Storytime in Parts

--Part XVI--

Master Special Officer Craig Miller had been stationed at the Secret Service headquarters in Washington D.C. since just before the 1950 assassination attempt on President Truman. He had been a New York police investigator for seven years and had served six years in the military. He had risen quickly through the ranks and was now the lead agent of the White House branch of the Secret Service in charge of protecting the president. He was a stocky 6'2" with a short flat-top haircut. His dark gray suit was custom made to accomodate his large frame as well as a sidearm in a holster on his hip. He also carried a multi-band communication radio, a surveillance kit, a large personal pocket knife and his identification badge. There were no photos of friends or loved ones in his wallet.

Miller had seen combat. He had seen death. He had gone headfirst and eyes open into places no man should ever see. He had undured training that would literally kill most men and had received even more scars than he had medals. He was prepared for any contingiency, ready to take a bullet or defuse a bomb. His fellow agents joked that Miller could kill a man with a sponge if he had to. Everyone respected Master Special Officer Miller. Everyone except the one contingiency for whom Miller had failed to train. Now this contingiency stood staring up at him unimpressed.

"Whatd'ya do with Teddy?"

Miller looked at the little ragamuffin through his ever-present sunglasses and said, "Excuse me?"

"Where's my dog?"

"I...I...don't know."

"Well, where's Don? He'll know."

"Don who?", said the agent.

President Eisenhower was talking a few feet away with Officer Blunt in very animated yet subdued tones and had left Marilyn with his most trusted security officer. They were all standing in the hotel lobby having just left the chaos of the reception outside and entered into another chaos inside as the hotel staff, various reporters, city and state dignitaries and their entourages as well as muliple layers of security personnel all hovered around being very busy with the arrival of the most powerful man in the country. This most powerful man called his most trusted agent's name so he could come over to verify some of Blunt's story and that is when the most powerful man and the most trusted agent lost sight of the unplanned-for contingiency.

As Marilyn ran, she was now sure this was the worst thing that could happen. She would never have dreamed that the police and the President of the United States would all gang up on her and her dog all because somebody thought Teddy had bitten them. It was not even true! How could this happen? She had to save Teddy again so she made a break for the door. Nobody paid any attention as the young waif sifted quickly through the mass of people and hit the exit running. Just as she passed through the door she heard her named called from somebody inside the hotel and from somebody outside the hotel. She ran even faster now. She had to save Teddy!