on in.' She stepped aside so I could enter.
I started to turn right toward the sitting area where we'd met last
time, but once the door was shut she led me in the other direction,
through the kitchen at the back of the house. 'Have a seat,' she said,
gesturing toward the padded stools surrounding a generous island at the
center of the room. 'Can I get you something? I'm terrific with
take-out leftovers.'
'No, I'm fine. Thank you.'
'You sure? Tuna nicoise salad from the Pasta Company. It's my
favorite, and there's still half a salad left.'
'No, I'm sure.'
'Suit yourself,' she said. 'So what happened in court today? I tried
talking to Townsend a few hours ago, but he wasn't saying much, and
quite frankly what he had to say wasn't making much sense. The defense
is arguing that Clarissa took a bribe?'
'More than just an argument. The Attorney General's Office is going to
look into the possibility.'
Her dismay appeared genuine. 'Townsend didn't say anything like that.
He said something about a continuance on Jackson's case because of what
happened today in court, but nothing about an Attorney General
investigation.'
'Did Clarissa ever mention Larry Gunderson or Gunderson Development to
you?'
She shook her head.
'It looks like Clarissa had some kind of arrangement with Gunderson on
an appeal he had before her.'
'I can't believe Townsend didn't tell me this. He probably knew I'd go
ballistic at the mere suggestion of such a thing.'
'I think you might know more about this than you've been willing to
admit, Susan.'
She looked at me as if I were kidding. Then, in case I missed the
look, she said, 'You're kidding me, right?'
'Nope. No more kidding, Susan, and no more protecting Townsend and
Clarissa or even yourself. I know what's been going on, and it's time
for people to start owning up. If you were involved somehow, we'll
work something out. I can help you. But you'll be a lot better off
telling me what you know before someone else beats you to the punch.'
'Samantha, honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about.'
'Well, I do. I know, for example, that a woman named Jane Wessler was
helping developers get special-use permits for projects in the Railroad
District. And I know that when Wessler left and Gunderson found
himself without a permit, Clarissa made sure he got one. And I know
that in exchange for all this help, developers were contributing to
Townsend's hospital wing, the project you were helping him with.'
'If Townsend convinced Clarissa to do something like that, he certainly
didn't tell me about it.'
'Come off it, Susan. I know how much you've helped him with the
fund-raising. You told me you'd never heard of Larry Gunderson, but
who's Diane Curtin? And what's the MTK Group?'
She clearly wasn't used to being confronted this way. I was reminded
of days back in law school, when students would come under fire by a
probing professor. But like any good student, Susan regained her
composure and presented a rational, coherent response.
'That's what this is about? The MTK Group? That's a company run by
some of Herbie's old business buddies. And, yes, I did hit them up on
Townsend's behalf, and, yes, they responded generously. I'm good at
fund-raising. That is, after all, why I was helping Townsend.'
'And what about Diane Curtin? And what about the MTK Group's Railroad
District projects?'
She laughed. 'If you think I have any idea what Herbie's friends
actually do to earn the money I help them spend, you are terribly
mistaken. As for Diana Curtin '
'Diane,' I corrected.
'Whatever. It sounds familiar, but you're going to have to give me
more information.'
'You told me you hadn't heard of Gunderson '
'And I hadn't until just now, that is,' she said.
'Diane Curtin's his daughter, and she and her husband, Thomas, are also
among your generous contributors.'
'Well, that explains where I've heard of her, then.'
