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“Is Sara okay?”

“Sleepy, but okay. I think she’s accepting this very well, considering all she’s been through.”

“My daughter’s tough.”

She smiled at that. “What decision did you come to with Palmer?”

“I’m going to check him out, see if he’s done what he said he’d do about the McCaffrey-Davis situation. I gave him enough
time to save face. If he hasn’t, I have no choice but to reveal the cover-up myself.”

“That will undoubtedly cost you the vice presidency.”

“Probably.” He kissed the top of her head. “That doesn’t pose the threat it once did. I like being in the Senate. And, as
I told you before, if they won’t reelect me, Fitz and I will open a law office in California. We’ll be all right.” He shifted
to look at her. “How would you feel if I left public life?”

“I want what would make you happy, but I will say that I wouldn’t be crushed if you went back to private practice. I don’t
like the limelight.”

He knew that yet knew also that she could handle it if things worked out in that way. She’d been a tower of strength and poise
since this whole mess started.

Liz’s pride in him showed on her face as she hugged him hard. “You’ve changed, and I’m so glad. Palmer can’t hurt you. You’re
your own person.”

Holding her close to his side, he tried to explain the changes, to her and to himself. “You know that auto accident I was
in a while ago? I was driving on a country road that night, not the highway I usually take. I do that sometimes to relieve
the monotony. If I’d fallen asleep on an expressway, chances are I wouldn’t be here today—a random choice, and I lived.”

“Thank God.”

“Fitz and I were discussing this recently. So much in life is governed by the choices we make. We can’t change the decisions
we’ve made in the past, but we can try to make up for the bad ones.” He picked up her hand, held it in his. “We have a chance
few people do, Liz—to start over. I’m not
going to blow it this time. I caved in to fear years ago and walked away from the only woman I’ve ever loved. Never again.”
He tipped up her chin. “Marry me, Liz, please. Let me try to make up for all the lost years, for all the tears I’ve caused
you. Let me try to be a father to Sara. Let’s make a life together.”

Searching his eyes, Liz finally believed him. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” she whispered.

Friday, August 28, 1992

Southern California

“You have to consider it a victory,” Liz told Adam as they sat at the kitchen table in her Pacific Beach home. Outside the
window a steady rain fell, but she didn’t feel in the least gloomy. They’d flown in yesterday evening after Adam’s meeting
with Palmer. She’d needed to get back because Sara would be starting school on Monday. Pleased with Adam’s success in freeing
the hostages when they’d landed, Palmer had insisted Adam take a few days off to rest, so he’d decided to stay with them.

Finished with his breakfast, Adam shoved his plate aside. “I guess you’re right.” He’d had a call from one of his aides in
Washington minutes ago. In a move that surprised Adam, Palmer had called a press conference, demanding that McCaffrey-Davis
recall one and all planes in their last shipment. He also stated he was launching a full-scale investigation
into the plane crash. He’d promised Adam at their meeting that he’d act. Until now Adam hadn’t believed him. “I’ll bet some
of the good old boys are madder than hell at him.”

“You think he knew about the cover-up?” Liz rose to clear the table.

“I can’t be certain, but I seriously doubt that his hands are clean.”

“I think he wants you on the ticket more than he wants the approval of the good old boys.”

“Did you ever hear that leopards seldom change their spots?” Adam asked, carrying their cups to the sink.

“Perhaps if it’s politically expedient, they do.” Liz began to load the dishwasher, the cozy domestic scene oddly comforting
after the harrowing week. Sara and Adam were getting along well, with few awkward moments between them. They were finding
more things they had in common every time they talked, which pleased Liz enormously. Sara had skipped breakfast and gone over
to pick up Justine so they could hurriedly get in some shopping for school clothes.

Liz felt happier than she had in a very long time.

“I doubt Palmer’s going to roll over and play it straight on every issue,” Adam continued, his mind still on his running mate.
“However, he’s also not stupid. He knows I’ll be watching his every move and that I’m not afraid to turn him in.”

“Will you mind being his watchdog?”

Adam shrugged. “I’m not nuts about the role, but it’s better than the alternative, to trust him without reservation.”

