In other words, Charlie said, were going to assume Greg Lowry was the connection between Blowfish and Walter, hope to hell Edgar has nothing to do with it, and stop looking.
Even if it were true that Westermann gave the Eliot womans chain to Blowfish, thered be no way to prove it, Finn said reasonably. And if he did, that still wouldnt prove he knew anything about the Eliot homicide. Just that he was willing to do Glybenhall a favor and Ford Corrington a little dirt. We already have six bodies on this: Corrington, Lowry, Glybenhall, the Winston woman, the two gangbangers. Seven, if you count Jennifer Eliot. Im not sure whats to be gained by pursuing Westermann.
You mean, youre not sure how it would do whats left of my political career any good, or yours when you make your run for Attorney General. What, you thought that was a secret? No, lets not screw with Edgar Westermann just to clean up some mess in Harlem. Isnt that right, John? Yes, fine. He rode right over whatever the Police Commissioner had been about to say. If proof Edgars involved jumps up and bites you in the ass, go with it. Otherwise, drop it. Charlie snorted. So when the smoke clears, the son of a bitch who ends up untouchable is Edgar Westermann.
No one answered.
Abruptly, Charlie stood. He had to get out of this room before the top of his head blew off. Tomorrow too soon for a complete report?
The room was silent with surprise. The Police Commissioner recovered first. No, sir, he said, answering for the men whod be putting in the overtime to produce it.
Good. Thank you, gentlemen. And Lena, of course. The mayor strode through the door to his inner office and slammed it behind him.
City Hall
You cant be telling me youre surprised. Hands in his pockets, leaning on the doorjamb the way he used to on the lampposts in Red Hook when he was young, the mayor watched the deputy mayor cross the room. Its completely Edgar. Kicking me while Im down.
Surprised? No. Don threw the window open. Pissed. In this whole shitstorm hes the only one who came out smelling like a rose. So why call a press conference and dredge it all up? Whats the goddamn point?
To kick off his mayoral campaign with a bang.
Why couldnt he just let it go? Consider himself lucky, focus on the future
Put this behind us? Get some closure?
Around the cigarette he was lighting, Don said, Youre fucking good-natured for a guy who was called the most corrupt New Yorker since Boss Tweed.
Hey, its politics.
Edgars gunning for you, Charlie! He said the rumor you and Corrington were double-crossing Glybenhall is true.
He said he hadnt seen anything to prove it wasnt, Charlie corrected. Im not happy about him dissing a dead man like that, but thats between Edgar and his conscience.
Edgars conscience? Who are you kidding? And with all due respect to the dead, its not Corrington Im worried about. For Gods sake, Edgar claims Shapiro would never have hired Lowry except that you insisted
I did.
and that your refusal to take Ann Montgomery off the investigation proves your arrogance is out of control. Goddammit, he practically said you knew Glybenhall killed Jen!
If that were true, Charlie asked mildly, wouldnt I have taken Ann Montgomery off the investigation?
What the hell is wrong with you? Edgar Westermann is skewering your ass!
Okay, so hes working it. Id be surprised if he didnt. Doesnt that make it even more intriguing, that now he wants a meeting?
Intriguing? For shits sake, Charlie! Hes acting like keeping you out of Albany matters as much as landing his own fat butt in this chair! Don kicked the leather armchair behind the mayors desk. And youre acting like you dont care!
Because I dont. But this wasnt the time to say that to Don.
Damn, Charlie, pull yourself together. Don shot a stream of smoke out the window. We have a campaign to run. We can still win the state, but not if youre only half here.
Not here at all, Charlie thought, but said nothing.
Look, Don said. I know this is a hard time. Youre
No, Im not. Pining for Louise, you were about to say. Of course I am, but thats not the problem.
Glybenhalls death, Corringtons, the whole thing threw her. She just needs some time alone right now.
Thats the first thing Sue Trowbridge said that you ever believed.
Don hesitated. She cant have
Because youre in political trouble? I dont buy it.
Charlie shrugged.
Shell be back.
Charlie didnt answer, not because he thought Don was wrong, but because he really didnt know.
