Page 138 of The First Gentleman

“Can we fit the flags of all fifty states and the territories?” asks Maddy. “I want a message of unity—common purpose.”

Pearce thinks for a minute. “It would take up the whole back of the room, but sure.”

“As long as there’s still room for Ransom,” says Maddy.

She runs her finger down the first page with a pencil in hand. Her speech isn’t quite ready. Neither is the Grand Bargain. This is just a very early rehearsal. The East Room is a stand-in forthe chamber of the House of Representatives, where the actual speech will be delivered, assuming everything comes together. But for Maddy, just running through the language in a big room helps make the program feel real.

“The words need work, Burton,” says Maddy, flipping through the pages. “Still sounds too political. Not grand enough.”

She and Pearce have been working and reworking the details and wording of the announcement. With every new convert to the plan or tweak to the program, language needs to be altered and polished. Maddy considers editing one of her strongest skills, but she’s having a hard time concentrating.

The lack of sleep isn’t helping.

The crisis in the South China Sea has been a forty-eight-hour roller coaster, eased slightly when Admiral Boone managed to get hold of his counterpart in Beijing. The territorial dispute with the Philippines was not resolved—it’s still smoldering—but at least the Chinese navy allowed the Philippine frigate to slip back to its port near Lian. No missiles or torpedoes fired. No casualties on either side.

But right now, Maddy’s mind is on her husband.

“Should I be up in New Hampshire tomorrow for the closing arguments?”

Pearce shakes his head. “No, ma’am. It could be seen as trying to influence the jury. You need to stay put. Wait for the verdict.”

“I feel like I’m leaving Cole alone at the worst time of his life.” Maddy puts down her pencil and grips the sides of the lectern to hide the fact that her hands are trembling.

“He’s not alone, ma’am. He’s got a top legal team with him. Led by Tess.” Pearce steps up onto the riser and leans in close. “Madam President, think back to when Cole was playing football at Dartmouth.”

He shifts his gaze into the distance, as if he’s staring into the past. “I tell you, there were times when he caught a pass atmidfield and it looked like he had nowhere to go. No way out. Cornerbacks chasing him. Safeties coming at him. Somehow, he always found a way through to the end zone. It was a beautiful thing to watch.”

Maddy takes a deep breath. “It was.” She closes her binder and steps off the podium. “Refresh me—how many cornerbacks and safeties are there?”

Pearce steps down and follows close behind. “Usually four on a team, ma’am.”

Maddy turns to face him. “Well, imagine if there were twelve! There could be twelve people against him in that jury room.”

“I doubt that, ma’am.” The Gray Ghost lowers his voice. “And remember, all we need for a hung jury is one undecided.”

Maddy knows that Cole wants a clean not-guilty verdict. She does too. But her old friend and chief of staff is right. If just one juror holds out on a guilty conviction, the judge will have to declare a mistrial.

Not a perfect outcome. But the Grand Bargain is already hanging in the balance. It can’t wait much longer.

And in the course of American history, that’s what matters more.

CHAPTER

124

Rockingham County Courthouse, New Hampshire

Dozens of TV cameras track the deputy attorney general, Hugh Bastinelli, as he walks to the lectern for his closing argument. He consults his notes, then flips the binder closed.

He doesn’t look nervous, but he must be,I think.No pressure. Just the whole country watching.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I told you at the beginning that this would be a circumstantial case, and I think you now have a better idea of what that means.

“The evidence tying Cole Wright to the killing of Suzanne Bonanno did not come tied up in a neat bow. It required you to listen. And I know you have. Now it requires you tothink—to weave together the strands of evidence for yourselves. When you do, you will reach a conclusion so strong that even Cole Wright’s power and fame cannot overcome it.

“We know Cole Wright was in a tense relationship with Suzanne Bonanno at the time of her death. Suzanne’s mother, Felicia, confirmed it on the stand. And we have that from stadiumworker Stacey Millett as well. We also know that the relationship was forbidden—that fraternization between players and cheerleaders was against the rules.

“We know that Cole was with Suzanne on June seventh, the night she disappeared. We all saw the two of them together on the Walmart surveillance video, the last known image of Suzanne alive. And what did she buy that night? Bedsheets. The bedsheets that ended up wrapping her dead body.

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