then back, and frowned again. But he was an honest enough man, and a smart enough politician, that everyone else in the room could see and they were all watching closely that he was thinking the question through.
“No,” he said finally.
“There’s nothing illegal, unethical, or shameful.”
Jenny nodded.
“Okay, then even though Don says otherwise, we have to anticipate a lie. A big lie.”
“No doubt from an unnamed source,” Alita offered.
“We’ll have to be damn quick in exposing it as false,” Jim added.
“And adept at regaining public favor.”
“And subtle while we give the president a swift kick in the ass so his side won’t try something like this again,” Baxter put in.
“I agree with the kick,” Jenny said.
“I don’t see any need for subtlety, though.”
“This is my life that will be under attack,” Del reminded them.
“I know what I’ve done and what I haven’t. I’ll know better than anyone else how-much this smear will hurt me and my family. So I’ll be the one to decide the type and the severity of the response.”
“But it will have to be fast,” Jenny said, and the others all nodded.
“Yes, that it will,” the candidate agreed.
Del Rawley still had a busy day ahead of him, but Jenny claimed a private moment with him before she returned to California. He assured her that he was not about to let this notebook flap distract him. After surviving Chicago, it would take something a lot more serious to scare him. Somewhat relieved on that account, Jenny told him about their other problem: Agent DeVito
Was Del really sure he wanted a loose cannon like that around the campaign?
“He wanted a peek in Marva Weisman’s handbag?” The candidate had to laugh.
“He also insulted a man who Vandy says is perfectly nice and added ten thousand dollars to our coffers.”
Del Rawley sighed.
“I think your idea of a note of apology is appropriate.”
“Not outright dismissal?”
The candidate shook his head.
“Jim has already told me that my loyalty to Special Agent DeVito has played well with the public; it’s been worth two to five points in the polls with a cross section of the electorate. How would we all feel if I fired him now and we lost by a whisker?”
Now Jenny sighed. Del patted her shoulder.
“Look, tell DeVito that I said no more hidden cameras. Give Vandy a nice bonus for setting up the evening with Marva Weisman. That was a real coup.
And you…”
“Yes?”
“Why don’t you deliver DeVito’s apology note to that fellow… what’s his name again?”
“J. D. Cade.”
“Yes, you go see Mr. Cade. Tell him we’re sorry. Make sure there’s nothing ominous about him, to allay any fears DeVito might have.”
“Maybe see if I can hit him up for some more money?”
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t,” the candidate told his campaign manager.
When J. D. returned to the Refuge with the twenty thousand dollars to pay off the hacker for the PostMaster Plus password, Pickpocket told him, “You had a phone call while you were out. The machine picked up.”
The little thief informed J. D. that he was just on his way out. He had to get ready for the meeting that night at Pan Pacific Park.
“You didn’t happen to listen to the phone message, did you?” J. D. asked.
Pickpocket grinned.
“What, you think I’m nosy?”
J. D. gave him a look.
“Even out here by the pool, I could tell the caller was a woman. I thought it might be personal. I don’t snoop on stuff like that. Not without a good reason, anyway.”
After the little thief left, J. D. retrieved the message.
The woman said her name was Jenny Crenshaw. She was the campaign manager for Del Rawley. She wanted to take him to lunch tomorrow and present a note of apology to him from Special Agent Dante DeVito Would he please call the campaign office to confirm or let her know if he was unable to make it? She left the number.
For a brief message, it gave J. D. a lot to
“No,” he said finally.
“There’s nothing illegal, unethical, or shameful.”
Jenny nodded.
“Okay, then even though Don says otherwise, we have to anticipate a lie. A big lie.”
“No doubt from an unnamed source,” Alita offered.
“We’ll have to be damn quick in exposing it as false,” Jim added.
“And adept at regaining public favor.”
“And subtle while we give the president a swift kick in the ass so his side won’t try something like this again,” Baxter put in.
“I agree with the kick,” Jenny said.
“I don’t see any need for subtlety, though.”
“This is my life that will be under attack,” Del reminded them.
“I know what I’ve done and what I haven’t. I’ll know better than anyone else how-much this smear will hurt me and my family. So I’ll be the one to decide the type and the severity of the response.”
“But it will have to be fast,” Jenny said, and the others all nodded.
“Yes, that it will,” the candidate agreed.
Del Rawley still had a busy day ahead of him, but Jenny claimed a private moment with him before she returned to California. He assured her that he was not about to let this notebook flap distract him. After surviving Chicago, it would take something a lot more serious to scare him. Somewhat relieved on that account, Jenny told him about their other problem: Agent DeVito
Was Del really sure he wanted a loose cannon like that around the campaign?
“He wanted a peek in Marva Weisman’s handbag?” The candidate had to laugh.
“He also insulted a man who Vandy says is perfectly nice and added ten thousand dollars to our coffers.”
Del Rawley sighed.
“I think your idea of a note of apology is appropriate.”
“Not outright dismissal?”
The candidate shook his head.
“Jim has already told me that my loyalty to Special Agent DeVito has played well with the public; it’s been worth two to five points in the polls with a cross section of the electorate. How would we all feel if I fired him now and we lost by a whisker?”
Now Jenny sighed. Del patted her shoulder.
“Look, tell DeVito that I said no more hidden cameras. Give Vandy a nice bonus for setting up the evening with Marva Weisman. That was a real coup.
And you…”
“Yes?”
“Why don’t you deliver DeVito’s apology note to that fellow… what’s his name again?”
“J. D. Cade.”
“Yes, you go see Mr. Cade. Tell him we’re sorry. Make sure there’s nothing ominous about him, to allay any fears DeVito might have.”
“Maybe see if I can hit him up for some more money?”
“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t,” the candidate told his campaign manager.
When J. D. returned to the Refuge with the twenty thousand dollars to pay off the hacker for the PostMaster Plus password, Pickpocket told him, “You had a phone call while you were out. The machine picked up.”
The little thief informed J. D. that he was just on his way out. He had to get ready for the meeting that night at Pan Pacific Park.
“You didn’t happen to listen to the phone message, did you?” J. D. asked.
Pickpocket grinned.
“What, you think I’m nosy?”
J. D. gave him a look.
“Even out here by the pool, I could tell the caller was a woman. I thought it might be personal. I don’t snoop on stuff like that. Not without a good reason, anyway.”
After the little thief left, J. D. retrieved the message.
The woman said her name was Jenny Crenshaw. She was the campaign manager for Del Rawley. She wanted to take him to lunch tomorrow and present a note of apology to him from Special Agent Dante DeVito Would he please call the campaign office to confirm or let her know if he was unable to make it? She left the number.
For a brief message, it gave J. D. a lot to
Similar Books
