by David Chill
“All right,” I said. “That makes sense. But I have another issue I’d appreciate your advice on. If my wife enters the race for City Attorney she will be up against Shane Karp. I’ve uncovered some unsavory information about Mr. Karp’s background. I know my wife won’t approve of using it against him in a campaign.”
“But you wish to do so anyway.”
I rubbed my chin. “The thought crossed my mind.”
“Mr. Burnside, that may not be necessary. And if I may guide you to a better path, I believe your wife should disassociate herself from Mr. Sutker. The current City Attorney is not someone she should, how can I put this delicately, get into bed with. In a metaphorical way, of course.”
“Of course,” I started. “And you’d like Gail to endorse you for mayor over Jay Sutker.”
“That would be wonderful, but I’m only offering advice at this stage. Certainly, I’d love to have your beautiful wife endorse me and campaign with me. I’m building a team that includes a slate of councilmen, the county assessor and a member of the board of supervisors. Including the next City Attorney would be helpful to both of us. But that’s not what I was about to suggest.”
“Just what, then, were you about to suggest?”
“Mr. Sutker is going to run into some problems in his campaign. Certain information will be released in good time, and if all goes as planned, he will most likely drop out of the campaign and resign from his position as City Attorney. I can’t go into too many details, other than he has made some very bad judgments. He is going to be disgraced, and your wife should capitalize on this opportunity.”
I stared at him as I let this sink in. I was learning a valuable lesson that my political science professor at USC never bothered to touch upon. “Please tell me more. How might she … capitalize on this turn of events?”
“First, she needs to have Mr. Sutker endorse her opponent, Shane Karp. The way to do that is for her to attack something Mr. Sutker has done as City Attorney. It doesn’t matter what. What matters is that she gets under his skin just enough to push him to endorse her opponent. Do you see where this is going?”
I nodded. “Because by enabling Mr. Sutker to embrace her opponent in the primary, Shane Karp will get caught up in the same net that brings down Jay Sutker. And Gail will be able claim the moral high ground.”
“You’re learning fast, Mr. Burnside.”
“We just have to trust you, Arthur.”
“Admittedly, that is true. And I understand why that might give you pause. My being the brother of Justin Woo. I do recall you worked for his opponent, the former governor. The venerable Rex Palmer.”
I smiled a little. “Rex was a client. I can’t say I was his biggest supporter.”
“I take it you voted for Mr. Palmer.”
“Would it surprise you if I told you I honestly can’t remember?” I said.
“You’re an interesting man, Mr. Burnside. And I think you’re seeing how to play your cards well.”
“So let me ask you a direct question, Arthur. You’re a very bright man. And an expert in politics. Be realistic. What type of a chance does Gail have to get elected?”
Arthur gave me a long look. “Others are bound to jump in the race. She’ll need money. If she can raise enough, she’ll be competitive.”
“I have an idea on how to work on the fundraising,” I said, the idea literally just popping into my head at that very moment. “You reminded me of something. But again, what would you say her chances are?”
Arthur continued to give me a long look as he contemplated his next remark. “You’re familiar with the sport of boxing, aren’t you, Mr. Burnside?”
“Quite.”
“I’d say, on the whole, the best assessment I can give you is that she has a puncher’s chance.”
I bit my lower lip at his comment, and took a breath. “That bad?” I asked.
“No, Mr. Burnside,” he replied and offered a wide smile. “That good.”
Chapter 8
On the slog home from Koreatown, I called Gail and took her through my idea. She was hesitant but intrigued. In the end, she agreed, most likely recognizing that as the campaign started becoming real, the ramifications of what was involved were setting in. After we hung up, I switched to a burner phone, placed a call, and hung up when a woman answered. That was what I needed to know.
Traffic finally busted loose after Robertson. I picked up Gail and we dropped Marcus with the Hartnetts for an extended play date. Sailing into Santa Monica, I navigated north on Ocean Avenue, marveling at the dark purple-blue ocean lined against the golden setting sun. When southern California has a pretty day, it is like a strutting peacock, preening and effortlessly showing off its inherent beauty. I turned right onto Adelaide and found parking up the street from our destination, not far from the Santa Monica Stairs. It had been years since I last visited this breathtaking home, and I drank in the luxury as we strolled along the wide front lawn. Everything was going smoothly until I knocked on the door. A man answered, and after glancing briefly at Gail, he stared at me like I was a visitor from another planet.
“Hello, Governor,” I said, framing a phony smile on my face.
“Former Governor. But, yes. Hello there.”
“I hope you’ve been well.”
He looked at me warily. “Are you here on … business?”
“In a way. May I come in?”
Former Governor Rex Palmer gave this topic a too-long moment of consideration before I heard Crystal Fairborn’s voice call out to ask who was at the door. I half-expected Rex to say “no one” and slam the door in my face, but I suspect he knew the futility of going forward with an exercise like that. I’d simply keep knocking.
“It’s a special, surprise visitor,” he said, opening the door and motioning us inside. “One who needs no introduction. At least he brought along his better half.”
