"Where is Sheldon now?" Cervino asked.
"Australia," Merrick answered. "He hasn't been back in Boston for over three years."
"How fortunate that Boston is, as you said, a town that takes a little time to move," Michael said. "Because he left before the Filene's building became a hole in Washington Street."
Merrick looked at Jonas, who nodded. "It is my understanding that you had a significant falling out with Sheldon before you left town."
Kasi thought she saw Michael's eyes light for just a moment. "But not before he could talk about the developers who were going to revive the building—and the terms they’d gotten. And I don't mean the tax breaks." Merrick froze. "So imagine how much it pains me when my wife talks about how her parents met?" Michael leaned back into his chair. "That was some of what Alex liked to talk about. The rest is just as interesting."
Cervino looked at Merrick. "It would be unrealistic to help Hwang in the primary," Merrick said. "It would be wiser to help him if he makes it to the general."
Michael turned his full attention to Merrick. "Then I'd also like your assurances that you won't do anything to make sure that he won't get there."
Merrick frowned. "You have our word," Jonas said quickly.
Michael looked back at Cervino. "A pleasure as always."
Kasi, Jonas and Merrick stood up after Michael. Jonas walked Kasi and Michael to the door. "Nice to see you again, Kasi," Jonas said under his breath. "Let's grab a drink some time."
Kasi was about to answer when Michael looked at his watch. "Kasi, our next appointment?"
"Uh, yes, of course." She nodded at Jonas before catching up to Michael.
"Happy?" Michael asked once they were about to cross the street.
"Why did you want me there?"
"Because if I'm going to blackmail an elected official for your boss, I'm going to make sure David can't claim he knew nothing about it." He raised his eyebrow. "Plus they're not stupid. They know you have that hard drive. What's the point in pretending?"
Kasi fumed as they crossed the street. "This wasn't my idea!" she shouted as they walked into the garage.
"Shh," Michael said playfully.
"Is this a game to you?" Kasi asked as soon as they were in the car.
Michael turned to the driver. "The Four Seasons, please." Then he turned back to Kasi. "You’re the people skulking around having secret meetings to hand over hard drives like this is the Cold War. I'm not playing. You know why? I don't like getting played."
"Getting played?" she repeated. "No one is playing you."
"But someone is playing you, and my money's on the dirty blonde who couldn't take his eyes off of you." Kasi was silent. "Were you sleeping with him?"
"No," she said sharply.
"But almost?"
She looked away. "We'd had a few dates before I left Castillon's staff. He couldn't be seen with me after that, and it would have been too much trouble to see each other discreetly. So we’re just friends, and that's fine."
Michael rolled his eyes. "It's not fine with him," he said. "He'd like to pick up where you left off."
"He did offer once or twice, but things were too messed up for that. Do you think this is his way of trying to fix things?"
Michael shook his head. "Don't waste any time feeling guilty. He knows exactly what he's doing. Like I said, you're the one in danger of getting played."
She swallowed. "What you said about Alex Sheldon...was that true?"
"All of it. That was just the tip of the iceberg."
"Why is he in Australia?" she asked suddenly.
"The Asia-Pacific market still has tons of untapped potential," Michael answered mechanically, "and Australia is the easiest place for an English-speaker to run his operations."
"You're lying," Kasi said.
"And he knows Richard and I wouldn't think twice about killing him if he shows his face here again." He looked out the window and smiled. "Here we are."
Kasi looked out the window and saw a beautiful woman with dark, curly hair and light blue eyes leaning against one of the pillars of the Four Seasons. She had on heels and a short skirt. Kasi could have sworn she saw a hint of a garter underneath her hem.
"This has been fun, but my wife and I have a very important appointment," Michael said as the car stopped. That’s your wife? Kasi thought. Of course she is. Michael turned to the driver. "Please take Ms. Panchal wherever she needs to go."
He got out of the car. Before they could drive away Kasi saw him pull his wife into a passionate kiss. She kissed his nose before he led her into the hotel.
"Miss, where can I take you?" the driver asked.
"Uh, sorry. Here’s the address."
~~~
"What the Hell was that?" Kasi asked as soon as she came home.
Vijay looked at Kasi like she was crazy. "What was what?"
"Michael Abbot! And that's his wife?"
"Er, Miranda?"
"Dark haired, blue eyed goddess?"
Vijay nodded. "Yep, that's her."
"What did he...How did...And why...? What?"
"What happened?"
She told him about the meeting, what Michael said in the car and his meeting with his wife. "You tell anyone about any of this and I'll kill you."
"On any given day I'm at the office with Emily or Michael—and most days both. I am not afraid of you."
"What is Michael's deal? Just tell me," Kasi demanded.
"I still can't answer that question, but he hates Alex Sheldon."
"The guy who raised him?"
"After he basically killed both of his parents."
Kasi's mouth dropped. "Are you kidding me?"
"Well, set up the circumstances that killed Michael's father—and Miranda's mother. And then Michael's mother died of a pill overdose." Vijay shrugged. "I call that killing them."
"Miranda's mother? Oh my God. That's how he ended up raising them both."
