“What about sanctions?” Nick asked.
“They’re on the table if diplomacy fails,” Teresa said.
Nick nodded. “Tell him to go ahead.”
Hanigan picked up the phone to pass along Nick’s order.
“If there’s anything I can do to assist in the transition, I’m at your service, sir,” Teresa said.
“Thank you, Teresa.”
She shook his hand before she left the room.
It would also be up to him whether to retain Nelson’s staff, cabinet and advisers or to bring in his own people. He’d give them the opportunity to resign if they wished to, and go forward from there. Nelson’s team would be loyal to the late president, not him. He didn’t want anyone working for him who didn’t want to be there, or who’d be unable to transfer their loyalties to him.
When Hanigan hung up the phone, he said, “All set. Ruskin will leave as scheduled in the morning.”
“I’d like to call Terry to notify him of what’s happened.” Nick referred to his chief of staff, Terry O’Connor. “Is there any reason why I shouldn’t do that?”
“Not that I can think of, but of course please ask him to keep it under wraps until we’ve prepared the official statement for the media. Our primary goal is to get Mrs. Nelson here and swear you in. After that, we’ll release the video of you taking the oath along with information about President Nelson’s death. I don’t have to tell you how important it is that this story gets released on our timeline and not someone else’s. Thankfully, the press corps presence is light tonight with it being a holiday.”
Nick certainly understood the importance of optics at a time like this. “I’d still like to call Terry and my communications director, Trevor Donnelly.”
“Mr. Vice President, you’re the boss. You can call anyone you want as long as you trust them to be discreet.”
“I’d trust them both with my life.”
“Please feel free to use my office.”
“I’ll go to my own, but thank you.” Nick left Hanigan’s office and encountered Brant outside, waiting for him as always. “Sorry to interrupt your holiday, Brant.”
“No such thing as holidays in my line of work, sir.”
Nick had grown to like the earnest young man charged with leading his detail and considered him a friend. “What a night.”
“Indeed, sir.”
They walked to the vice president’s office together. He didn’t feel right using the Oval Office until he’d taken the oath and the staff had the chance to remove President Nelson’s personal effects.
“I’ll be here for a few minutes before I rejoin Sam and Scotty in the East Room.”
“Yes, sir.”
Nick went into his office and closed the door. The first thing he did was reach for his cell phone to text Sam. Be back in a few.
We’re fine, she replied. Take your time.
She was so calm. So unnaturally calm that it had to be shock. Her mind was probably racing the same way his was with details, scenarios and concerns. So many concerns.
He picked up the extension on his desk and put through the call to Terry, who answered on the second ring.
“Mr. Vice President.” No matter how many times Nick told him to call him by his first name, Terry rarely did. “Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.”
“We did, until about an hour ago when Hanigan called to tell me President Nelson had passed away.”
“What?”
Nick could almost hear Terry sitting up straighter and see the shock in his expression. “You heard that right.”
“What happened?”
“No one knows yet, but Hanigan said there was no immediate sign of foul play. I assume there’ll be an autopsy that’ll hopefully provide some answers. Sam, Scotty and I are at the White House awaiting Mrs. Nelson’s arrival from South Dakota before I take the oath.”
“I’ll be right there.”
“Had a feeling you might say that. Needless to say—”
“I won’t say a word, sir. To anyone.”
“Thank you. Will you ask Trevor to come too?”
“I’ll take care of that. Mr. Vice President… Nick…”
“I know. I’ll see you soon?”
“On my way.”
Nick was relieved to know his own people were coming to help guide him through these next few hours. With that detail taken care of, he was eager to get back to Sam and Scotty. He was on his way to the office door when a thought occurred to him that had him returning to his desk to place another call, this one to Sam’s chief of staff, Lilia Van Nostrand. Since he didn’t have her number, he asked the White House switchboard to put through the call for him.
“Mr. Vice President,” Lilia said when she took the call. “Is everything all right?”
“I’m sorry to disturb you on a holiday, Lilia.”
“It’s no problem at all, sir.”
“I’m also sorry to have to tell you that President Nelson died this evening.”
“Oh my God. What happened?”
“We don’t know yet. Mrs. Nelson is on her way from South Dakota, and when she gets here, I’ll take the oath. I thought it might be helpful to Sam to have you here, if that’s at all possible.”
“I’ll be there in thirty minutes.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Thank you for calling me, sir.”
“If my friend is with you, please ask him to join you.” Lilia was dating Nick’s close friend Dr. Harry Flynn.
“I’ll do that.”
“I’ll see you when you get here.”
Nick felt a thousand times better knowing Sam’s trusted aide would be there to see her through this challenging transition. Making sure she was cared for would be one of his top priorities over the coming days and weeks. She’d already had her world rocked recently when she lost her dad. Added to that, this new development might be enough to take her right over the edge.
She was on his mind as he left the office and went to rejoin her, determined to guide their family through these tumultuous days the best he could. They’d take their lead from him, and he would show them nothing but calm, cool collectedness, even as he quaked on the inside.
Mrs. Nelson arrived shortly after midnight in a Marine helicopter that landed on the South Lawn after having conveyed her from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. Her daughters, Amanda, Camille and Collette, accompanied her, all of them wearing expressions of shock and sorrow.
Sam and Nick were waiting for them as they came inside.
Nick went to Mrs. Nelson. “Please accept our heartfelt condolences.”
Sam and Nick both hugged her.
Sam partook in the proceedings with a surreal feeling and sympathy for the late president’s family. Derek had told her that the image of the late president’s wife standing next to the new president would provide assurances to the country and the world that a smooth transition of power had occurred.
“Thank you,” Gloria said, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue Collette handed her.
“We’re sorry for the loss of your father,” Nick said to her daughters.
“Do they know what happened?” Camille asked.