The Cost of Commitment - KJ2 Read Free Page B

David. Bob and I went to college together. He called me recently and filled me in.”
    “Yes, I thought it was important that we have someone on the inside.”
    Breathwaite protested, “We have someone on the inside already.” He wanted to control the flow of information from inside DOCS; with Redfield in the picture, his value had just decreased.
    “Yes, David, that’s true, but so far I’ve been less than satisfied with the results we’ve been getting from our source. We need someone with a little more pull, someone who can make things happen, if you will.”
    Hawthorne smiled thinly. “Please, Willie, have a seat.”
    Redfield selected the fourth and last available seat at the table. He had been to the Fort Orange Club only once before, to a retirement dinner for a state assemblyman. The place was too rich for his taste—all those Lynn Ames

    bluebloods who were born to power huddling behind their cigars and pipes in a setting that looked like it belonged in a British movie about the aristocracy. But Redfield was a practical man—he knew that there was no better place to conduct business discreetly than here. His musings were cut short by the sound of the chairman’s voice.
    “Michael, how did our boy Charlie take my discussion with him today?”
    “As you might expect, he was less than overjoyed at having you come in and dictate political strategy and policy positions to him.”
    The veins in his neck bulging, Hawthorne thundered, “For Christ’s sake, he’s running around like he’s actually his own man. He belongs to this party. He belongs to us , and we’re gonna make sure he gets elected president in spite of himself. I don’t give a rat’s ass whether or not he’s happy as long as he sticks to our agenda!” Adjusting his tie, he added more quietly, “Michael, you’d better keep him in line. Will, I’m gonna need your help here. Kyle has got to be out the door in three months, no ifs, ands, or buts. Can you make that happen?”
    “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Bob.”
    “Good. I knew I could count on you. David, for God’s sake, try to stay the hell out of the newspapers and keep your head down. How are we going to reinstall you in Kyle’s place if you keep creating controversy?”
    In truth, Hawthorne hated Breathwaite as much as everybody else at the table, but the man had an uncanny knack for finding weak spots and exploiting them. He had certainly found Hawthorne’s, blackmailing him when he discovered the chairman’s scheme to use Governor Hyland as a puppet to gain control of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He was a valuable asset to have, and a very bad enemy.
    Unfortunately, when the idiot had created a swirl of controversy and a host of enemies in the press, he had nearly gotten himself fired as DOCS
    PIO by the governor. Hawthorne and company had had to scramble to get him out of the line of fire for a time. Why he wanted to go back to DOCS
    so badly was a mystery, but Hawthorne didn’t care. If that’s what Breathwaite wanted, that’s what he would get. They needed him on the team.
    “That’s all for now, gentlemen. Keep the contact and conversation to a bare minimum, and we’ll meet back here in a month or two. I’ll be in touch when it’s time.”

    “Kate, sweetheart, are you home?” Before she had time to put her briefcase down, Jay was accosted by seventy-nine pounds of bouncing blonde fur. “Hey, buddy! Hey there, Fred. How was your day?” She bent The Cost of Commitment

    over and scratched the golden retriever lovingly on the hindquarters as he marched in place in between her legs. “Where’s your mommy, huh, guy?
    Is she here yet?”
    As if in answer to her query, Kate shouted from a distance, “Hey, love, I’m up here. C’mon up!”
    “On my way, as soon as Fred is done practicing his marching band routine.” Jay looked down again, “Let’s go, big guy, I can’t wait to see your mom.”
    She bounded up the stairs leading to the second floor of