Rodgers declined. “Once a week is enough. Besides, you’ve always handled her better than I have. I just don’t have the touch.” Hood said, “I just tried doing what you do for a living, Mike. You’ve got the touch all right.” “Then it’s settled,” Rodgers said. “If we can’t persuade her, we put her in a helicopter in cuffs.” “It works for me,” Hood said as his assistant, “Bugs” Benet, poked his head from his office down the hall. He informed the director that the Senator had just arrived.
With Rodgers’s good wishes following him down the hall, Hood hurried to meet Senator Fox at the elevator.
The woman arrived with her two assistants and a sly expression.
“Good morning, Paul,” the Senator said as she stepped out. “Have a restful weekend?” “When my wife wasn’t yelling at me for nearly getting killed, yes.” “Good.” They began walking down the hall. The Senator said, “As for me, I wasn’t resting. I was trying to figure out how I’m going to lop off heads working for the man who just saved the free world. Did you plan that, Paul? Just to make my life difficult?” “I can’t sneak anything past you, can I?” he replied.
“It’ll sure play on Larry King Live,” Senator Fox said.
“Especially a man in a wheelchair saving Ms. Thompson.
That was not only miraculous, it was a PR dream. And the press is positively loving her. Especially since she’s been turning down offers to sell movie rights to her ordeal unless she can direct it. Smart cookie.” The group reached Hood’s office. They stopped outside.
“Helping Ms. Thompson was Bob’s and Mike’s doing,” Hood said. “Not mine.” “That’s right,” she responded. “Preserving the melting pot, stopping our cities from being torn apart by riots, ending the career of the world’s next great despot. That was all you did. Well, I’m still determined to make cuts, Paul. I owe that to the taxpayer.” Hood said, “We should talk about this in my office. But we should really talk about it alone. There’s something I want to tell you.” Fox said, “I have no secrets from my associates. They may not be high-maintenance like your team, but they’re mine.” “I understand that,” Hood said. “Still, I’d like to have a moment or two alone with you.” Senior Fox said without looking at her aides, “”Would you mind waiting here? I’ll be right back.” Neil Lippes and Bobby Winter declined Hood’s offer to wait in an office. After Senator Fox stepped inside, Hood shut the door.
“Have a seat,” Hood said as he walked to his desk.
“I’ll stand, thank you,” she replied. “This won’t take long.” Hood decided to remain in front of the desk, not behind it. He had a personal loathing for theatrics and wanted to make this as clean and direct as possible. But he knew he had better be close to her.
He picked up a manila envelope from the desk. He held it toward her but didn’t let go.
“This was delivered over the weekend via the German diplomatic pouch,” Hood said. “It’s from Deputy Foreign Minister Hausen.” Hood waited. He’d gone to Matt’s condo on Sunday and had him run a computer analysis to make sure. There was no doubt. Though he’d been dreading this moment since the package arrived, he had to go through with it.
“I’m listening,” Fox said.
Hood said, “Years ago, Gerard Dominique and Richard Hausen were students together in Paris. They were out one night. They’d been drinking.” Fox’s naturally ruddy cheeks lost some of their color.
Her dark eyes fell to the package.
“May I?” she asked, holding out her hand.
Hood gave it to her. She brought it toward her, holding it in both hands. She pressed it between her thumbs and index fingers, moved them from side to side trying to feel what was inside.
“Photographs,” she said.
Hood came closer. He said gently, “Senator, please sit down.” She shook her head and put a hand into the envelope.
She selected a photograph without looking. She looked at it.
The color snapshot showed a girl standing on the top of the Eiffel Tower, hazy Paris spread behind her.
“Lucy,” the Senator said. Her voice was choked, barely audible. She put it back and then hugged the envelope to her breast. “What happened, Paul?” Hood watched as tears filled her eyes. She blinked them away and crushed the envelope tighter.
“Dominique attacked them,” Hood said. “Hausen tried to stop him. We found these photographs in Dominique’s office at Demain.” The Senator’s eyes were shut. Her breath was shallow.
“My baby,” she said. “My Lucy.” Hood wanted to put his arms around her. Instead he just watched her, aware of the inadequacy of any words or gestures he might offer. He was also aware of the political icon becoming flesh. And he knew then that whatever might come between them in the future, she could never entirely retreat from him. Not after what they’d just shared.
The Senator obviously knew it too. She relaxed her arms and looked at Hood. Then she took a cleansing breath and returned the envelope to Hood. “Would you mind keeping these for a time? After twenty-five years, you’ve given me— well, it’s the buzzword of the nineties,” the Senator said, “but you’ve given me closure. I’m just not ready yet to deal with the grief again. I suspect there will be a lot of that in Dominique’s trial.” “I understand,” Hood said. He laid the envelope behind him on the desk. He remained standing so she wouldn’t have to see it.
The public Senator began to return almost at once. Her eyes cleared, her shoulders straightened, her voice became stronger.
“So. You know that now I can’t make cutbacks,” she said.
Hood said, “Senator, I didn’t do this for political favors.” “I know. Which is even more of a reason why I have to fight for you. I was being snippy when I arrived, but Op- Center has proven its worth. So have you. Coming from most of the people I know, this moment would have reeked of manipulation. Washington isn’t a training ground for real intimacy but you created it here today. And I do believe, Paul, with all my soul, that we have to get behind our worthy people as well as our worthy institutions.” She offered her hand. Hood shook it.
“Thank you for today,” she said. “I’ll call later so we can arrange another meeting. Let’s figure out how we can satisfy the budget watchdogs and you.” “I warn you,” Hood smiled, “I may need more money.
I’ve got an idea for a new agency.” “That may be the way to get more money,” the Senator said. “Cut from Op-Center, give it back with extra for a different agency. It’s smoke and mirrors but everyone’s happy.” Senator Fox showed herself out, ignoring her aides’ questioning looks as she marched them toward the elevator.
Hood went around the desk and sat down. He put the envelope in a drawer. Then he took his wallet from his jacket pocket, removed the ticket stubs, and tore them up.
He put them in an envelope and tucked them in the drawer.
After twenty-five years, Hood felt that he had closure as well.