“I agree. By all means, jab him. Aim first, do it prudently, and don’t complain when he jabs back. Then get on with business.”
“We’ll see.”
I took the afternoon off from being powerful and was simply rich.
For the first time, I wandered the acres outside to see what I owned. I socialized with the groundskeepers. Two of the gardeners were from Melvin’s estate and the third was new. We talked landscaping, and I requested a half-mile path suitable for running.
I sat in the kitchen with Rosita and she fixed me an ice-cream sundae. She was so happy with her new domain. She might go to school somewhere, to learn how to use it all properly. And she didn’t mind at all that we had maids now! The maids were also family veterans, so grateful to be with us.
I found my office and locked the door. I’d spent lots of words already today, and I didn’t want to run out before tonight. This would be time to think.
I checked the stock market for the first time since Wednesday. The scandals and uncertain future had pushed the share prices down some, but not as much as I’d assumed in my forecast spreadsheets. I’d meet with George Elias on Monday to check cash flow for the next six months, but I knew it would be good through the end of the year at least. Even Katie couldn’t spend it all.
The governor was taking care of himself. I couldn’t improve on that whole situation, and the television interview would ice the cake. He was no threat at all now, with Clinton Grainger gone, except for his wild screaming. That would hurt him more than it hurt me.
Katie was happy and busy, as long as I supplied cash. She was only doing what she needed to. New house, new… everything. It would calm down. It would have to.
I was having lots of quality big brother time with Eric, so he was good for a week or two, as long as Madeleine and Genevieve didn’t get predatory tonight.
So, tonight. Senator Forrester was the next item to deal with. According to Fred, Bob was only staking positions, readying for a deal. My agenda was to negotiate. No ultimatums-no tantrums; just pretend I could act like an adult. That’s what I was always telling Eric to do. He was proof that it was not easy.
Anything else? Of course, that irritating murderer. What about that? Commissioner DeAngelo had made it plain he was no longer a lackey of the governor, so the politics of the investigation weren’t against me. DeAngelo might even want to get in good with the winning side.
Hopefully they’d catch the miscreant. At the moment, it wasn’t my main concern.
I took the picture frame from Melvin’s bedroom out of my desk and stared at the pictures for a while. There is such promise, and hope, in pictures of long-ago youth. Promises unkept.
I took a risk. Even though my previous conversations with Nathan had backfired, I still wanted to hear his opinion on the senator.
“I’m sorry to interrupt your Saturday afternoon,” I said.
“No, Jason, that’s fine. I’m just reviewing some position papers. What can I do for you?”
“I’m talking to Bob Forrester this evening, and I’m not looking forward to it. You know him, don’t you?”
“Of course. He’s occasionally helped with foundation programs when we needed federal involvement. I suppose you’ll have quite a few other things to discuss. He’ll have a great interest in the recent political affairs.”
“That’s the main reason we’re meeting.” What did Nathan know about Melvin and Big Bob? “I’d like to know your impression of him.”
“Well, well. I’ve known Bob Forrester for quite some time, from school days, in fact. He was years ahead of me, but he took me in hand as a newcomer and was very kind. We’ve kept up with each other since, at least slightly. He was at the conference I attended last weekend in Washington, though we didn’t cross paths. So… my impression is that he would be quite above anything improper-and that’s more than just an impression. I feel quite certain of it.”
“He wasn’t part of the family corruption. I know that. But he wasn’t above making deals.”
“Yes, Jason. I’m afraid that’s true. Probably Fred has given you his version of the dealings?”
“Is there another version?”
“Where Fred sees ambition, I might have seen idealism.”
Idealist Robert Forrester. Right up there with virtuous Harry Bright. Or frugal Katie Boyer. “I don’t know him very well, Nathan, but that’s hard to believe.”
“I’m speaking of years past. I know he’s not a friendly person, and he has an aristocratic bearing that can be unwelcoming. But aristocrats sometimes have a surprising sense of responsibility, of noblesse oblige, and Bob once had real plans concerning social justice.”
“And now?” I asked.
“I’m not sure he still has those concerns.”
He’d gained power. “Idealism is hard to maintain in a place like the Senate.”
“Yes, Jason,” Nathan said. “I expect you understand that.”
“There must be people who survive having power.”
“Only if there is something stronger in their life, some higher purpose.”
“But what?” I asked, but then there was the roar of many cylinders, and Eric and Katie blew in.
Katie had the goods, a dozen bags at least. She shoved half at Eric, two at me, and kept the rest.
“Now, go,” she said. “We will only barely make it.”
“This is going to be so cool,” Eric said.
Katie’s we was really an I. Within forty minutes I was showered, sitting by the fireplace in my high society suit, with new shirt and tie. Just before six, Eric pranced in to join me.
“Check it out,” he said.
He, too, was also wearing new tie, brown leather, and shirt, black linen. Dark brown corduroys, black shoes, a flash of purple socks. No jacket.
There should be a Nobel for whatever it is that Katie does. With our black hair and dark complexion, I never touch brown. Eric could have walked into a Manhattan architecture firm and looked like one of the partners. His spiky hair was a lethal weapon; he had learned to do that to himself somewhere in college.
“I’m charging you for Katie’s time. She makes you look so classy, it’s worth money.”
“It’s just the real me coming out.”
“Then it’s been buried real deep for about twenty-five years.”
I was only three years older, but I was going to dinner as an adult, and he still got to be a child.
And then we waited, each of us deep within his own specially constructed aura of style and presence. At six fifteen I thought about peeking in the television room for a slice of our Channel Six interview, but I knew it wouldn’t be on until at least six thirty. The recorder would get it and we would enjoy it at our leisure.
At six thirty we stood in awe. Sky blue silk. Glistening pearls and pearl-white shoes. Auburn hair, with more life in it than in most people.
“You’re gorgeous,” I stammered.
Smile of pearls. “Thank you, Jason. I want to look my best for you.”
“I didn’t know it got this good.”
Sweet smile again. “Then let’s go show this senator a thing or two,” she said.
Formality would place Eric next to me in the car and Katie in the back seat, but I would have none of it. This lady sat at my side. The dress cost at least two thousand, and once she wore it to the Forresters’, she could never be seen in it again. I wanted maximum appreciation.
29
Birds of a feather flock together; we did not have far to go from our nest to theirs. The sky was dim. The sun had places to go and things to do and so did we, so we parted company with it. It left a few clouds behind, but not many, and some warmth.
A few trees were getting bare but most were in full glory. In the twilight they were dull until our headlights