I walked into the spacious living room of a historic craftsman home, an early twentieth century marvel, redesigned for twenty-first century conveniences. There was a skylight, two working fireplaces, and high-beamed ceilings. Three Persian rugs lined the floor. Elaborate furniture was in full view, no doubt selected with the help of an expensive designer who took great pains to make the interior look as if it were laid out effortlessly. Crystal Fairborn had been sitting on an overstuffed sofa reading a book, but when she saw me, she quickly rose.
“Oh my goodness,” she said, moving forward to give me a big hug. “Special surprise indeed!”
“Can I get you two a drink?” asked Rex.
“Water would be fine,” I said. “Maybe add some crushed ice, Governor?”
Rex Palmer looked at Gail who shook her head no. Or maybe she was just shaking her head. The governor chuckled and walked off, returning a minute later, handing me a glass of cold water that had no ice in it. I took the glass, gave it a sip, offered Rex an approving nod, and eased down onto a taupe love seat. Gail slipped in next to me, as Rex and Crystal sat on the sofa directly across from us.
“How is everything with the newlyweds?” I asked.
“I don’t know if we still qualify as newlyweds,” Crystal laughed. “But things are great. And we have you to thank for it.”
“In an odd way,” Rex added.
Odd indeed. Years ago, Rex Palmer had hired me to find his wayward teenage daughter while he was in the midst of a nasty re-election campaign against Arthur’s brother, Justin Woo. I didn’t so much find his daughter as she paraded into my office after a few days of searching, she had been holed up in her grandfather’s Brentwood estate. She arrived with a ten thousand dollar check and her grandfather’s instructions to keep her out of site until the campaign was over. I squirreled her away temporarily at Crystal’s house, as I found myself entangled in more intra-family issues than I really wanted. Seeing me probably brought back a wave of emotions for the governor; my guess was there had to be more bad then good. Rex lost that election in a landslide, but he did find the love of his life in Crystal
Fairborn. So in an unusual way, I got to play Cupid, although that was the last thing I expected, and the last thing I intended. Sometimes the world rearranges things for the good.
“And how is your daughter?” I asked. “Molly, I believe her name was.”
“She’s in college. Back east. NYU. Majoring in spending money.”
I smiled. “Kids today. At least you can afford it.”
“My family has been very generous to us,” he acknowledged.
“Your dad still around?” I asked. Burnside, the great conversationalist.
“Pushing eighty, but still here. Plays golf three times a week and complains about the Democrats the rest of the time.”
We all smiled together. “He’s charming in his own way,” Crystal added.
“I guess you have a mixed marriage,” I said. “Democrat and Republican.”
“We try and minimize political discussions,” Crystal said. “Keeps the home civil.”
“Good idea,” I remarked, taking an uneasy glance over at Gail. “What have you been doing, Governor? Have you left politics for good?”
Rex Palmer sighed. “I took a partnership in a law firm. I sit on the boards of a few companies. Crystal and I are starting the Wayne Foundation. A testament to her first husband. Deals with homeless issues.”
I paused. The homeless population in L.A. was ever-growing. But Crystal’s first husband, Wayne Fairborn, was an advocate of helping the homeless re-enter society as productive members. He was also an aspiring politician in his own right, a candidate for mayor in our nearby seaside town of Bay City, until someone shot him to death in his office.
“Nice way to memorialize him,” I finally said. “Wayne would have approved.”
“We like to think so,” he said. “And in answer to the second part of your question, I have mostly retired from politics. I still get inquiries about being a delegate to the convention, and once in a while someone floats my name as head of the state Republican party. But I’ve deflected those. I like private life.”
“Understood,” I said uneasily. “But that brings me to why we’re here.”
“Politics?” Crystal asked, eyes growing a little wide.
I nodded. “Ours, not yours.”
“I see,” she said. “That’s different. I’m not up for being a political spouse. Too many bad memories. I just couldn’t go through that again.”
“I get it,” I said. Wayne’s gruesome murder still affected me. Obviously, it would affect Crystal forever. That Wayne didn’t die at the hands of a political assassin was not much comfort. And the idea that I was about to become a political spouse brought the morbid topic of mortality front and center, very suddenly and very harshly. I had not thought of Wayne in a while, and I had clearly not thought about everything else surrounding Gail’s possible entrée into a very public life. I had not fully steeled myself for the possible realities, ones that could be severe and unforgiving and in a few instances, tragic. Seeing Rex, and especially seeing Crystal, put those in the forefront of my mind.
“So what exactly is going on?” she asked.
“Gail here is thinking of running for City Attorney. She’s an ACA in that office now. Jay Sutker’s running for mayor, which means there will be a vacancy.”
Rex stood up. “Sweetheart, I’ll let you discuss this in private. I have some work to do,” he said and turned to me. “It was nice seeing you again, Burnside.”
“Same here,” I said.
He smiled graciously at Gail as he walked out. I wasn’t entirely sure how nice it was to see me again, especially since it was obvious to him that we were here to solicit money, lessening the family coffers by requesting a campaign contribution. I watched him walk out of the room and then I turned to Crystal.
