Page 52 of An Impossible Love
“In what way?”
“He had all the fire and bluster of a militant—and none of the conviction. Emmy, can I be honest?”
“Please.” She handed him a cup of coffee, and he thanked her.
“In my opinion—the Secret Service is placing way too much faith in Max Neal. From what I know, I simply don’t think he has the organization, money, or connections to launch an assault on the president.”
Emmy took this in. Instead of directly answering him, she decided to go another way. “I’m more interested in his military record. I know he served.” She met Kevin’s gaze. “I’m wondering if something happened to him over there, to make him this—angry. So angry he could blow up a gymnasium full of kids.”
Kevin held her gaze steadily. “He was always that angry, Emmy. Some people just do… bad things.”
Emmy sipped her coffee. “Have you ever done a bad thing, Kevin?”
There was a silence then he smiled. “Are you flirting with me, Agent Sati?”
Ugh.But she smiled. “No, just joking around. Kevin, why did you come here?”
His smile faded. “Emmy, I came here to warn you.”
Her adrenaline spiked as Kevin jumped off the counter. “As a friend… your late-night visits to the Lincoln bedroom…”
Oh fuck.Emmy kept her face blank. “I’m sorry?”
Kevin smiled. “I’m just saying… people know—and people who aren’t the friends of the president know. I just wanted you to be prepared if anything should happen.”
“So, it’s a friendly warning?” She knew exactly what this was.Stop sticking your nose in my business or I’ll leak you’re fucking the President.He had her there.Bastard.
Kevin touched her face again, and she tried not to flinch. “God, you’re beautiful. I can see why he fell for you, Emmy. I just want you both to be happy.” He checked his watch. “Damn, I have to get back for the State Dinner. Will you be working it?”
He made her sound like a hooker touting for Johns. “No, I’m off duty tonight. I’ll be at the speech on Friday.”
“Well, I’ll see you then. Thanks for the coffee.” And he was gone.
Emmy closed the door after him and locked it. Creep. How he had known she was looking into his military record she didn’t know, but it wasn’t as if she had found anything. All the doors she’d tried in the last month had been slammed in her face. What the hell was Kevin McKee hiding?
She felt uneasy in her own home after McKee’s visit, and tucking her service pistol in her waistband, she went across the hall to see Marge and spent the evening with her neighbor. At midnight, she went home, making sure all the doors and windows were locked, and slipped her gun under her pillow. Her tension only eased when her phone bleeped with a message.
Miss you being beside me. I love you. O.
