10:19 P.M.
10:19 P.M
“Philip,” Mayor Harold Deakins said with his hand out. “Good to see you.”
“Mayor.” He gave the hand a firm shake. “I’m sorry for the lacklustre attendance tonight.”
“It’s depressing, isn’t it? But I am sure we both have an idea why. Everyone is trying to be discreet, but the rumours are buzzing around here like flies anyways.”
“And are they legitimate?”
Mayor Deakins looked around the ballroom to see many eyes on him and many ears too close. He nodded, “Come on, over this way.”
They walked fifty feet and stopped next to a tall potted plant and though they were still in the main room and in full public view, this was as much privacy as they could muster without leaving entirely.
“Are the rumours legitimate?” Mayor Deakins said. “I can’t say with one hundred percent certainty that they are. Hell, I only first heard about them this morning. Since then, my people have been on it. But as of now it appears as if I have a mess on my hands. For all I know, the people I tasked to investigate the indictments are the same ones being indicted.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Mayor Deakins chuckled. “Philip, you’re not sorry.”
“Personally, I am very sorry. You’re a friend, Harold. And I am also politically sorry because not only do I think you’re the best man to steward New York City back to its former international glory. I don’t think anyone else could do half the job that you’ve done in your first term.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
“However, I will admit that, professionally, I am of course very intrigued.”
“Of course you’re intrigued. I can already see the flashbulbs in your eyes.”
“It is best you not worry about my business if my business is keeping you out of prison.”
“I don’t think that will be necessary, though I do appreciate your forthrightness. I can attest that I’m not complicit in any of the soon-to-be alleged criminal undertakings within my council. Not in the least. Not even plausible deniability.”
“But you seem concerned you may be—”
“Hold that thought.” Mayor Deakins snapped his fingers. A red-haired servant passing by with a tray of hors d’ouevres paused long enough for him to help himself with his prying, fat fingers. When she was clear of their conversation, he said, “Sorry about that. It’s all a matter of appearances. I don’t want to seem as if we’re talking such business to any watchful eyes. Yes I’m worried I’ll be falsely indicted and that I’ll be tried along with the guilty parties. I’m worried the visual of my having a conversation with a prominent defence attorney, our pre-existing relationship aside, is not a good visual.” He chomped on a shrimp. “No doubt there are undercover Feds here tonight, gathering intel, keeping a watchful eye on whoever they may consider to be a flight risk. I don’t need to give them a reason to think I am culpable.”
“Then we should keep this brief.”
“Exactly. The main thing I wished to say is that, despite legal staff’s competence, if and when there is a trial, I would still feel more confident if I knew you were beside me.”
“I hope it does not come to that, Mayor.”
“You and me both.”
The Mayor huffed and ate another shrimp. “This just had to happen with the election looming.”
“You know you’ll always have my support, through hell and high water, sir.”
“Thank you, Philip. That means a lot. How’s the wife?”
“She’s good. Restless at times though. We should take in a Yankees game soon. It’s been too long.”
“Yes, it has. I suppose we’re both too busy for such niceties these days. Call my secretary. She knows my schedule far better than I do.”
“Give Clara my best.”
“You do the same to Brigit, Philip. Enjoy the rest of the night.”
“I will.”
When the Mayor parted, Philip Donaghue felt twice as rich as when their conversation had started. The fact of the matter was that if it came to a trial, he would head up Mayor Deakins defence team pro bono, not simply because they are friends or that he believes in his politics, but national and possibly international publicity like that had no monetary value – one case like that and he could double his fees, and if he won, people would offer to pay him triple his current retainer.
As he made his way toward the terrace he noticed Marcel and Jeannette appeared to be having words at the bar. Through the glass double doors he saw Brigit talking alone with Tevin. Though he wished to confront Tevin and free his wife of his obvious advances, he did not wish to tarnish the natural high of looming prosperity. Instead, he made for the bar, the far side of the bar away from Marcel and Jeannette, and ordered a scotch. What he really wanted was a moment alone to ponder, to consider the ramifications of everything that was to come, and the last thing he wanted was to associate with Tevin Greene for a single minute.
For half a scotch he got what he wanted.
And then Brigit tapped on his shoulder. “Why did you run?”
“Run?”
“I know you saw us out there.”
He knocked back the rest of his scotch. “I guess I just needed a drink first.”
“That doesn’t sound good. What did Mayor Deakins have to say?”
“You know I can’t talk about that,” he whispered. “And especially not here.”
“Right, of course. How stupid of me.”
