently waiting.
Finally, the President said grudgingly, “Well, I suppose if you really need him, we might spare him for a little while.”
Mary felt her heart lighten. “Thank you, Mr. President. I’ll be happy to stay on as ambassador.”
The President had a final parting shot. “You’re a hell of a negotiator, Madam Ambassador. I have some interesting plans in mind for you when you’re finished there. Good luck! And stay out of trouble.”
The line went dead.
Mary slowly replaced the receiver. She looked across at Mike. “You’re going to be staying here. He told me to stay out of trouble.”