A Secret Service [NOW PUBLISHED]

Chapter 31 - "I said it was fine."

"Well?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Well, what?"

"Did his talk of President's transgressions strike you as odd?"

"He was bringing up a valid point."

"You believe that he was correct in what he said?"

Donovan gave a single nod. "I do. Men in leadership positions should be held to a higher standard for the mere fact that their mistakes, if ever made public, could cause a lot of unnecessary problems. In this day and age, nothing stays secret."

"You think eventually the truth of," Carter nodded her head towards the other side of the desk and Link's open backpack, "will come out?"

He gave the library a quick sweep. No one was within a five yards of them but still he lowered his voice.

"I don't know. For his sake, I hope it never comes out. But there are enough people who have problems with Presidents, that it might come out. For now, no one knows and he is safe."

"Do you think if someone knew they would try to act on that knowledge?"

He tossed his pencil onto the table, resigning himself to the conversation. "It depends on the person and what sort of history they have with the president or against him."

She gave a thoughtful hmmm and grabbed another pencil, resuming her previous occupation.
"Do you think anyone here knows?" she asked.

Donovan leaned back in his chair, placing his laced finger behind his head.

"As far as I'm aware? No, no one besides you."

She pursed her lips, skeptical. He looked over at her.

"What?" he asked.

She shrugged and shook her head. "Nothing."

"Carter," he said, dragging out her name.

She caught the pencil and held it, looking at him.

"You don't think Mr. Philips possibly knows?"

"What is with this interest in Mr. Philips?"

"I'm making conversation," she said.

"No, you're making speculations."

"Fine, I'm making speculations. But I don't think they are unfounded."

Donovan crossed his arms and stared at her, his expression voicing his skepticism. Carter held up her hands blocking his thoughts.

"Just listen," she said. "When he was talking about transgressions he looked at Link."

"He's a teacher, he looks at everyone while he is talking."

"When you first arrived, he was surprised to see Link. Doesn't that strike you as something?"

Donovan studied her for a long moment, his eyes narrowed.

"Do you feel the need to give everyone ulterior motives or dark secrets?"

"Only those who actually have them," she said. "I was right about the both of you, wasn't I?"

"Now that that mystery is solved, you find the need for a new one, is that it?"

Pulling her legs off the table, Carter dropped her chair to all fours and twisted on the seat, looking at Donovan.

"I'm not out to solve some mystery. I could care less whether Mr. Philips has ties with Russian mafia. What I care about is what I saw and heard and whether it holds any weight."