The outer door opened. In something very close to a whisper, Lena said, Edgar Westermanns in the conference room.
Charlie nodded his thanks; softly, she closed the door. He sighed. For the last two weeks everyone around here had been walking and talking as though this were the house of the dead.
I think its a mistake to meet with him. Don tried one last time.
Noted. Lets go.
Don smashed his cigarette out. He yanked open the conference room door, stepping exaggeratedly aside to let Charlie go first.
Charlie! Delighted! Beaming, Edgar Westermann welcomed the mayor to his own conference room. And Don.
Edgar. Charlie poured himself coffee. Don took his usual chair at the end of the table with his usual scowl. No, Charlie thought: deeper than usual. Wish I could return the sentiment, the mayor told the Borough President. But Im rarely delighted to see people who call me scum on the six oclock news.
Now, Charlie
Don thinks I should have told you to suck eggs, and I did consider it. The mayor slipped into his chair. On the other hand, people who call me scum usually dont ask for meetings. The floors yours, Edgar.
Now, Charlie. Westermann smiled again. You know as well as anybody news conferences are mostly rhetoric. Got to give the people what they want! Dont make it colorful, whos going to listen?
Im listening now. But skip the color. I dont have all day.
Me, either. Lots to do, on this mayoral campaign. Though I got to say, Im shaping up to be luckier than you, first time you ran. Terms of opposition, doesnt look like I have much to worry about.
Congratulations.
Yessir, I got Harlem behind me, Brooklyn and the Bronx. I got right-thinking New Yorkers behind me. Edgar Westermanns going to give the disenfranchised a voice, give the disrespected their day in the sun
And give his campaign speech every chance he gets. But not here. Do you really want something? Or did you just come to gloat?
Gloat? Oh, Charlie, no, no! Westermanns fingers circled above the cookies on his plate. Charlie, you got yourself into a tight spot. You made a bunch of mistakes, I guess. But I know youre not a bad man, no matter what anybody says.
Including you.
Munching, Westermann nodded. Possible I did go overboard, way I spoke about you. I want to make amends. Weve always been able to work together, Charlie, no matter our differences. No reason that should change now. Im here to suggest we bury the hatchet.
Really. Charlie sipped his coffee.
Lots of acrimony, distrust of politicians going around New York right now, since this mess with Glybenhall and Lowry. Cynicism everywhere you look. Now, the signs all point to me getting elected, but I dont want to be mayor of a divided New York. And you, Charlie, you still got your eye on Albany, right? Well, then, seems to me we can help each other out.
Youre offering to rehabilitate my image. Make me look like a good guy again.
Everybody makes mistakes. Votersll understand that.
And youll tell them, because who better to hose off the shit than the guy who threw it? But damn, Edgar, Im still the one getting hosed.
Whoa, now, Charlie
So in return for a little image-polishing, you want me to help you out with this divided New York problem. Youll deliver the urban vote to get me to Albany. And Ill deliver
what?
Charlie, now dont underestimate yourself. You still got lots of supporters. Voters out in Queens, Staten Island
Oh, come off it, Edgar! You dont give a damn about them. Youre after money. You want me to smooth your way with the real estate and corporate people. You want access to the old boys network and the heavy hitters. Thats the only divide you want to erase. Well, youre welcome to them, but youll have to do it without me. Not interested, Edgar.
Frowning, Don shifted in his chair. Sorry, Don, Charlie thought, but you dont like that, wait until you hear the rest.
The Borough President regarded the mayor through narrowed eyes. Dont mind my saying so, youre making a mistake, Charlie.
You, too, Edgar. The whole goddamn point of that press conference was to back me into a corner so Id need your help getting out. Bury the hatchet? Bullshit. Ive underestimated you, but I guess a lot of people do. Thats what the damn-if-I-aint-just-a-homeboy acts for. Like when you came here to warn me about Ann Montgomery. Don and I shook our heads afterward and said, Shit, Edgars done it again. Telling me about her history with Glybenhall just about ensured shed have to stay on the case. Because how would it look if I took her off? Damn, we said to each other, Edgar wasnt thinking.
