No Rules, Ridge King [the snowy day read aloud TXT] 📗

“You heard him, Matt.  You’ll go from a nobody congressman-elect to a senator sitting in the new Congress.  And you’ll be in the Senate free and clear for the next four years, plenty of time to repair any damage this causes.”

“I see,” said Matt, hesitating.  Norwalk saw him sitting on the edge.  The slightest push would send him over.

“Walt will resign this very minute to show you we mean what we say.  This is no trick, I assure you, no trick whatsoever.”

“I’ve got the letter here,” said Lafitte, pulling it out from inside his coat.  “I wrote it this morning after talking to the President.  I would be resigning for reasons of failing health, which isn’t far off the mark.  I’ll take it to the president of the Senate right this minute if you accept the deal,” he said.  “It would be formal as soon as he had it in his hands.  All I have to do is fill in the date and time.”

Matt looked at the letter Lafitte held out to him, his future contained in it.

“Gentlemen,” he said, prodding himself to speak to stop their entreaties, “gentlemen, you must give me a little time. I believe in Thurston. I had no idea what the President would say when he called me over. I am utterly overwhelmed by all you’ve thrown at me. I’ve just got to have a little time to myself.”

He seemed to Norwalk emotionally overwrought and close to breaking up.  He turned to St. Clair and Lafitte.

“Thank you, gentlemen,” he said.  “I believe Matt knows we’re sincere and how we feel about everything. You may go about your business.  I’ll be getting back to you later on.”

“Take it, Matt,” said St. Clair as he rose.

“I have a question, Governor,” said Matt.

“Yes?”

“Jack didn’t know anything about this, did he?”

“Nobody knows anything about this except the people in this room and Lowry.”

“You’re a fool if you let this thing slip by you,” added Lafitte with another grunt.  As they were leaving, Norwalk spoke to Smith.

“And thank you, Lowry.  I’ll be getting back to you one way or another after I’ve given Matt some time to think it over.”

“All right, Mr. President.  I’m ready when he is.”

Norwalk cut the connection and looked at Matt.  He saw the conflicting emotions of an honest but ambitious man appear on Matt’s face. He’d seen them before, felt them before, though he admitted to himself that he’d seen more men who were ambitious than men who were honest.  He felt genuinely sorry for Hawkins. He could feel the emotion burning through his eyes.

“I know this is all somewhat of a shock to you, Matt, but that is the proposition,” he said coldly.  “I’ll give you a little time to think about it—I can’t afford to give you much.  After all this, I don’t know what else we can do to convince you.  If you don’t accept this offer, you can expect complete hostility from my party in your state.  They will naturally do everything possible to take your seat in the House if you decide to keep it and vote for Thurston.  You’ll be out of Congress in two years, you realize?”

He paused.

“As for your affair with Mrs. Vaughan…” he said, looking down at his desk briefly and fingering his pipe, “I’m not sure just now if we’ll smear you with that, whether we’ll use it at all, I can’t say right now.  As things get closer to the third, as the situation in China becomes further prolonged, there’s no saying what we might feel we have to do.  But I assure you, this offer will not be repeated at a later date.  You’ll have to make up your mind one way or the other. If you decide against us, be assured that your political career will be over after your one term in the House.”

He leaned forward, and said in a soft, fatherly voice, “Matt, you’ll have to learn to live with your compromises as well as your successes, no matter how you come by them.”

“Should I call you?”

“Yes, call me either way you decide.  I’ll talk to you myself.  You’re finished dealing with Slanetti for the moment.  You’re dealing with me.”

Norwalk rose and held out his hand.  Matt got up and felt the weakness in his knees and hated himself for his inexperience in life, inexperience in Washington, youth and what he thought was the dullness of his mind.  He shook the President’s hand. Norwalk touched a button on his desk and the double doors opened as if by magic.  A man was there who stood by to escort him out of the White House.

“Goodbye, Matt,” smiled Norwalk with that same solid, father-like warmth Matt had felt when he first entered the Oval Office.  “Let me hear from you soon.”

Matt turned at the door.

“You will, Mr. President. And sir?”

“Yes, Matt?”

“The sandwich. I think it’s oregano, not tarragon.”

“Ahhh,” the President nodded.

Chapter 12

CONFLICTED

An aide handed Matt over to a soldier in a crisp dress uniform who took him to a holding area where people leaving got their cars. He found Jack and Sam waiting in this room.

Things were strained. Jack saw his dad eye Matt suspiciously and bite his lower lip.

“I guess lunch is off,” said Jack.

“I ate a sandwich with the President,” said Matt. “I’m good.”

Jack glanced at his dad and then Matt.

“It’s really awkward being on the outside,” said Jack.

“Better that you are,” said Sam. “Our ride’s here. You coming with me or going with Matt?”

“Go with your dad, Jack. I’ll see you soon.”

Jack nodded and followed his dad outside where they got into the governor’s limo.

Matt was next. He followed them out and took the White House limo right behind theirs, telling