As Liz turned on the dishwasher, the phone rang. She wiped her hands and picked it up. “Oh, hi, Fitz…. Sure, he’s right here.”
Fitz had flown in with them and gone to the San Diego office early this morning to get caught up on some paperwork. She handed
the phone to Adam.

“If it’s a problem, make it go away,” Adam said by way of greeting.

“It may be a problem. There’s a Lieutenant Lou Genovese on his way to see you. He’s investigating a red Porsche that
crashed into the rocks off the coastal road in Ocean Beach last night. No sign of anyone in the water or at the scene, though
they found a jacket and handbag. This morning he checked with Avis, and it was rented last week by Diane.”

“Oh, Jesus.” Adam reached to rub the back of his neck as Fitz filled him in on all the details he’d learned from the police.
“Maybe she wasn’t driving it. Maybe someone borrowed the car.”

“I suppose that’s possible. There was no ID in the handbag, but it was filled with newspaper clippings going back to ‘75,
all about you.”

Adam frowned. “That’s odd. I’ve never known her to cut out clippings except the ones on her own public appearances.”

“Thought I’d better warn you. You want me to come back?”

“No, I can manage. Please make a couple of calls for me. Try the Georgetown apartment and the Del, where she usually stays
when she’s in California. If that fails, call Harlan and see if he’s heard from her lately.”

“Will do. I’ll call you later.”

Adam hung up the phone, his mind racing.

“What is it?” Liz asked.

He scarcely had time to fill her in before the lieutenant was at the front door. Introductions were made all around, and Lou
Genovese followed them into the family room. He took the wingback chair across from where Liz and Adam sat on the couch.

“I assume your brother filled you in, Senator?”

“Yes. Are you sure it was my wife who rented the car?”

Genovese pulled out a folded yellow sheet from a leather case and held it out to Adam. “I picked this up from Avis this morning.”

Adam perused it carefully. “That’s her signature all right. Rented a week ago.” He looked up. “We’re legally separated, Lieutenant.
I last saw Diane six days ago in my San Diego
office. I’ve been out of the country, and I don’t know where she went when she left there.”

Lou knew all that, had already checked out the senator thoroughly. He held up a ring of keys. “Recognize these?”

“No. Diane carries a designer key chain. Yves St. Laurent, I believe.”

They were Avis keys, duplicates for the rental car, but he’d asked anyway. “How about this lipstick?”

Adam took the tube, opening it. “Looks like her shade, but I couldn’t swear this is hers.”

Genovese removed a small pile of newspaper clippings from the leather case and passed them to Adam. “How about these?”

Adam flipped through the articles, holding them so Liz could see. After several moments he shook his head. “I have no idea
why she’d have these with her, if, in fact, it was Diane.” He handed them back. “Has anyone searched the area? Swimmers, I
mean?”

“We had two frogmen in the water for over an hour last night. Nothing so far, but I’ve got two more out there now. We’re also
checking the coastal areas south in case anything washes up on shore.” Lou put the items back in his case and pulled out the
red bag. “Could this belong to your wife?”

Adam drew in a sharp breath. “Diane has a bag like that.”

“One last thing.” Lou withdrew the jacket and held it up.

“Oh,” Liz said softly.

Lou swung his gaze to her. Class would always tell, he thought, studying Liz Fairchild. Classic looks, good bones, expensive
clothes, and her eyes when she looked at the senator were filled with concern. “You’ve seen this before, Mrs. Fairchild?”

Liz glanced at Adam, whose mouth was a grim line. “Yes. I’ve seen Diane wearing that jacket over a red dress.”

Nodding, Lou put everything away. “Senator, what size shoe does your wife wear, do you know?”

Adam rubbed at a spot on his forehead. “A six, I think. Maybe six and a half. Why? Did you find shoes, too?”

Lou zipped up his case. “No, we found a fresh footprint at the scene made by a high-heeled shoe, probably a six. We’ve taken
a cast of it. Could you get a pair of her high heels for us, for comparison?”

“I’ll see to it. Do you think the driver lost control of the car and… and…”

“It’s possible.” Lou stood, very aware he was dealing with a powerful politician, but he had a job to do and no one was exempt
from the law. “For the record, where were you last night around midnight, Senator?”