"Um, yeah, sort of," Vijay mumbled.
"What was the other reason?"
"Well, they're sort of cousins," he said as he looked at the floor.
"What?!" she exclaimed. "He married his cousin?"
Vijay put up his hands. "The first time they didn't know, and Miranda dumped him when she found out."
"What made her change her mind?"
"Michael got shot. And it's legal in this state."
"Who shot him, Sheldon? Is that why he isn't here?"
"No, no, no. Michael was in more danger of shooting him because he was involved with Miranda. He was a creep."
"So who shot Michael?"
"Oh, Tom. Richard's uncle on his mom’s side."
Kasi’s did a quick calculation. "Jessie’s father?"
"Oh, you met Jessie. She’s mostly cool, but she can be really scary too."
Kasi couldn't speak for a minute. "What even is this family?"
Vijay put up his hands. "Talk to Emily; she was the one who wanted to get Michael involved."
Kasi dropped her chin. "Please tell me she isn't related to any of them."
"Not to my knowledge, but who knows."
~~~
"I don't want this," Kasi blurted out to David and Charlie as soon as she walked into the office the next day.
"You don't want what?" Charlie asked, amused.
"I don't want to be the one on this campaign who knows how dirty Cervino is. We're going to share."
Charlie looked at David. "David, I think you should take a walk."
"No," David said firmly. "And it won't make a difference. If someone finds out that the top two people on my staff know, no one is going to believe that I didn't. And it's also not fair, since you're both taking it on for me."
Kasi felt herself blush again and hoped David didn't notice. "Thank you."
David scratched his chin as soon as Kasi was done. "And that's it?" David looked at Charlie. "He is good," he said admiringly.
"Well played," Charlie said.
Kasi wrinkled her no
se. "Cervino?"
"No, Abbot," David said. "What did he actually say in front of you that Cervino did? He strongly implied that there was a sweetheart deal with the developer of the Filene's building, but he didn't go into specifics."
"He also made it clear that Cervino did some unsavory business with this Alex Sheldon."
Charlie shuddered. "Well, that's not exactly news, considering that man has a special place in Hell."
"You have no idea," Kasi muttered.
"Excuse me?" David said.
Kasi waved her hand. "Never mind; long story. But he said he wanted me there because he didn't want to, well, commit a crime without an accomplice to share the burden."
"No," Charlie said after a moment. "He wanted you there because he wanted Cervino to think you already knew—and that you knew everything he knew. You weren't his accomplice—you were his bluff." He smiled appreciatively. "Yeah, well played."
Kasi narrowed her eyes. "I'd appreciate it if you guys stopped congratulating this guy on playing me so well. Next time it can be one of you."
"Says the woman who won't tell us the name of her source in City Hall," Charlie said softly.
Kasi pulled her chin back. "You think I'm playing you?"
"No," David said, looking at Charlie. "He just doesn't like loose strings."
"What do I have to do?" she exploded. "Do you guys trust me or not?"
Charlie sighed. "Of course we do. But Michael Abbot isn't the only one running a game."
Kasi threw up her hands. "I'm just trying to help you run a campaign—that's going to win."
David tried to smile. "Think anyone's going to tamper with the primary results this time? It would be nice to see how I do without that."
"It wasn't about you," Kasi said. "At least, not the first time. Okay!" she said, forcing a change in subject. "I think we need to move on Martin Shepard."
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
In the final weeks leading to a primary, most candidates and their staff only went home long enough to sleep five or six hours. David knew it was very foolish to be lying awake in his bed when he should have been sleeping, but he couldn't help it.
Not the first time. Kasi's words kept repeating in his head. The way she said it...as if she'd been so resigned. No; there was something else so clearly on her face. Regret.
The night David had lost the primary, he had pored over the numbers while Charlie, Ray, Kevin and the rest of the staff had cried into their beers. He had been so damn close. Half a percentage point away. Donnelly's chief of staff was texting him even then to get his endorsement. But there was something else that he, even in his sickening grief, couldn't help but notice: Paloma Castillon had done extraordinarily well. The only newcomer who had done ever done as well in an open city council race was him, four years before.
Something about it had bothered him. He'd been reluctant in that race to get in front of a camera, but he'd touched every hand he could find in Boston. Castillon had done the opposite; she made sure her face was in every news outlet Boston had. But it was known in campaign circles that she was weak on the issues, and her smaller meetings with voters had gone badly. She had polled well enough that she was expected to make it to the finals, but David couldn't believe that she had come in second. He wiped the tears from his face and chalked it up to the power of Governor Kirk and Senator Kelly’s machines.
David had four years trying to put that behind him. But as he lay awake in bed that night, he kept returning to those numbers, and once again they didn't make sense.
He picked up his phone. Kasi picked up after four rings. "David?" she murmured sleepily. "Is everything okay?"
"That's what I want to talk to you about," he said, sitting up. "Can you meet me?"
"What time is it?"
He looked at his clock. "It's four thirty, and I haven't slept at all."
"Alright," she said. "The office?"
"No," he said. "I'll pick you up. Be ready in twenty-five minutes."