Don uncrossed and recrossed his legs, sat forward, sat back. He pulled his cigarette pack from his pocket but slapped it down without taking out a smoke.
But we were wrong, Charlie went on to Westermann. You were thinking. Or, Walter was thinking. Walter needed Montgomery to stay so he sent you to do his dirty work. Lowry wasnt Walters only puppet. You were, too, werent you? Blowfish said he got Jen Eliots chain from you. Thats true, isnt it? You went to Walter with Coles story about Corrington and the Eliot girl, and Walter gave you the goddamn chain to plant! Jesus Christ, Don, would you hold still? Edgar, youre as dirty as anyone else in this. I cant prove it but I can tell you to take your help and shove it up your ass.
The silence was so complete Charlie could hear a bird tweet in the park.
Charlie. Westermann spoke with cold control. Talk like that could do our friendship some serious damage. But Im going to do the Christian thing and forgive you. Youve been under a lot of stress and I know you dont mean none of that. And as your friend, I suggest you reconsider my offer. You wont get to Albany without my help.
Oh, well, nows as good as any other time. Im not running.
It was a stop-motion moment: Westermanns sugar cookie hovering halfway to his mouth; and Don, frozen mid-fidget, immobile for what might be the first time in all the years Charlie had known him. Except for the color draining from his face.
Im sorry. Charlie addressed his deputy mayor. This wasnt the greatest timing, Don, here in a meeting like this. But Ive had it. He turned back to Westermann, as though the Borough President, soon to be mayor, deserved an explanation. Walter was a greedy, pompous bastard, and Lowry was a dirty cop. Those gang bangers, well
And the Eliot girl? Anyone with the bad judgment to sleep with Walter, what could she expect? And the Winston woman was just collateral damage. See? Im cynical and greedy enough myself, it seems, to be able to write all that off and keep going. But Ford Corrington Corrington was something else. He wasnt like you, Edgar, and me, and every other son of a bitch in this city who claims to be the Second Coming. Corrington and the Garden Project actually did people some good.
Westermann gripped the table edge with fat fingers. Icily, he said, The Garden Projects still there. Reverend Holdsclaws taking it over.
Not the point, the mayor said.
What the hell is the point?
Charlie turned in wonder. That outburst came not from Westermann, but from Don. Did you
What the hell do you mean, youre not running?
Color had come back to Dons face; in fact Charlie had never seen him this red. Or heard him speak in a meeting, in eighteen years.
Im sorry, Charlie said again. But Im through. This is all on me. It all goes back to my deal with Walter.
Oh, what bullshit! No mayor ever born wouldnt have made that deal!
Ah. Charlie smiled sadly. But I was supposed to be different. You know, though, its not even that I was willing to make the deal. Its that Id convinced myself it was a good deal. The Bronx would get a nice project, Harlem would get a boost. Walters help would make me governor and then Id be able to do even more good. It was horseshit. And I sold it to myself and I bought it. I dont mind so much being a bad, bad man. What I mind is that I never noticed I was one.
Don stared. This is why Louise left you.
The mayor nodded. Not because Im in trouble. Because I dont care. Shed be right here doing stand-by-your-man if I ran and lost. But choosing not to run it was as though she found out Id used a false name when I married her.
Westermann cleared his throat. Now, Charlie
Oh, shut up, Edgar. One of the great things about leaving politics is I wont have to listen to you anymore.
You cant. Dons voice was rough. You cant do this. After what I
Don, I know how hard youve worked, Charlie told him. I understand how you feel. But its over.
You have no fucking idea! Don exploded from his chair and strode back and forth across the end of the room, as though lost in the woods, searching for the path.
Don? Its not
Fuck, Charlie! Don whipped a folded paper from his pocket and slammed it onto the table.
Whats that?
The text of an e-mail, Don said tightly. From Jen to me. A Dear John letter.
I thought you broke up with her.
I did. But I felt guilty. This was her way of telling me not to worry.
Charlie glanced from Don to Edgar, reached for the paper, and started to read. He felt his skin grow cold. Wait. I dont get it, he said, rereading, hoping that was true, that he wasnt getting it.