Cut and Thrust Read Online Free PDF Page B

the governor’s phone rang, and guess who it was?”
    “I’ve no doubt it was Marty.”
    “Collins didn’t take the call—in fact, he turned off his phone.”
    “Do you think he got your message?”
    “Certainly he did. He’s a very astute young man, and without actually saying so, he let me know that if Stanton fails to get a majority of the delegates on the first ballot, he would be with Kate. I suggested that if Stanton knew he had the Senate seat for a backup, he might be easier to deal with at the convention.”
    “And how did he react to that?”
    “We were in perfect agreement. Of course, he didn’t say a word that would prevent him from giving the seat to someone else, or that he would support Kate if Stanton failed, but he intimated it, in the way that politicians do.”
    “And how did Marty and Charlene Joiner happen to meet?”
    “I will cheerfully take the blame for that one,” Stone replied. “I think they’re made for each other, now that Marty is functionally single again.”
    “I said you were wicked, didn’t I?”
    “You did, and I’m grateful for the compliment.”
    “I hope Marty can’t contain himself and starts squiring Ms. Joiner around the city while everybody who is anybody in the party is in town.”
    “It’s just the sort of brazen behavior that might help, isn’t it?”
    “I long to see their photograph together on every front page.”
    “Then we’ll have to take one, won’t we?” Stone said. “Or better, get Peter to.” He took out his phone and pressed a speed-dial button. “Peter? It’s your father. Would you be kind enough to take or have someone else take a photograph of the vice president nuzzling Charlene Joiner? It would be so nice to have as a souvenir. Thank you.” Stone hung up. “Consider it done.”
    “And I know just who to e-mail it to,” Ann said, “for the maximum possible effect.”

S tone and Ann had a look around Ben’s house, then returned to Peter’s.
    “I got the photograph,” Peter said.
    Stone gave him Ann’s e-mail address, then he looked around the room. “What happened to the veep and Charlene?”
    “Gone,” Peter said. “I heard him tell an aide to call Spago for a table.”
    “Very good,” Stone said.
    “Very good indeed,” Ann said, as she dialed a number. “The VP and Charlene Joiner will be arriving at Spago shortly,” she said to whoever answered. “Greet them and e-mail me the shots.” She hung up.
    “Who was that?”
    “A photographer acquaintance of mine,” Ann said. “He hangs around outside chic spots, waiting for celebs to show. He also has two spotters cruising the ones where he can’t be and they communicate by cell phone and he rushes over on his motorcycle.”
    “In that case, please hold Peter’s shots,” Stone said. “Maybe use them later if you really need them.”
    “All right, I’ll save my ammo.”
    A buffet table was operating now, and they served themselves dinner.
    “I didn’t get any lunch today,” Ann said.
    “Poor girl.”
    “Kate ran me off my feet. She visited four caucuses, spoke at two luncheons, and went to three cocktail parties, and she was still making ’em laugh at the end. Now she has two dinners to attend, but she excused me.”
    “Good Kate,” Stone said, digging into his paella. A waiter brought them glasses of wine. “Are you encouraged by how things are going?” he asked Ann.
    “They’re going so well, it scares me,” she replied. “Something’s got to go wrong soon, and I hope it doesn’t sneak past me.”
    “Not much gets past you,” Stone said.
    “You’re catching on pretty quick, yourself,” she said. “You’ve managed to find out what’s on the governor’s mind and plant lascivious things in the veep’s head and it’s not even eight o’clock yet.”
    They had just finished dinner when Immi Gotham turned up, causing heads to snap. She came and greeted Stone, who introduced her to Ann.
    “We’re all looking forward to your