would in no way endanger Gerald.”
I stared at him a moment, wondering if he could possibly be telling the truth, but then I remembered his occupation and stood up. “Well, I'd best get back to the office,” I said. “I have an eight o'clock appointment. I hate to miss it for a sack of lies.”
He watched me for a moment longer, then smiled a little and leaned back in his chair. His eyes were gleaming. “I never doubted that you would be good for my son. But until this moment I did not realize that you are exactly what he needs.” He nodded. “Someone to cut through the murk of misinformation. To—”
I picked up my purse.
“My apologies,” he said, and, blowing out a reluctant breath, motioned to my chair again. “Please. Sit. I shall tell you the truth. Nothing but the truth.”
I stared at him, cynical and a little pissed.
“The whole story,” he added.
I sat reluctantly, perching on the edge, as if I might fly away at the flutter of another lie. “Story?”
“The truth is …” He drew a slow breath, as if fortifying himself. “I did know Ms. Baltimore.”
Perhaps I was about to speak, but he hurried on. “It was long ago, early in my political career. In truth, both she and her husband worked on my first senatorial campaign. Kathy was young and enthusiastic. As was I.” He smiled nostalgically. “Those were good days, filled with hope and—”
“Did you sleep with her?” I asked. I really didn't have an evening appointment, but I hadn't had dinner yet andhated to miss out on all those empty calories for a bunch of bullshit.
His eyes opened wide as if shocked by my assumption, then narrowed in seemingly earnest affront. “I don't know what my son has told you, Christina, but I assure you, I am not so immoral as he would make me seem.”
I considered apologizing, but then I remembered Salina, the senators late fiancée. When I had first seen her, she was dead, but she was still astonishingly beautiful. Her eyes, as wide as fishbowls, were dark and sightless as she stared at the senators freshly painted walls. She had previously been involved with Rivera Junior before ending up with the senator. As had one of her contemporaries. “Did you sleep with her?” I repeated.
For a moment his brows dipped dangerously toward his eyes, but finally he relaxed. “I suppose I cannot blame you for possessing the very qualities that I admire. It is that same forthright nature that brought me to your door. Indeed, that, matched with your intelligent—”
“Holy crap!” I said, and pulled my purse strap against my shoulder, ready to leave.
“Wait!” he said, and held out a hand as if to restrain me. “Very well.” He sighed again. “No. I did not sleep with Ms. Baltimore.”
I stared at him askance.
“I swear it on Mama's grave,” he added.
I settled back in my chair. For a moment I considered asking if he'd even
had
a mother, but it seemed best to stay silent on that account. If his son was any indication, Latino men were a little touchy where their mamas were concerned.
“She was happily wed,” he said. “As was I. Gerald wasstill in his teenage years. And if I remember correctly, she had a child. A daughter, I believe.”
I heroically refrained from asking if he'd slept with the daughter.
“So why do you care what happened to her after all these years?” I asked.
“As I said, she was instrumental to my career when I was still young and inexperienced. I feel responsible.”
“Are you?” I asked.
“What?”
The question was out now, and it seemed worthy. “Are you somehow responsible for her death?”
“I did not mean it literally.”
“How did you mean it?” I asked, then hurried on, trying to soften the sound of it. “That is, over the years there must have been hundreds of people working on your campaigns. Why are you concerning yourself with her?”
He remained silent for a moment, watching me. I felt my nerves crank up tight, sensing something big.
“Is it
I stared at him a moment, wondering if he could possibly be telling the truth, but then I remembered his occupation and stood up. “Well, I'd best get back to the office,” I said. “I have an eight o'clock appointment. I hate to miss it for a sack of lies.”
He watched me for a moment longer, then smiled a little and leaned back in his chair. His eyes were gleaming. “I never doubted that you would be good for my son. But until this moment I did not realize that you are exactly what he needs.” He nodded. “Someone to cut through the murk of misinformation. To—”
I picked up my purse.
“My apologies,” he said, and, blowing out a reluctant breath, motioned to my chair again. “Please. Sit. I shall tell you the truth. Nothing but the truth.”
I stared at him, cynical and a little pissed.
“The whole story,” he added.
I sat reluctantly, perching on the edge, as if I might fly away at the flutter of another lie. “Story?”
“The truth is …” He drew a slow breath, as if fortifying himself. “I did know Ms. Baltimore.”
Perhaps I was about to speak, but he hurried on. “It was long ago, early in my political career. In truth, both she and her husband worked on my first senatorial campaign. Kathy was young and enthusiastic. As was I.” He smiled nostalgically. “Those were good days, filled with hope and—”
“Did you sleep with her?” I asked. I really didn't have an evening appointment, but I hadn't had dinner yet andhated to miss out on all those empty calories for a bunch of bullshit.
His eyes opened wide as if shocked by my assumption, then narrowed in seemingly earnest affront. “I don't know what my son has told you, Christina, but I assure you, I am not so immoral as he would make me seem.”
I considered apologizing, but then I remembered Salina, the senators late fiancée. When I had first seen her, she was dead, but she was still astonishingly beautiful. Her eyes, as wide as fishbowls, were dark and sightless as she stared at the senators freshly painted walls. She had previously been involved with Rivera Junior before ending up with the senator. As had one of her contemporaries. “Did you sleep with her?” I repeated.
For a moment his brows dipped dangerously toward his eyes, but finally he relaxed. “I suppose I cannot blame you for possessing the very qualities that I admire. It is that same forthright nature that brought me to your door. Indeed, that, matched with your intelligent—”
“Holy crap!” I said, and pulled my purse strap against my shoulder, ready to leave.
“Wait!” he said, and held out a hand as if to restrain me. “Very well.” He sighed again. “No. I did not sleep with Ms. Baltimore.”
I stared at him askance.
“I swear it on Mama's grave,” he added.
I settled back in my chair. For a moment I considered asking if he'd even
had
a mother, but it seemed best to stay silent on that account. If his son was any indication, Latino men were a little touchy where their mamas were concerned.
“She was happily wed,” he said. “As was I. Gerald wasstill in his teenage years. And if I remember correctly, she had a child. A daughter, I believe.”
I heroically refrained from asking if he'd slept with the daughter.
“So why do you care what happened to her after all these years?” I asked.
“As I said, she was instrumental to my career when I was still young and inexperienced. I feel responsible.”
“Are you?” I asked.
“What?”
The question was out now, and it seemed worthy. “Are you somehow responsible for her death?”
“I did not mean it literally.”
“How did you mean it?” I asked, then hurried on, trying to soften the sound of it. “That is, over the years there must have been hundreds of people working on your campaigns. Why are you concerning yourself with her?”
He remained silent for a moment, watching me. I felt my nerves crank up tight, sensing something big.
“Is it
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