“Lucy will not be charged with any crime unless it is proven that she stole from ERF. But as we speak, her future is ruined–at least in terms of a career in law enforcement or any other one that might involve a background investigation.”
“Have they proven that she was the one who got in at three in the morning?”
“They have as much proof as they need, Frank. And that’s the problem.
I’m not certain how hard they’ll work to clear her name, if she is innocent.
“If?”
“I’m trying to keep an open mind.” I reached for my coffee and decided that the last thing I needed was more physical stimulation. My heart was racing and I could not keep my hands still.
“I can talk to the director,” Lord said.
“All I want is someone behind the scenes making sure this thing is thoroughly investigated. With Lucy gone, they may not think it matters, especially since there is so much else to cope with. And she’s just a college student, for God’s sake. So why should they care?”
“I would hope the Bureau would care more than that,” he said, his mouth grim.
“I understand bureaucracies. I’ve worked in them all my life.”
“As have I.”
“Then you must be clear on what I’m saying.”
“I am.”
“They want her in Richmond with me until next semester,” I said.
“Then that is their verdict.” He reached for his coffee again.
“Exactly. And that’s easy for them, but what about my niece? She’s only twenty-one years old. Her dream has just blown up mid flight What is she supposed to do? Go back to UVA after Christmas and pretend nothing went wrong?”
“Listen.” He touched my arm with a tenderness that always made me wish he were my father.
“I will do what I can without the impropriety of meddling with an administrative problem. Trust me on that front?”
“I do.”
“In the meantime, if you don’t mind a little personal advice?” He motioned for the waitress as he glanced at his watch.
“Well, I’m late.” He looked back at me.
“Your biggest problem is a domestic one.”
“I disagree,” I said with feeling.
“You can disagree all you like.” He smiled at the waitress as she gave him the check.
“You’re the closest thing to a mother Lucy has ever had. How are you going to help her through this?”
“I thought I was doing that today.”
“And I thought you were doing this because you wanted to see me. Excuse me? ” He motioned for the waitress.
“I don’t think this is our check. We didn’t have four entrees.”
“Let me see. Oh, my. Oh, I sure am sorry. Senator Lord. It’s the table there.”
“In that case, make Senator Kennedy pay both tabs. His and mine.” He handed her both bills.
“He won’t object. He believes in tax and spend.” The waitress was a big woman in a black dress and white apron, and hair stiffened into a black pageboy. She smiled and suddenly felt fine about her mistake.
“Yes, sir! I sure will tell the senator that.”
“And you tell him to add on a generous tip, Missouri,” he said as she walked off.
“You tell him I said so.” Missouri Rivers wasn’t a day younger than seventy, and since she’d left Raleigh decades ago on a northbound train, she had seen senators feast and fast, resign and get reelected, fall in love and fall from glory. She knew when to interrupt and get on with the business of serving food, and when to refill tea or simply disappear. She knew the secrets of the heart hidden so well in this lovely room, for the true measure of a human being is the way he treated people like her when no one was observing. She loved Senator Lord.
I knew that from the soft light in her eyes when she looked at him or heard his name.
“I’m just encouraging you to spend some time with Lucy,” he continued.
“And don’t get caught up in slaying other people’s dragons, especially her dragons.”
“I don’t believe she can slay this dragon alone.”
“My point is that Lucy doesn’t need to know from you we had this conversation today. She doesn’t need to know from you that I will pick up the phone on her behalf as soon as I return to my office. If anybody tells her anything, let it be me.”