“Has Rex ever gotten over the election loss?”
Crystal gazed across the room for a minute. “He doesn’t talk about it. But I think there’s still a wound there. It may always be there. Losing an election is hard. And it wasn’t just losing, he was voted out of office, and by a wide margin. It might have been easier if he could rationalize it by saying it was the economy or something external. But he knows he made some big mistakes. At least he’s trying to find other things in his life.”
“I’m sure meeting you helped.”
“I’m sure it did, too,” she smiled. “And we do have you to thank for that. Even though you didn’t plan on it.”
“Often that’s how the best things in life happen. I met Gail when I was investigating a case on campus.”
“I wondered how you two met.”
Gail spoke. “I was working as a security guard. Didn’t quite know what I wanted to do with my life after college, and that seemed interesting. Law enforcement was more exciting than working in corporate life. But eventually I realized I wasn’t meant to be just a security guard. It was a great experience for a couple of years, but I needed something more. That led to law school which led to becoming a prosecutor. And now maybe to something else.”
“Which brings you here,” Crystal observed.
“Are we that overt?”
Crystal smiled. “I’m used to it. We get approached a lot. Mostly by charities, but occasionally by candidates.”
“How do you normally respond?” I asked.
“Most of the time we decline,” she said. “As I mentioned, it helps to keep politics out of our marriage. But you’re a special case.”
I smiled. “I am indeed special.”
She threw back her head and laughed. “Well, I take it you’re looking for a donation.”
Gail leaned forward. “My wonderful and creative husband hatched this idea. I’m a little reluctant, and probably more than a little awkward because I’ve never done this before. I apologize if I’m doing it badly. Are you open to discussing it?”
“You’re not doing it at all badly. You’re being sincere. If you were too smooth, I’d be concerned. And yes, we can certainly discuss it. I remember the two of you attended our wedding. I’ve met you, but only briefly. I assume you’re a Democrat?”
“She is,” I piped in. “And she’d make a great City Attorney. I’m biased of course, but she is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and she also has an ethical streak that not many people have. She always seems to know the right thing to do. And If there’s one thing I can guarantee you, she won’t ever make you sorry if you back her campaign.”
She nodded enthusiastically. “That’s good to know. I’d like to help make the world a better place.”
“I should also tell you why I want to run,” Gail said. “I think the City Attorney’s office has a world of possibility. But I don’t feel it’s being run as effectively as it could be. It’s far too political. Decisions on who to prosecute and how to negotiate plea bargains should be done for the good of the community. As well as looking at the criminal being prosecuted. And there’s also been too much grandstanding. I’d like to get the office back to where it should be.”
“There have been some very high-profile trial losses,” Crystal remarked. “What you’re saying makes a lot of sense. But how long do you think you’d stay in this position?”
Gail licked her lips. “I’m not sure. Are you’re asking if I would be coming back to you in a few years to request more support in running for a higher office?”
“That is indeed what I’m asking.”
“My guess is no. I’m committed to the City Attorney’s office. But I can’t rule out what you’ve suggested. Not entirely anyway. The world changes, and sometimes you have to change with it. Duty calls.”
“Indeed,” Crystal said, looking at Gail and then at me. “I must tell you something.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“You chose well.”
I looked at Gail and caught her blushing for a brief instant. I felt like I might be blushing, too. “I did indeed. Very well. I was lucky to meet her and lucky to win her heart.”
“Sometimes life leads you to a good place. Even if you hav
e to go through some dark moments. It just takes time.”
I agreed. For me it had taken a very long time. But I was glad I was where I was at. I thought of something and turned back to Crystal. “Would your making a campaign contribution pose any problem for Rex?”
She paused for a moment. “If he were still active in politics it might. He’s obviously a Republican, albeit a moderate one, if that label actually exists any more. But politics are over for him. So I don’t think it would be a problem. The money from Wayne’s estate is, well, substantial. We’re well off and we don’t have kids. Rex’s daughter will be well taken care of by her grandfather. My father is getting on in years, but he’ll be fine.”
“Speaking of which, how is Serge doing?”
“Still strong as a mule, and twice as stubborn,” she said, and then added a wistful comment, “And my sister is out of the picture.”
“Yes. Let me ask you something,” I started, my curiosity getting the best of me. I probably shouldn’t have inquired, but there are a lot of things I shouldn’t be doing. “What do people do with their money when they don’t have children to leave it to? Give it to charity?”
“Sure, some of it. There are people who want to leave a legacy, which is how hospital wings get built, and how universities add new buildings. Other people just spend it down. That might be difficult in our case. We have too much of it.”
“Nice problem to have,” I smiled. “And I hope we haven’t been too forward with our request. Neither of us are skilled at asking people for money. When I ask for favors, I at least try to have something to offer in return.”
“You never know,” she said with a wink. “I might call upon one of you to do me a favor someday.”
I glanced over at Gail and she glanced back at me. We were getting an advanced education in the curious world of politics. The lessons seemed to be handed down by the minute.