Secrets of the West Wing

Chapter 18 - Shadows

Warnings: mentions of violence and threats

April 2026

The peace talks in Russia did not go well.  I had - perhaps naively - been hopeful when Putin actually let me in the door of the Kremlin, but it was entirely unproductive.  I'd have even gone so far as to say it was a waste of time.  I was disheartened that I couldn't get through to him.  My heart broke for the dozens, maybe even hundreds more, Georgians that were going to die at his hands.

Emily was still downstairs working.  I wondered what could be keeping her so late.  She didn't usually stay late unless a big event was coming up for which she needed to plan routes and sweeps.  As I was getting ready for bed, my phone rang.  Caller ID indicated Aaron was calling.  Was I in trouble again?  I racked my brain to come up with what it could be.  All he would say was that I was needed in his office.

Since it was 9:45, I didn't bother putting on professional clothes.  As I exited the residence, Green asked, "Leaving again?"

I rolled my eyes at his tone.  "I'm just going to Aaron's office; you can relax."

"I'd better come along just to make sure.  You have a nasty habit of running away and not being able to catch."  I felt uneasy.  Something about his tone seemed sinister - it didn't feel like a joke, or friendly teasing.

"Look, I'm sorry if I got you in trouble.  I get it now, and obviously it's been over half a year since I've left without telling anyone."  I turned and started walking to the Secret Service offices.

"I almost lost my job because of you."  My steps faltered.  Where was this coming from?  It had been months.

"Like I said, I'm sorry." I continued on my way downstairs.  "I never meant for you to be in trouble."  We walked the rest of the way in awkward silence.  I was a bit saddened since we had always walked in companionable silence all those months before.

He dropped me off without a word.  When I entered Aaron's office, I was surprised to find Emily there, worry covering her face.  "What's going on?" I asked tentatively.  Aaron stood up, pulled a chair out for me, and handed me a letter.  I looked down at it and back up at him, confused. "What's this?"

"Please read it.  We received it this afternoon.  It's quite...concerning."

I looked back down to read it.  It was addressed to me and it was beyond concerning.  The writer filled his letter with details about how he was watching me.  Clearly someone had been stalking me.  And not just at one event.  The letter detailed months of watching me at public events and even included day-to-day details from my life in the West Wing.  I wasn't quite sure how it was possible for him to know all this about me.  My skin crawled thinking about how exposed I had been.  And how unaware I had been.

The hairs raised on the back of my neck as I read descriptions of how Emily and I looked at each other.  The way he captured the love and longing in our eyes made me sick thinking that someone was seeing our private moments.  Goose bumps raised on my skin as I read threats against my life.  I'll kill you unless you start looking at me like that.

Aaron had never related the details of threats against my life to me before.  Clearly this letter was different than other threats.  I spoke up, "It's troubling because this isn't just a vague, unsupported account.  Clearly he has been watching me.  These are incredibly detailed descriptions of my days."

Aaron nodded.  "Yes, and we had no idea anyone was watching.  Even more troubling: we have no idea who he is."

"We don't have any leads?" I asked.  "There wasn't any identifying information on the envelope?"