Stunned, Ryan gathered Foley, van Damm, and Montgomery around his desk and put the secretary of state on speaker. He offered Foley a tissue, but could tell she’d compartmentalized her grief for the time being.
“Dr. Boone was present when he passed,” Adler said, sounding hollow, shell-shocked. “The prime minister waived any investigation on Japan’s part. It’ll still take some time, but I should be able to fly him home in the next few hours.”
“No foul play?” van Damm asked.
Foley shot a glance at Montgomery, who’d received a quick briefing over the phone from Special Agent Keenan Mulvaney. He shook his head.
“No, sir,” Adler said. “According to Dr. Boone, Tony’s aorta ruptured where it ran through his abdomen. The internal bleeding was massive and immediate. He passed away before we could even get him outside to the ambulance.”
“It just . . . ruptured?” Ryan said, half to himself. “Nothing leading up to it?”
“I don’t know,” Adler said, exhausted. “Maybe. He looked so tired during the flight. I told him he should let Dr. Boone check him over, but you know Tony. He wouldn’t have it . . . I should have been more persistent.”
“This isn’t your fault, Scott,” Ryan said.
“I know that, Mr. President,” he said. “Logically, anyway. But . . .”
“This . . . is out of nowhere . . .” Ryan stammered, something he rarely did. “Thank you, Scott, for taking care of the details.”
“Tony Hargrave was my friend, Mr. President. I’m glad I was here for him.”
Foley sniffed back tears again. “What about his wife?”
“It just happened,” Adler said. “She has no idea. Prime Minister Mori has issued a media embargo on this until we’ve had time to notify her. Fortunately for us, the Japanese people are generally rule-keepers so they should stay quiet.”
Van Damm drew a deep breath. “What about Varma? Would he leak it?”
“He appears to be genuinely concerned,” Adler said. “Despite our disagreements. He’s promised a one-hour delay before he notifies his government.”
Ryan glanced at Gary Montgomery, who understood what he wanted without a word.
“Your motorcade is ready to depart when you are, Mr. President.”
“Very well,” Ryan said. “I’m going straight to the Observatory to tell her myself, Scott.”
Foley opened her mouth to speak, but again, couldn’t get the words out. She took Ryan up on his tissue and sniffed back more tears. “I’m sorry to break down like this . . .”
“It’s understandable,” Adler said on the other end of the line. “Tony Hargrave made everyone laugh. It’s only natural that his loss will make people cry.” He cleared his throat. “If there’s nothing else, Mr. President.”
“Keep us posted, Scott,” Ryan said. “I’ll meet you at Andrews when you arrive.”
Adler ended the call.
On his feet, Ryan checked his watch and then glanced at Foley. “How would you feel about riding with me to see Phoebe? I’d take Cathy, but she’s in surgery this morning.”
“I’d be honored, Mr. President,” Foley said.
Ryan turned to van Damm. “Get with Jason and have him make sure Dr. Boone takes a good look at Scott. He’s not a young man anymore and this is going to be exceptionally stressful for him.”
Navy Admiral Jason Bailey was the chief physician over the White House medical office—and Carter Boone’s boss.
“Of course,” van Damm said. “And I’ll make an appointment for you at the same time. Tony was your friend, too.”
Ryan scoffed, shrugging on his suit jacket. “I’m fine.”
“I’ll bet that’s just what Tony told Scott.”
Ryan waved him off and turned to Montgomery. “Let’s get going.”
The agent spoke into his lapel. “Limo from Montgomery. SWORDSMAN coming your way.”
“Jack,” Foley said, more familiar under the weight of Hargrave’s death. “Are you feeling what I’m feeling?”
“What’s that?” Ryan’s mind reeled with a thousand different tasks he needed to complete. “That we’re under some kind of coordinated attack?”
“Exactly.” Foley steeled herself again. “Leave it to me, Mr. President. We’ll smoke out who’s behind this.”
“I know you will,” Ryan said, walking.
Arnie followed Ryan into the hall. “I hate to broach the subject now, but it’s my job. We need to be thinking about what’s next. The markets, the country, the rest of the world . . . They’re all watching. They must see that we can handle this. Considering everything else going on, you need to name a new vice president sooner rather than later.”
“Got it.” Ryan gritted his teeth, trying very hard not to snap. Arnie was correct, but that didn’t make his message any easier to hear. “But right now, if you don’t mind, I want to inform Phoebe Hargrave that her husband is dead before she learns about it on CNN.”