She was showered and dressed when he got to her corner. She looked at him after she got to the car, but neither of them said anything.
He parked fifteen minutes later near the Aquarium. "Walk with me, if you don't mind."
"Okay," she said, but he still didn't look at her.
They stopped when they got to the end of Long Wharf. He looked out at the shoreline, wishing he could stop thinking the thought which had been bothering him for the last few hours. But he couldn't.
"How many primaries has Cervino tampered with?"
"I can only guess," Kasi said ruefully.
"Let me rephrase the question." He turned to face her. "How many do you know about for sure? You, Kasi Panchal, personally?" She closed her eyes. "More to the point, when did you know about it?"
"David..." She ran her hands through her thick hair. "Why do you think I can't stand her?"
"Don't," he said so angrily that she jumped. "You didn't leave her office until six months into her first term, and don't tell me you didn't know before that."
"I won't," she said, "but for what it's worth, I didn't know until after it happened."
"That is worth nothing," he said bitterly. "Had you told someone—"
"Like the FBI?" she spat. "You can't trust them after everything they've done here."
"How convenient," he seethed. "You didn't think that maybe you should tell me?"
"Get over yourself. You weren't the only one affected."
"Oh, that's good. Cervino was gunning for me, and everyone knows it. Did any of the candidates for the council who didn’t make it through have to leave town?"
Kasi narrowed her eyes. "Did any of those people turn around and hitch their horse to a loser like Donnelly right afterward? What the Hell were you thinking?"
"That I wanted Cervino to lose!" he shouted. "And Donnelly was the only chance there was for that."
"And that is why you lost!" Kasi shouted back. God damn it, why did she want to cry? "Get out of my face about the handful of votes you lost by. Do you remember what you did every time you got in front of a camera? You could not shut up about how horrible Cervino was. You didn't give anyone who hadn't met you in person a reason to vote for you. 'Cervino sucks' does nothing for you, because they could vote for anybody else. You needed something for the voters to pin something on, and all you gave them was a whiny young man who took shots at the guy who saved them from Ron Fletcher." She felt her heart racing. "You lost on your own."
He shook his head. "I don't think so. You don't get to squirm out of fixing a primary by telling me what a lousy campaign I ran. The polling we did showed that I had a very good chance of making it past the primary."
"Conducted by who? Some progressives you imported from D.C.? They don't know how Boston politics works. You didn't get clued into how Boston works when the Globe endorsed two candidates who weren't you—and one of them was Donnelly? This was fixed, but you made it easy."
"Pretend I did," David said, trying hard not to scream. "That exonerates people like you who sit back and don't say anything about corruption? You are the problem," he said, pointing his finger at Kasi.
Kasi's face took on an expression he'd never seen. It was somewhere between rage and indignation. "Shut up, you whiny bastard! And don't you ever point at me again like that. You have no idea what I have stood up against and protested, but believe me, it's for things much more serious than someone fiddling with a few votes here and there. And what did I get out of what happened?"
"You wouldn't have had a job—even if it was only for six months—if it hadn't been for the fix."
"Don't you understand?" she said scornfully. "Paloma was going to make it in regardless. Moving her up gave her a sheen of inevitability."
"Uh huh." He nodded then turned to look at the horizon again. "Well, lucky Paloma; what she did isn't quite as bad as what Powers did."
"Excuse me?"
"I’ve made up my mind: if I make it to the primary and she asks, I'm helping her."
She
looked as if she'd been hit. "You just spent the last five minutes shouting at me because of the part she played in fixing a vote, but you'll help her?"
"Isn't that what you've been trying to tell me?" he asked coldly. "That's how this game is played, right? We all swallow and look the other way—until it can benefit us."
"She's an idiot," Kasi whispered.
"And Powers got his head turned away from his job by the promise of a better one." He set his jaw. "Besides, she's got a better machine in Boston than Powers does."
"You'll already have Cervino's!"
"The more the merrier." He watched her face pale. "What's wrong, Kasi? You expect me to shrug off primary fixing as one of the costs of doing business, and you don't expect me to see the opportunities that come with it?"
"I. Left." She pointed at him now. "And I came to work for you because I thought you were different."
"So all those times you told me to grow up, what exactly did you have in mind?" He leaned his side on the railing. "Accept the crumb of information Cervino's office wants to give us without worrying about what he really wants me to do? Let everyone get their hands a little dirty in my name and pretend that doesn't make me dirty, too? Sorry, but that doesn’t make sense. If we're not going to pretend, we're not going to pretend."
She licked her lips as she pulled herself up to her full height. "Good luck then, David. But maybe this time you won't need it." Then she walked away.
David forced himself to look at the horizon so he wouldn't have to watch her. After a minute he couldn't stand it and turned around. He couldn't see her on the wharf. He walked slowly, then picked up speed until he was running. He got to the Aquarium train station, but no one was there.
He walked back to his car, trying not to think. He realized suddenly that he was exhausted. He texted Charlie to tell him he wouldn't be in for a few hours.
The Golden Boy Returns (The New Pioneers Book 5) Page 15