A muscle twitched in Adam’s cheek. “Right here, Lieutenant. We flew in from Washington and arrived about seven in the evening.
Mrs. Fairchild, our daughter, my brother, and I. None of us left the house until this morning.”

He’d seen the television interview and knew how far back the senator’s relationship with Liz Fairchild went. “I see.”

Adam also rose. “Are you suspecting foul play?”

“It’s my job to consider all possibilities until we arrive at the truth. Thank you for your time.” He started for the door,
then turned back. “By the way, what size shoe do you wear, Mrs. Fairchild?”

Liz felt Adam tense and reached to place her hand on his arm. “A size eight, Lieutenant. Big feet are the bane of my existence.”

He smiled, looking down at his own. “Try living with a size eleven. Thanks again. I’ll be in touch when we learn more.”

After he left, Liz moved close to Adam. “What do you make of all that?”

He stroked her back, staring off into middle distance. “I don’t want to be married to her any longer, but I don’t want her
dead, either. I don’t know what to think.”

The ringing phone interrupted his reverie. It was Fitz.

“Diane left Washington a week ago, took a cab from the
San Diego airport to the Del, and checked in. She took another cab to your office in town the day you last talked with her.
After she left there, she walked two blocks and rented the Porsche. She’s been at the Del ever since, taking all her meals
in her room. She had her hair done yesterday morning and checked out about one. Not a single phone call was made from her
room. We can’t find anyone who saw her after one.”

“And she didn’t fly back to Washington?”

“No airline records of her leaving San Diego.”

Adam ran a frustrated hand over his face. Lord, but he’d never thought things would end this way, Diane in a fatal accident.
But if she went over with that car, where was her body?

“Harlan hasn’t heard from her, but says he’s flying in from L.A. to talk to the cops. He’s going to do some checking on his
own. He’s mad as hell.”

Adam let out a
whoosh
of air. “Let’s cooperate with him. I don’t like the man, and he’s done a smear job on us, but I very much want to learn what
happened. If you hear anything else, let me know. I’ll be here.”

Something didn’t add up, Adam thought as he hung up.

They learned nothing new until Monday morning when Fitz and Adam were preparing to leave for the airport to fly back to Washington.
The call was for Fitz. He took it in the kitchen.

In the den, Adam set down his bag and turned to Liz. “I hate to leave you alone here.” Sara was in school and would be back
at two, but it was a big house and he knew Liz would be lonely during the day.

“I hate to have you leave,” she told him, already missing the feel of his arms around her.

“As soon as the divorce is final, we’re going to have to do something about this long-distance affair.” What exactly was
the status of his divorce now that Diane was apparently missing? he wondered.

She smiled up at him as her arms twined around his neck. “ ‘Affair’ has such a sexy sound to it.”

“You
are sexy.” He kissed her.

“Hey, you two,” Fitz said, walking into the room. “You better sit down for this piece of news.”

“What now?” Adam asked.

“That was Ted Montgomery from Metropolitan Savings. Tracked me down from the office. He’s been away on vacation, and his assistant
manager was in charge. Last Friday, Diane cleaned out your entire bank account.” In the high six figures, it was quite a bundle.
At least she hadn’t touched his stocks, bonds, or other investments, Fitz told them.

Adam raised a brow. “Are they certain it was Diane?”

“The assistant says she had ID and of course, he got her signature. We need to stop in and check it, and to notify the lieutenant.
The transaction took quite a while because she wanted it all in cash.”

“Oh, my,” Liz commented.

Adam began to pace, thinking out loud. “Did she withdraw the money and plan to take off for parts unknown, then fall asleep
at the wheel and go off the cliff? Maybe they should send divers to search for a satchel of money. Or did she miscalculate
the turn on that road and crash?”

“There would have been marks on the road if she’d tried to turn out of a slide. Unless, of course, she didn’t awaken until
she’d left the road.”

“Maybe she was unfamiliar with that road and got lost,” Liz suggested.

Fitz was skeptical. “Sunset Cliffs Boulevard going south dead-ends at the park that runs along Point Loma College, and then
there’s the naval reservation. You wouldn’t be going that way unless you knew someone who lived down there. Do you know if
she had a contact in that area?”