First Family

"It's working just great," said Michelle firmly. "We've enrolled him in school up here for the new year. He graded into algebra even though he's only going into seventh grade, and his foreign language skills are off the chart," she said proudly.

"Spanish and Native American," added Sean.

"Well that's great," Tuck said insincerely.

"It is great," Willa said, eying Gabriel. "You must be really smart."

Gabriel shrugged. "I'm okay. Got a lot to learn, and everything up here is…"

"Different?" said Willa. "I can help with stuff like that."

Tuck gave a hollow laugh. "Wait a minute, honey, you'll be plenty busy yourself. I'm sure Mr. King here can take care of the boy."

Michelle looked at Willa. "But thank you for asking, Willa. That was very sweet." Now she looked directly at her dad. "And who knows, you two might become really great friends."

Later, Tuck drew Sean and Michelle aside while Willa showed Gabriel her room. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate what you did. The things that Willa told me happened. God. It's a miracle she survived. That any of you did."

"You probably don't want to hear this, but it was Sam Quarry who went back in that mine and really saved Willa. If he hadn't done that, she wouldn't be here."

Tuck's face reddened. "Yeah, well, if the asshole hadn't done any of this, Willa would never have been in that mine and Pam would still be here too."

"You're right. Have you talked to your sister much?"

Tuck scowled. "Not too much. Dan wanted to take Willa on a little tour with him on the campaign. But-"

"But you thought it seemed a little too exploitative?" said Michelle.

"Something like that, yeah."

"The kids really need you now, Tuck. So you might want to let your partner David Hilal run the show for a while." He paused. "Just stay away from his wife."

Before a surprised Tuck could say anything, Sean put a hand on the man's shoulder and added, "And if you go anywhere near Cassandra Mallory, I'll cut it right out of your pants, you son of a bitch."

Tuck chuckled briefly before realizing that Sean was deadly serious.

As they were walking to their car later, Willa rushed outside and ran up to them. She handed them three envelopes.

"What's this for?" asked Michelle.

"Thank-you letters, for all you did for me."

"Honey, you didn't have to do that."

"My mom said you always write thank-you letters, and besides, I wanted to."

Gabriel held on to his envelope like it was the most precious thing he'd ever been given. "That was really nice, Willa. Thank you."

She looked up at them, her eyes so large they seemed to envelop her entire face. "I hate Mr. Sam for what he did to my mom."

Gabriel immediately looked down and stepped back.

Michelle said, "I know, sweetie. I don't think he meant for her to get hurt, but it was still his fault."

"But right before he let me go he told me that if you ever love you have to be prepared to hate too. I guess he meant if someone hurts somebody you love you're going to hate them. It's just natural."

"I guess so," said Sean a little uneasily, unsure of where this was going.

"I think Mr. Sam loved his daughter."

"I think he did too," Michelle said softly, rubbing at her left eye.

"He did," said Gabriel. "No thinking about it."

"And because someone hurt her, he hated them."

"That's probably right," said Sean.

"But then he said you always have to let the hate go. Otherwise it'll just tear you up inside. And it won't let any love back in." She looked at Gabriel when she said this. The two children held this gaze for several long moments.

"I think Mr. Sam was right, Willa. For both of us." A tear plunked down on Gabriel's new shirt, while tears slid down Willa's cheeks.

Michelle turned away while Sean took several quick breaths as Willa looked up at them with her wide, sad eyes.

"So I'm not going to hate him anymore."

Now Michelle let out a sob and took a step back, trying to hide behind Sean, whose eyes were tearing up.

"Okay, Willa," said Sean in a hoarse voice. "That's probably a good idea."

She gave all three a hug and then ran back inside.

Sean, Michelle, and Gabriel just stood there for a while. Finally, Gabriel said, "She's a good friend to have."

"Yes she is," said Michelle. "Yes she is." On Election Day, Dan Cox, bolstered by his heroism and the dramatic return of his beloved niece, won a second term to the White House by one of the largest margins of victory ever seen in American presidential elections.

Two months after the inauguration, Martin Determa

And Determa

The results of all this created a groundswell of fury across the nation against Dan and Jane Cox. So much so that on a gloomy day in April a disgraced and humbled Dan Cox addressed his fellow Americans from the Oval Office and a

And he did.

CHAPTER 89

A MONTH AFTER COX'S resignation Sean and Michelle once more visited Atlee.

Tippi Quarry had been buried beside her mother in the graveyard of a nearby church. Based on evidence that Sean and Michelle had given as to the time of Sam Quarry's death, his estate had passed to Ruth A

And that meant that Gabriel, as her only living descendant, inherited Sam Quarry's property. Sean was working on the legal part of all this with a lawyer licensed in Alabama. They were pla

After they finished meeting with the lawyer and representatives of the developer they were walking back to their rental car when a voice reached them.

"Hello?"

They turned to see a man with brown skin, shoulder-length white hair, a wide-brimmed straw hat, and a heavily wrinkled face. He was standing by where the porch to the house had once been.

"Hello, back," said Sean. They walked over.

"Are you Fred?" said Michelle.

Fred nodded as he moved toward them.

"I'm Michelle, this is my partner, Sean."

They shook hands and then surveyed where the plantation had once stood.

"Did you know Sam?" asked Fred.

"A little. I suppose you did?"

"Good man. Let me live on his land. Brought me smokes and the Jim Beam. I'm going to miss him. I'm going to miss them all. I guess I'm the only one left now that Gabriel isn't living here anymore. I had two indigenous staying with me, but they moved on."

"Koasati?" she asked.

"The lost people, yes. How did you know?"

"Lucky guess."

"I hear the property is being sold. Are you involved in that? I saw you meeting with some folks."

"That's right. But Gabriel told us about you and we've made provision that you and your Airstream will still have a place here."

Fred smiled grimly. "I doubt that'll matter."

"Why?"

He coughed deeply. "Doctor says I've only got a few more months left. Lung thing."