Oath of Honor

he needed this guy to do it. “Tell me what you have for me.”

“A few changes to the upcoming schedule.”

“Delays?” Hooker frowned. “We’ve already got a timetable—”

“I don’t want to know anything about what you’re planning.”

“Don’t worry, you won’t.” Hooker leaned back while the waitress

slid a beer across the tabletop. “All right. Give it to me. Anything

else?”“There’s been a change in personnel at the White House. The

medical unit has a new chief.”

“Not unexpected. What do we know about him?”

• 83 •

RADCLYfFE

“Her.”

“What do you mean?”

“Brought her in from outside.”

“Oh. Okay.” Hooker didn’t like surprises, especially when they

affected one of the key players. “What do we know about her?”

“Not very much yet. Seems to be a straightforward appointment—

navy captain. Nothing unusual.”

“She could be useful. See if we can get close.”

“The place is like a fishbowl. We can’t just go poking around.”

“And we can’t have a wild card in a game we’ve already

started.”

“I’ll do what I can. They’re calling my flight. Here.”

A folded ten was pushed across the tabletop, and Hooker swept it

up in his palm and shoved the bill into his pocket. He fingered the small

memory disk free and pushed it farther down so he wouldn’t accidently

dislodge it along with the money. “What’s on it?”

“The contact info. I’d rather you didn’t contact me—”

“When we need something, you’ll know.”

Alone, Hooker finished his drink, pulled the ten from his pocket,

and left it on the table. Grabbing the check the waitress had left, he

headed for the register by the door. Russo might be right—this thing

was so big they couldn’t afford to leave any witnesses.

v

“So what’s the agenda,” Wes asked as she and Evyn walked back

to the House, “for boot camp?”

Evyn smiled. “You won’t have to run an obstacle course.”

“Good to know.”

“We need to see how you’ll mesh with our team in different threat

scenarios. Everyone else in the WHMU has been on board at least

eighteen months. Not only are you the new guy, you’re the new chief.

You’ll be with POTUS around the clock most of the time he’s away.”

“I understand.” Wes paused at a corner for the light to change.

“I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me what the sims are first, are

you.”“No.”

• 84 •

Oath Of hOnOr

“Even though you probably practice the same simulations at

regular intervals anyhow.”

“You’re quick.” Evyn shot her a searching glance. “Piss you off?”

“What? Being treated like a squid?”

“Let me guess—that’s like the lowest of the low at Annapolis?”

Wes nodded. She’d played the game, paid her dues, and earned her

rank. She might be out of her element here, but she was no squid. Yeah,

she was annoyed, but she’d also learned not to be thrown off center by

her emotions. “Not really.”

“Good,” Evyn said, not sounding totally convinced. “We’re on the

same side, after all.”

Wes stopped walking, and Evyn turned to her, her brows drawing

together in a question. “There’s something you should know—

something all the interviews and polygraphs in the world aren’t going

to tell you.”

“Okay.”

“Run your simulations, analyze the polygraph, psychoanalyze me

if that’s what will make everyone feel better, but I would never put a

patient’s life at risk. If I’m not right for this job—one hundred percent

qualified, I won’t need anyone to tell me. I’ll know. I’ll walk away.”

“That makes you very unusual, Captain Masters,” Evyn said

softly. Passersby streamed by on either side of them. Their breath

puffed out in the cold air, mingling and misting and drifting away in

small white clouds. Evyn’s gaze held hers. “No ego investment?”

Wes shook her head. “Plenty. If I can’t do something well, I won’t

do it.”“A perfectionist.”

“I hope not—that’s an impossible goal. A realist, maybe.”

Evyn smiled. “I guess our lives don’t leave room for much else.”

“No.” A pang of unexpected sadness raced through Wes’s chest,

and for some reason, she thought of her family. She’d grown up with

love—surrounded by warmth and joy and support, even though she’d

also been on her own a lot. She still had that love and support, but there

were times, late at night or first thing in the morning, when she ached

for something she couldn’t name. Or was afraid to. “Do you regret—I

won’t say the sacrifices, because I don’t think of it that way. But you

know—the job?”

• 85 •

RADCLYfFE

“No,” Evyn said quickly. “You?”

“No. And I guess we should get to it.”

“Yes.” Evyn resumed walking.

Wes worked on getting grounded in what was important. She

wasn’t used to being thrown off track by people. Even her friends had

never been successful at pulling her away from her responsibilities.

Emory was always pushing her to go out to parties and clubs when

they’d been at school together, but she’d been all about the grades.

Emory’d been a serious student too, and no party girl, but she’d never

worried quite as much as Wes. She’d dated. At least casually. Wes had

never cared about that. Still didn’t.

“First stop is getting your permanent ID,” Evyn said.