Hot Pursuit Read Free Page B

time,” Salton said.
    Stone wrinkled his brow. “Why now?”
    “Because, until last evening, we had not been introduced.” He smiled. “I realize that’s a bit old-fashioned of me, especially since I’m a politician, but it has been my experience that the means by which one makes acquaintances is almost as important as the acquaintance.”
    “That’s not only old-fashioned, it’s very selective,” Stone said.
    “Yes, it is, isn’t it? Last evening you were in the company of two men I know fairly well, and that spoke well of you.”
    “Is either of them a member of this club?” Stone asked.
    “One is. I proposed the other this morning, along with you.”
    Stone was dumbfounded. This man, who professed to be so selective, had proposed a man he didn’t know for what was obviously an extremely exclusive club. “I’m not sure I have the qualifications for membership,” Stone said. “What are they?”
    “Substance, character, and to a lesser extent, cordiality,” Salton replied.
    “And influence?” He thought he was beginning to see what this was about.
    “Sometimes. Many members acquire more of that here than they bring to the party. And we are more inclusive than you might imagine. There is an unspoken rule—virtually all the rules here are unspoken—that no candidate is discriminated against for any of the usual exclusionary traits—race, religion, et cetera. The membership is quite broad in that regard.”
    “Is it also large?”
    “Given that the membership is worldwide, not terribly. There are no more than a couple of hundred members who have their main residence within a fifty-mile radius of the city, and you know more of them than you think you do. Several of them joined you in a group whose contributions started Katharine Lee’s campaign for the presidency.”
    And that, Stone thought, is why I am here. Their lunch arrived—a fish soup, followed by poached salmon and a glass of a flinty white wine.
    “You’re going to the inauguration, of course,” Salton said.
    “Of course.”
    “Will you be staying at the White House?”
    “No, I wouldn’t want to impose on the Lees at such a frenetic time for them. I’ll be at the Hay-Adams Hotel.” He didn’t mention that he had declined an invitation to stay at the White House because his date was his friend Holly Barker, who ran the New York station of the CIA. Holly had felt it was inappropriate for her to stay there because of her position.
    “My wife and I would be delighted to have you stay with us at our home in Georgetown,” Salton said.
    “That’s very kind of you, but there will be four in my party.”
    “Then perhaps you, your companion, and the Bacchettis would be our guests for a buffet dinner before the Inaugural Ball?”
    “We’d be delighted,” Stone said. They ate in silence for a few minutes.
    Finally, Salton spoke up. “I suppose you’re wondering why I’m not pumping you for more information about yourself, but you see, I already know a great deal about you—your background, parentage, education, police service, and law practice. There are at least a couple of members here whose fat you pulled from the fire during your early career.”
    Stone laughed. “I used to do quite a lot of that,” he said.
    “And you did it well and discreetly,” Salton replied. “I admire that.”
    “I know a fair amount about you, too,” Stone said. “You’re that rare person whose first public office was the United States Senate. I liked, when you first ran, that you didn’t seem to scramble for the seat.”
    “Oh, I consumed my share of rubber chicken,” Salton said, “but my way was eased somewhat by members of this club.”
    The waiter returned to take their dishes.
    “Would you like dessert?” Salton asked.
    “Thank you, no.”
    The waiter came back and poured coffee. Shortly another man in a black suit and green tie entered and handed Salton an envelope, then departed.
    Salton opened the envelope, took out a sheet