Prizes Read Online Free PDF

Times,
the Secretary of State. And the Attorney General. All except the last had brought a companion. Conversation was lively, if provincial—at least in Adam’s view. Their stock-in-trade was governmental gossip—small talk about big names.
    Before the evening ended, Admiral Penrose turned up in time to join Adam in a thorough examination of the patient, and then immediately departed.
    Toni stayed a bit longer, but she beckoned Adam into a corner for a rapid confidential chat. Pressing something metallic into his hand, she murmured, “Take my car and just leave it in the garage. I’ve got a spare set of keys. Will you be able to find your way back?”
    He nodded, understanding all too well what was happening and unable to keep from feeling hurt.
    “Yeah,” he muttered. “I suppose so. How will you—” He stopped himself. “I guess that’s none of my business, huh?”
    “I guess,” she whispered.
    Okay, he consoled himself, it was all a meaningless tease. Or a figment of his imagination. Toni was not available, after all. She had unblushingly gone off hand in hand with the Attorney General.
    Yet the next night, she insisted upon taking him to dinner at La Renaissance.
    He was puzzled by her unexpected interest, but had already seen enough of her lifestyle to permit himself a few cynical observations at the end of the evening.
    “Does your father approve of you going out with a married man?”
    “He’s no one to talk,” she replied casually. “He stopped supervising my social life when I broke up with Jack. Anyway, he and … my friend were college classmates. So how can he object?”
    She was not the least self-conscious in discussingthese details. On the other hand, she did not seem overjoyed, but rather philosophical about this relationship, which clearly was dependent on her “friend’s” domestic obligations. As it would turn out, there were even several nights in a row when Toni was unfettered and could invite Adam to one or another Washington festivity.
    His every attempt to elicit personal details of her life—except for what she had told him about her marriage—was met with a perfunctory rendition of her curriculum vitae, until finally he said in frustration, “This is supposed to be a conversation, not a job interview.”
    One evening, as they were walking home from a performance of
Swan Lake
at the Kennedy Center, he was in a carefree mood and actually danced for a few seconds in imitation of the prince. She surprised him by executing several steps in response.
    The whole incident was out of character for them both. Their defenses were suddenly down and they confessed to one another that, as children, they had each studied ballet.
    “What made you quit?” he asked. “I mean, you have a perfect dancer’s body.”
    She smiled. “Thanks for the compliment. The stupid truth is that I was always so tall that none of the boys could lift me. What stopped you from becoming the American Baryshnikov?”
    “Actually,” he answered, trying to sound mysterious, “I had an ulterior motive for taking lessons.”
    “Which was?”
    “I’ll tell you another time.” He grinned. And then, a few paces later, he scolded her, “Now can you see what a pain in the ass it is when you deliberately classify harmless information?”
    That night, Boyd Penrose phoned at three A.M.
    Without apology or preface he reported, “Coopersmith, I’ve just read the Boss’s numbers, and those lymphocytesare definitely making a comeback. I think we’ve turned the corner, old buddy.”
    Overflowing with euphoria, Adam called Boston and conveyed the good news to Max. As he hung up, there was another ring.
    “Hi, I got Boyd’s message too, your line was busy,” Toni said ecstatically. “Were you on with Max?”
    “Yes, I just reported to him.”
    “I figured as much. Would you like to report to
me
for an impromptu party?”
    “Why not,” Adam agreed.
    Toni was intoxicated with joy. “Oh, Adam,” she wept,