“I didn’t mean—”
“Vodka Martini with two olives and a twist of lemon, please,” she said to the bartender. She turned to him. “I know you didn’t mean it like that.”
“You know what they’re arguing about?”
She looked over at Marcel and Jeannette. “With them, who knows? You know how flirty she can be.”
While she was distracted, he took the chance to search for Tevin and, sure enough, there he was, standing motionless in the moving crowd – watching. “Yeah, I know.”
“It’s harmless, I’m sure. It’s just who she is.”
The bartender gave Brigit her drink. Philip raised his finger to signify he wanted another scotch. “You’d think he knew what he signed up for when he married her.”
She picked up her Martini and took a preparatory breath. “Listen, I invited Tevin Greene to join us tonight.”
“Brigit—”
She shushed him. “I can tell you aren’t a fan of him. Neither is Marcel. They almost got into a fight out on the terrace.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I bet that’s really why he’s all riled up over there. But, please, I am asking you to put aside any differences you have with Tevin, at least for tonight.”
The notion of Tevin Greene being in his home disgusted him. “And why should I?”
“He’s offered to appraise our house for free.”
“So?”
“So, that’s not all. He intimated to me that he would like to invest in me.”
“Invest—you told him about that?”
“It seems he already knew. Hard to keep secrets with this crowd. You know I need investors, and he has a lot of money.”
“You don’t need his money.”
“It’s not his money I need. It’s anyone’s at this point. All I am asking of you is you don’t let personal differences interfere with business, for me.”
The bartender gave him his scotch.
“For you?”
“For me.”
Broaching Tevin’s unscrupulous ulterior motives with his wife was not an option. Besides, she was not an oblivious woman and may already have suspicions or be flat out aware of his extra marital affair, and, if she did know, an intimate tete-a-tete with someone like Tevin was a gutting means of revenge. The notion of Brigit with another man did not bother him that much. The notion of Brigit with Tevin Greene nauseated him. For now, he had to let her have her way. And he had to keep a sagacious eye on him.
“Fine.” He suppressed his raging indignation with scotch. “For you.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”
“I haven’t seen Jules and Jim here tonight.”
“She texted me. They are detained. Some family thing.”
“So they aren’t coming?”
“No.”
“The Caroles?”
She shook her head. “Sick.”
“The Palmers?”
“Them too. A plague must have struck the upper west side.”
“Honey...”
“What?”
“You may as well just invite the entire ballroom at this rate.”
“I know.” She whined, regressing into a child for that brief moment. “Everything is doomed before I’ve even started.”
He understood why she wanted Tevin’s money so bad – if he had gotten wind of her intentions tonight, others may have too, and between the Deakins rumours and her pitch, staying home was the politest thing to do. He squeezed her shoulder and lifted her pointed chin with his forefinger. “Honey, don’t be a defeatist. You’re better than that. Now, tell me. How many were you expecting to show?”
“Twenty or more.”
“And how many are confirmed?”
“Fourteen. Though I have a feeling The Duncan’s and The Black’s will have suitable excuses for me anytime now. The only real marks which haven’t given me the brush off are Angela and David.”
“Hey, that’s something at least. You’ve got to expect setbacks, dear. Work them into your plans. That’s part of this world. Everyone here wants to help everyone else until they don’t, and then there is no convincing them otherwise. Come here.” He extended his arms. She set down her martini and accepted his affirming embrace. “Tonight is going to work out for you, I promise.”
“Thanks, Phil.” She kissed his neck and laid her cheek on his shoulder.
Over her shoulder he watched Jeannette turn her back on a red-faced Marcel.
“After my talk with Mayor Deakins, it would be best for me to leave sooner rather than later. You go gather up The Hannovers and Tevin. I’ll make sure the lovebirds know we’re leaving in about twenty minutes. And then I’ll find Milton, wherever the devil he disappeared too.”
“He probably got as far away from that as possible,” she said with a gesture toward Marcel and Jeannette. “And I don’t blame him.”
“We’ll meet out front soon.”
They kissed and she left him.
Minutes later, he slid his empty glass across the marble bar and asked for another one. Looking into the crowd, he listened to Marcel and Jeannette’s argument without focusing on the words. He was far more interested in keeping an eye on Tevin Greene. When the next scotch was in his hand, he gazed into the pale amber liquid and realised he was going to be stuck in the back of a limousine with that man, and their Long Island home was over an hour away. In his best Bette Davis impression he said to himself, “Fasten your seatbelt, it’s going to be a bumpy night,” before he knocked back the scotch.
And when he looked again, Tevin had vanished without a trace.