Everything suddenly clicked into place. “Joey La Guardia works for the Organization?”
“He’s one of Michael Moretti’s enforcers.”
Jennifer was filled with a cold fury. “Can you get me the telephone number of Michael Moretti?”
Five minutes later, Jennifer was speaking to Moretti.
“Well, this is an unexpected pleasure, Miss Parker. I—”
“Mr. Moretti, I don’t like being set up.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Listen to me. And listen well. I’m not for sale. Not now, not ever. I won’t represent you or anyone who works for you. All I want is for you to leave me alone. Is that clear?”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Go ahead.”
“Will you have lunch with me?”
Jennifer hung up on him.
Cynthia’s voice came over the intercom. “A Mr. Patrick Maguire is here to see you, Miss Parker. He has no appointment, but he said—”
Jennifer smiled to herself. “Have Mr. Maguire wait.”
She remembered their conversation on the telephone. It’s not how you play the game, it’s whether you win or not, right? You’re pretty good, honey, but I’ve been at it a lot longer than you. Tell your client I said better luck next time.
Jennifer kept Patrick Maguire waiting for forty-five minutes, and then buzzed Cynthia.
“Send Mr. Maguire in, please.”
Patrick Maguire’s genial manner was gone. He had been outwitted, and he was angry and did not bother to conceal it.
He walked over to Jennifer’s desk and snapped, “You’re causing me a lot of problems, friend.”
“Am I, friend?”
He sat down, uninvited. “Let’s stop playing games. I had a call from the general counsel of Nationwide Motors. I underestimated you. My client is willing to make a settlement.” He reached into his pocket, pulled out an envelope and handed it to Jennifer. She opened it. Inside was a certified check made out to Connie Garrett. It was for one hundred thousand dollars.
Jennifer slipped the check back in the envelope and returned it to Patrick Maguire.
“It’s not enough. We’re suing for five million dollars.”
Maguire grinned. “No, you’re not. Because your client’s not going into court. I just paid her a visit. There’s no way you can ever get that girl into a courtroom. She’s terrified and, without her, you haven’t got a chance.”
Jennifer said angrily, “You had no right to talk to Connie Garrett without my being present.”
“I was only trying to do everybody a favor. Take the money and run, friend.”
Jennifer got to her feet. “Get out of here. You turn my stomach.”
Patrick Maguire rose. “I didn’t know your stomach could be turned.”
And he walked out, taking the check with him.
Watching him go, Jennifer wondered whether she had made a terrible mistake. She thought of what a hundred thousand dollars could do for Connie Garrett. But it was not enough. Not for what that girl would have to endure every day for the rest of her life.
Jennifer knew that Patrick Maguire was right about one thing. Without Connie Garrett in the courtroom, there was no chance that a jury would return a verdict for five million dollars. Words could never persuade them of the horror of her life. Jennifer needed the impact of Connie Garrett’s presence in the courtroom, with the jury looking at her day after day; but there was no way Jennifer could persuade the young woman to go into court She had to find another solution.
Adam telephoned.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t call you before,” he apologized. “I’ve been having meetings on the Senate race and—”
“It’s all right, darling. I understand.” I’ve got to understand, she thought.
“I miss you so much.”
“I miss you, too, Adam.” You’ll never know how much.
“I want to see you.”
Jennifer wanted to say, When? but she waited.
Adam went on. “I have to go to Albany this afternoon. I’ll call you when I get back.”
“All right.” There was nothing else she could say. There was nothing she could do.
At four o’clock in the morning, Jennifer awakened from a terrible dream and knew how she was going to win five million dollars for Connie Garrett.
18
“We’ve set up a series of fund-raising dinners across the state. We’ll hit the larger towns only. We’ll get to the whistle-stops through a few national television shows like Face The Nation, the Today show and Meet the Press. We figure that we can pick up—Adam, are you listening?”
Adam turned to Stewart Needham and the other three men in the conference room—top media experts, Needham had assured him—and said, “Yes, of course, Stewart.”
He had been thinking of something else entirely. Jennifer. He wanted her here at his side, sharing the excitement of the campaign, sharing this moment, sharing his life.
Adam had tried several times to discuss his situation with Stewart Needham, but each time his partner had managed to change the subject.
Adam sat there thinking about Jennifer and Mary Beth. He knew that it was unfair to compare them, but it was impossible not to.
Jennifer is stimulating to be with. She’s interested in everything and makes me feel alive. Mary Beth lives in her own private little world…
Jennifer and I have a thousand things in common. Mary Beth and I have nothing in common but our marriage…
I love Jennifer’s sense of humor. She knows how to laugh at herself. Mary Beth takes everything seriously…