committee—'
'You've got something on him!' broke in Partridge.
'Absolutely nothing compromising; he's above reproach where such matters are concerned. To repeat, my clients seek no cover-ups, no extortion, no committee bills sent out or blocked for passage. This man does not know my clients, nor do they personally know him, and he's completely unaware of our meeting tonight.'
'Then why do you want him with me?'
'Because my clients believe he will be an excellent addition to your committee.'
'One man can't do a damn thing, you know that, don't you?'
'Certainly.'
'If he's planted to get information, we're leak-proof Partridge glanced at the snapshots under the green-shaded lamp; he turned them over and slapped them down on the desk. 'At least we were.'
Varak leaned over and took the photographs. 'Do it, Congressman. Put him on the committee. Or, as you said, so much down the drain. When he's in his chair, these will be returned to you along with the negatives. Do it.'
Partridge's eyes were on the snapshots in the blond man's hand. 'As it happens, there's a vacancy. Bookbinder resigned yesterday—personal problems.'
'I know,' said Milos Varak.
The congressman looked up into his visitor's eyes. 'Who the hell are you?'
'Someone devoted to his adopted country, but I'm not important. That man is.'
Partridge glanced down at the resume in front of him. 'Evan Kendrick, Colorado's ninth,' he read. 'I've barely heard of him and what I did hear doesn't raise any pimples. He's a nobody, a rich nobody.'
'That will change, sir,' said Varak, turning and heading for the door.
'Congressman, Congressman! yelled Evan Kendrick's chief aide, racing out of the office and running down the House corridor to catch his employer.
'What is it?' asked Evan, pulling his hand away from the elevator button and looking bemused as the breathless young man skidded to a stop in front of him. 'It's not like you to raise your voice above a very confidential whisper, Phil. Did Colorado's ninth get buried by a mud slide?'
'It may have just been dug out of a longstanding one. From your viewpoint, that is.'
'Do tell?'
'Congressman Partridge. Alabama's Partridge!'
'He's rough but a good man. He takes chances. I like what he does.'
'He wants you to do it with him.'
'Do what?'
'Be on his committee!'
'What?'
'It's a tremendous step forward, sir!'
'It's a lousy step backward,' disagreed Kendrick. 'His committee members are on the nightly news every other week, and they're “fill” for Sunday mornings when our newest congressional comets aren't available. It's the last thing I want.'
'Forgive me, Congressman, but it's the first thing you should take,' said the aide, calming down, his eyes locked with Evan's.
'Why?'
The young man named Phil touched Kendrick's arm, moving him away from the elevator's gathering crowd. 'You've told me you're going to resign after the election and I accept that. But you've also told me that you want a voice in the appointment of your successor.'
'I intend to have.' Evan nodded his head, now in agreement. 'I fought that lousy machine and I want it kept out. Christ, they'd sell every last mountain in the south Rockies as a uranium mine if
