The Sentinel Read Online Free
Author: Gerald Petievich
room. The living area faced sliding glass doors leading to the beach.
"I'll take the first shift," Garrison said.
"Are you sure-?"
"I feel like staying up."
"I'll get the iron out of the trunk."
Sebastian exited the front door.
Garrison checked the equipment. On the dining room table were a portable Secret Service worldwide radio console and a large, open suitcase containing emergency lights, an Uzi submachine gun, night-viewing devices, emergency manuals, smoke grenades, a complete paramedic's first-aid kit including poison antidotes and snakebite serum, surgical operating tools, and a foldable metal stretcher; the required Secret Service security equipment.
Sebastian returned carrying a leather shotgun case. He unzipped it and handed Garrison a .12-gauge Remington 870 shotgun. Garrison checked it, insuring that the safety was off and there was a round in the chamber.
"What are you gonna do for dinner, Pete?"
"Call out."
"I can bring you something-"
"I may even skip dinner."
"Suit yourself."
Sebastian walked to the glass door. "You know, it's kind of sad to think of a good-looking woman like her sitting over there alone all weekend.
Garrison placed the shotgun on the table. "Sounds like you're failing in love, Walter."
The term "falling in love" was a Secret Service phrase that implied nothing about romance, referring rather to Secret Service agents who allowed themselves to become friends with a protectee and lost the required professional distance called for by Secret Service custom and protocol.
"All I'm saying is that it's a shame to see a good-looking woman like her go to waste like that. But after D day, her and the Man do their own thing."
Garrison joined him at the sliding glass door. Looking left, to Eleanor's beach house, he could see its patio and a solitary lounge chair.
"What's D day?"
"A few weeks ago she and the Man had a knock-down, drag-out in the solarium. I was outside the door and heard the whole argument from beginning to end. Lots of shouting and screaming, She ended up throwing a candy dish at him. Thus, the D in D day."
"What was the argument about?"
"The Man is planning to divorce her the moment he leaves office. You being in charge of her detail, I figured you should know."
Garrison was aware of how important it was to have a feel for a protectee's personal life. To be an effective bodyguard was to be able to anticipate the actions of the protectee. But Eleanor had always told him about her estrangement from the President. Even in his mind, it felt odd calling her by her first name....
"Thanks for filling me in," Garrison said.
"What do you think of her, Pete?"
Garrison found the First Lady to be sensual, and captivating - a real knockout. "As long as she tells us where she is going ahead of time and doesn't give us any guff, what's not to like?"
"I wonder if she'll start dating again after she and the Man finally cut the cord."
"Probably."
"I heard that before she met him, she had plenty of guys after her. Rich playboys. Major Wall Street players, English royalty dudes.... like that. Let's face it. She is a good-looking woman. I'd like to jump her myself. Hell I'd like to climb her like a ladder-"
"When she gets divorced you can ask her out."
Sebastian laughed. "Me? Not a chance. A woman like her wouldn't give either of us a second look."
"Why not?"
"To her we're nothing but stooges with neckties. The way women like her figure it, why get involved with a guy who doesn't drive a Mercedes Benz? Uptown broads like her don't want to just be able to order the lobster. They want to walk out of the restaurant and leave it on the plate. More than anything. They want the power and prestige. They want to be on the arm of some guy who owns the Redskins, not some defensive lineman."
Sebastian moved to the table, signed the daily report, and headed for the door. "Have a nice night."
Garrison's eyes were on the house next door.
"See you in the morning, Walter."
Sebastian
"I'll take the first shift," Garrison said.
"Are you sure-?"
"I feel like staying up."
"I'll get the iron out of the trunk."
Sebastian exited the front door.
Garrison checked the equipment. On the dining room table were a portable Secret Service worldwide radio console and a large, open suitcase containing emergency lights, an Uzi submachine gun, night-viewing devices, emergency manuals, smoke grenades, a complete paramedic's first-aid kit including poison antidotes and snakebite serum, surgical operating tools, and a foldable metal stretcher; the required Secret Service security equipment.
Sebastian returned carrying a leather shotgun case. He unzipped it and handed Garrison a .12-gauge Remington 870 shotgun. Garrison checked it, insuring that the safety was off and there was a round in the chamber.
"What are you gonna do for dinner, Pete?"
"Call out."
"I can bring you something-"
"I may even skip dinner."
"Suit yourself."
Sebastian walked to the glass door. "You know, it's kind of sad to think of a good-looking woman like her sitting over there alone all weekend.
Garrison placed the shotgun on the table. "Sounds like you're failing in love, Walter."
The term "falling in love" was a Secret Service phrase that implied nothing about romance, referring rather to Secret Service agents who allowed themselves to become friends with a protectee and lost the required professional distance called for by Secret Service custom and protocol.
"All I'm saying is that it's a shame to see a good-looking woman like her go to waste like that. But after D day, her and the Man do their own thing."
Garrison joined him at the sliding glass door. Looking left, to Eleanor's beach house, he could see its patio and a solitary lounge chair.
"What's D day?"
"A few weeks ago she and the Man had a knock-down, drag-out in the solarium. I was outside the door and heard the whole argument from beginning to end. Lots of shouting and screaming, She ended up throwing a candy dish at him. Thus, the D in D day."
"What was the argument about?"
"The Man is planning to divorce her the moment he leaves office. You being in charge of her detail, I figured you should know."
Garrison was aware of how important it was to have a feel for a protectee's personal life. To be an effective bodyguard was to be able to anticipate the actions of the protectee. But Eleanor had always told him about her estrangement from the President. Even in his mind, it felt odd calling her by her first name....
"Thanks for filling me in," Garrison said.
"What do you think of her, Pete?"
Garrison found the First Lady to be sensual, and captivating - a real knockout. "As long as she tells us where she is going ahead of time and doesn't give us any guff, what's not to like?"
"I wonder if she'll start dating again after she and the Man finally cut the cord."
"Probably."
"I heard that before she met him, she had plenty of guys after her. Rich playboys. Major Wall Street players, English royalty dudes.... like that. Let's face it. She is a good-looking woman. I'd like to jump her myself. Hell I'd like to climb her like a ladder-"
"When she gets divorced you can ask her out."
Sebastian laughed. "Me? Not a chance. A woman like her wouldn't give either of us a second look."
"Why not?"
"To her we're nothing but stooges with neckties. The way women like her figure it, why get involved with a guy who doesn't drive a Mercedes Benz? Uptown broads like her don't want to just be able to order the lobster. They want to walk out of the restaurant and leave it on the plate. More than anything. They want the power and prestige. They want to be on the arm of some guy who owns the Redskins, not some defensive lineman."
Sebastian moved to the table, signed the daily report, and headed for the door. "Have a nice night."
Garrison's eyes were on the house next door.
"See you in the morning, Walter."
Sebastian
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