Cut and Thrust

17

Ann Keaton sat in the backseat of the SUV with Kate Lee as they approached The Arrington. Stone sat silently in a jump seat.

“What do you think Marty wants?” Kate asked Ann.

“I think he wants secretary of state,” Ann said.

Kate turned and looked at her. “You think he’s going to offer to drop out if I give him State?”

“It’s my best guess,” Ann said. “In those circumstances, would you give it to him?”

Kate emitted a low laugh.

Kate went into the library of the presidential cottage and looked around. There were two chairs near the fireplace and a fire had been laid. She pushed the chairs closer to the fireplace and each other, then, using a long match, lit the fire. She pulled a drinks cart closer to the chairs, then looked at her work. Fine. She heard the doorbell ring and looked at her watch. “Right on time,” she murmured to herself. She opened her purse, took out a small dictating device, reset it, and pressed the record button. Then she stuck it into the outer breast pocket of her suit jacket and turned to face the door.

A butler opened the door. “The vice president, Madame Director,” he said.

Martin Stanton swept into the room, his hand outstretched. “Kate, how are you? It’s been too long.”

Kate took it and allowed him a peck on her cheek. “Last month isn’t so long ago,” Kate said. “Have a seat, Marty. Can I get you a cognac?”

“Yes, thank you.” Stanton went and stood in front of a chair but did not sit down until she had poured the drinks, handed him a glass, and sat down herself. I can’t fault his manners, Kate thought.

“I want to have a serious talk with you, Kate,” Stanton said. “We’re coming into this convention with me in the lead and you trailing everybody else.”

“I watch the news, too, Marty,” she said, keeping any reproof from her voice. “And what I’m hearing is that you’re short of the votes you need for the nomination.”

“I’m here to tell you — all that has changed,” Marty said. “The California delegation is solid for me, and I’ve heard only this evening from nineteen delegates from other states who will switch their votes to me.”

“On which ballot, Marty?” Kate asked, trying to sound really curious.

“Why, the first ballot, of course. I know you’ve been counting on a second ballot, with all the delegates free to change their votes to you, but that simply isn’t going to happen.”

“You may be right,” Kate said, “but on the other hand—”

“There is no other hand, Kate. I now have the nomination in my pocket.”

“Is that what you came to tell me?”

“Not entirely,” Stanton said. “I’ve come to ask you to be my secretary of state.”

“That’s awfully generous of you, Marty.”

“You’re perfectly suited for it. I’ve always thought of director of Central Intelligence as a foreign policy post.”

“So have I,” she replied.

“There’s nobody in the party who can lay a glove on you for qualifications.”

“I appreciate the compliment. And what do you want, Marty?”

“Me?” As if the thought of a quid pro quo had never occurred to him.

“There must be something.”

“Well, I think it would be very good for the party and the country if you nominated me tomorrow night. It would bring us together better than anything I can think of.”

“And whom were you thinking of for your running mate?”

“I think the senior senator from Pennsylvania,” Stanton said. “With Pete Otero, we’d have two westerners as running mates. I think an easterner would be better for the ticket.”

That, Kate thought, is the worst possible ticket I can think of. “I’m sure your reasoning is sound, Marty.”

“And with you in the wings, waiting to take over at State, well, that would be like having another running mate.”

“You’d announce me for State before the general election?”

“I don’t think that would be presumptuous, given your stature.”

“Did you consider a woman as a running mate?” she asked coyly.

Stanton took a sip of his drink. “If you’ll forgive my saying so, Kate,” he said, “I think that perhaps since the country has had a Lee in office for eight years, it might be a bit of an overdose to have you as number two for another eight.”

“Did it ever occur to you that they might not have had enough of the Lees?”

“They love you both, Kate, but they’re not addicted. You have to be realistic.”

Kate smiled but said nothing.

“What about it, Kate? Will you come with us?”

“Marty, I will make you a pledge right now.”

“And what is that?”

“I will support the nominee of my party.”

Stanton set his glass down on the little table next to his chair. “Well, I’m disappointed that you won’t accept, Kate, but I’ll give you until noon tomorrow to think about it. Talk it over with Will.”

“Oh, I’ll do that,” Kate said. She waited for him to stand, then she did, too. She held out her hand. “Thank you for coming to see me, Marty,” she said.

“Good night, Kate. I hope to hear from you tomorrow.”

“You will, Marty.” She watched him go, closing the door behind him. She heard the outside door close and a car door slam, then she switched off her pocket recorder, picked up the phone, and pressed a button. “Come on in,” she said.

The door opened and Ann and Stone entered the room.

“Pull up another chair, Stone,” she said, “and pour us all another cognac, will you, please?”

Stone carried out his instructions and sat down.

Nobody said anything for a moment.

“Well?” Ann asked, unable to contain herself.

“He offered me State,” she said.

Ann laughed out loud. “The arrogant son of a bitch!”

“He says he wants ‘the senior senator from Pennsylvania’ for a running mate.”

“The worst possible combination,” Ann said.

“Funny, I thought exactly the same thing.”

“Did he say anything else of import?”

“I believe he did,” Kate said, “though it wasn’t his intent to say it.”

“What?”

Kate smiled. “He doesn’t have the votes to win on the first ballot.”