Removal Read Free

Africa on a goodwill mission. There was no pretense between them. The moment the door was closed, she undressed, and began to show the President the full range of her skills. From that moment, he had been captivated.
    The White House was not the best venue for a secret rendezvous. It was easier when he was on the road, in a hotel, as he was now in Chicago. Of course, she always had to deal with the Secret Service agents. At first they were very suspicious of her, searching her thoroughly before allowing her into the President’s room, rifling through her purse, even making her take off her shoes to check for concealed weapons. But now they were more used to her, the searches had become more casual, and sometimes they even exchanged pleasantries with her. Except for the woman - Agent Linda Samuels. Nothing Lucia did or said made any difference there. Samuels made no effort to hide her dislike for Lucia, or her disapproval of Lucia’s relationship with the President. Jealous, Lucia thought with a smile. She knew the type. She wondered if Samuels had a sex life of her own.
    She raised her head from his chest.
    ‘I hope that was to your satisfaction, Mr. President.’
    ‘You know it was.’
    ‘Better than the First Lady?’
    The President kissed her, and she felt the passion stir again.
    ‘You do things the First Lady hasn’t even read about in books.’
    Lucia kissed him happily in return, and settled her head back down on his chest.
    The red telephone beside the bed rang. This was not the standard hotel phone. It had been specially installed by the President’s staff before he moved into the room. Lucia groaned, as the President, making a face, stretched his arm across the bed to answer it.
    ‘Let it ring,’ she said.
    ‘I wish I could, Honey. Hello?’
    ‘Mr. President,’ a male voice said, ‘I have the Secretary of State on the secure line from Tel Aviv. May I patch him though?’
    Wade winked at Lucia and blew her a kiss.
    ‘Sure. Go ahead.’
    He placed his hand over the receiver.
    ‘I have to take this.’
    Lucia, knowing the rules, kissed him on the cheek, climbed out of bed, and walked towards the bedroom door. Beyond the door lay the living room of the presidential suite, where their play had begun. By walking straight ahead, she would be able to collect her clothes from the floor where they lay discarded. She thought of it as removing the evidence from the crime scene, like erasing the fingerprints from the murder weapon, picking up the spent cartridges. Her black seamed stockings lay on the floor just beyond the bed. They had been overlooked during the urgent first session. Her black panties, bra, and MaxMara cocktail dress were in the living room, next to the President’s shirt, pants and underwear. The empty bottle of Mumm Cordon Rouge and two glasses were on the small table beside the sofa. Lucia righted one of the glasses, which was on its side, and continued to the outer door of the suite, where she had abandoned her shoes as soon as she arrived.
    She returned to the bedroom, carrying her clothes in a bundle. Wade was still talking with the Secretary of State, so she laid them on the bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. The President was hanging up as she returned, holding a bath towel loosely around her. She smiled. He lay silently on the bed, watching appreciatively as Lucia dressed, brushed her hair, and applied her make-up and lipstick. Once she was ready to leave, Lucia sat on the edge of the bed to allow him to perform their final ritual. Kneeling in front of her, the President lifted each foot in turn, gently kissed each sole and placed her feet into her shoes. They walked arm-in-arm to the door of the suite, where they paused for a long good-bye kiss.
    ‘Call me when I’m back in Washington?’
    ‘Of course. Save all your energy for me. You’ll need it.’
    To Lucia’s displeasure, Agent Samuels was still on duty, standing in the corridor opposite the President’s door.