“But you’re going to step down,” she said.
“What?” Hunter’s mouth could easily form that word. “I thought…”
“I value our political system in this country,” Madeline said. “Corruption at every level is unacceptable to me and I see it as my job to weed it out. You cannot serve in a political position. You will vacate your city council seat immediately.”
“Why?” Now anger fell down on him. He knew he had no choice, he would do what Madeline said, but maybe he could change her mind. “I’m helping people. This is the only way to help people. The person before me did it and the person after me will too.”
“That’s not going to be your problem anymore. You will step down.”
Hunter shook his head, although he knew his protests were for naught. “Maddy, this is all I have. What am I supposed to do?”
“Well, I actually believe you will be very busy in the near future. Possibly in the far future as well, depending on how things go.”
“I don’t understand…”
“You made a really big mess,” Madeline continued. “You’re going to clean it up.”
“How?”
“Well, there are two things you are going to do. You’re going to start by ensuring I win my election.”
“Me? How can I do that if I step down? Isn’t it better that I’m a city council member to help you?”
“No, I need someone out of the spotlight who will help me. I need support and I think you have just the acumen required to get me that support.”
“I don’t understand.”
“My SAVER Bill has two constituents: the police and minority communities. At the moment, neither support my bill or my reelection. The police are not going to support my reelection because of my opponent, which means I need the minority vote. That’s your job.”
“How will I do that?”
“You’ll figure it out. I know you already know how to deal with the underserved community. There are places just like Harlem here and you will get them to support me out loud and in public. Once they are supporting me, it will make the police look awful for being against what I am proposing.”
“OK,” Hunter agreed as though he had a choice. He could do it, he believed. He was a politician, after all, and the skills needed to succeed in that could carry over: he was charming, able to influence people. He just needed to figure out the right people. “Maddy, I’m so sorry about all this.” He stood from the bed to approach her. “It’s just, I love—"
“Don’t say it,” she cut him off and stood up from the chair with her hands held up in front of her as a stop sign. “You and me, Hunter, were a very long time ago. That must never come up again, understood? I love my husband.” She paused a moment. Previously, Madeline had said there were two things he needed to do. The first was a colossal task, something that from many angles seemed impossible, but Hunter would find the right angle where a sliver of possibility shone through. A second task, well Hunter was hoping it had a different magnitude. “You are going to convince Rhonda to forgive you and the two of you will have dinner with me and him.”
Chapter 39
A month went by and Hunter hadn’t heard from Madeline. As she said would happen, the FBI knocked on his hotel room door the following morning and he followed them to their offices. He told them exactly what he was supposed to. He told them exactly where to find the gang’s leadership: where Bumpy and Handy lived, where the gang congregated. They asked how he knew so much about them and Hunter responded that they were his constituents. It was his job to know them, to fight for them, but his main duty was to his country and that’s why he was coming forward now. When the FBI agents were satisfied, they let Hunter go and he flew back to New York.
He held a poorly attended press conference to announce his resignation—stating his failure to protect the poor Jay Flynn who was shot in his district recently. He said he wanted to focus his efforts on fighting the root of the problem. Being in city council made it difficult to do so, he said. He wanted to spend his time making a difference instead of fighting for permits and ordinances with the councilmembers from more affluent neighborhoods in New York. A reporter from The Harlem Times asked him specifically what he would do, and Hunter gave a vague answer about being more involved in the community. He didn’t mention the community he meant was across the country.
A special election would be held to elect his replacement and Hunter convinced the manager of the local community center to run. The election would be unopposed and Hunter was sure his successor would do just fine.
Then, Hunter packed up his apartment, which was still full of teen magazines and clothes that Rhonda had left behind, and called a realtor to find renters. He packed up what he needed and donated the rest before getting on a flight back to California. With nowhere to go but a hotel, he showed up at Rhonda’s doorstep. After throwing a few cups and a hairdryer at him, she agreed to let him stay on the couch until he found his own place. She consulted Keisha, who had been with her all these years, about what she should do. He followed you to California? Punish him, but DON’T LET HIM GO! Was her texted response. Rhonda and Keisha continued to text around the clock, which was how Rhonda learned that Ray “Bumpy” Johnson was among those picked up in a
