Sharky's Machine (9 page)

Lowenthal walked over to him. ‘Look, you got a lot going for you. You’re handsome, honest, got a great record.

You’re a war hero; you left a foot in Korea and came back with the Distinguished Service Cross and a Purple Heart. You took a little nothing business and an SBA loan and parlayed it into a national franchise, You’re a lawyer, a soldier, a businessman. Got a great family. Mr. Clean. And it’s all beautiful and great. What it gets you, it gets you into the gate, period.

‘After that, it’s a balls-out race. What I can do for you, I can bring in some real heavyweights. Joe McGuire, Angie Costerone, John Davis Harmon. They’ll come aboard if I’m aboard. I can work the demographics, tell you how to get the Chicano vote in L.A., the blacks and Puerto Ricans in New York, the Irish vote in Boston, the Polish vote in Chicago, deal with the unions, the city machines, the state hacks. We can do all that. But it won’t mean a damn unless we come off big. You got to open up your campaign lilce a winner and run like one. When we announce we have to take the biggest hail in the state and fill it with the kids, the senior citizens, blacks, reds, yellows, greens, pinks, Wasps. We want bands and noise and, uh, what we can’t do, we can’t come out with bupkus. You know bupkus? It’s Yiddish. It means nothing, zilch. A quiet noise. You sneak into this campaign and Fitz figures he’s got you dead already. You come out big, with me and McGuire and the rest, it’s gonna scare him to death.’

Hotchins grinned. He was going to come out big, all right. That, he could guarantee.

Phipps Plaza was one of the city’s more elegant shopping centres, located a few minutes from Victor DeLaroza’s office, its parking lot three storeys deep and under the mall. At two that Thursday afternoon there were only a few cars on the lower level. One of them was a brown Rolls- Royce which sat facing the exit ramp, its motor mumbling softly.

Hotchins guided his Buick down the ramp and parked beside it. As he got out of his car the rear door of the Rolls swung open and Hotchins got into its elegant interior. DeLaroza was sipping a cup of espresso, an enormous Havana cigar smouldering in his fist. He grinned as the senator sat beside him and he pressed a button in the armrest near his elbow. A window rose silently between the front and back seats.

‘Bom dia,’ DeLaroza said.

Hotchins shook his hand warmly. ‘I feel like I’m in the CIA,’ he said, ‘sneaking around parking lots just to have a chat. You should have come to the hotel. I want you to meet Lowenthal.’

‘All in time,’ DeLaroza said. ‘I still put a high price on my privacy. When it becomes necessary for me to become a. more public person, then I will deal with that problem at he time. So, what is so urgent?’

‘Lowenthal’s in.’

‘Excellent, excellent!’ DeLaroza cried.

‘And he’s bringing in McGuire, Casterone, and Harmon with him.’

‘Ah! Even better. That is splendid news. More than you had hoped for, eh?’

Hotchins’s voice became flat and hard. His eyes narrowed. ‘I was counting on it,’ he said. ‘Lowenthal is like an ace in a poker game. Without help he could be beat by a pair of deuces.’

‘An interesting analogy. And who are these deuces?’

‘Fitzgerald and Humphrey.’

So, the National Committee has made its choice.’

‘Yes.’

‘It is no surprise, my friend, right’?’

‘No. And I like it this way,’ Hotchins said. ‘When the convention’s over, we’ll have Fitzgerald at our feet. That’s what I want. I want them all to line up and kiss my ass.’

DeLaroza’s eyebrows arched as he listened to Hotchins’s venom spii1 out. He said, ‘I am sure Fitzgerald is aware of this threat.’

‘Sure he is. They’re going to fight us hard and dirty. That’s all right. It’ll make the victory that much sweeter. .1 tell you, Victor, I can taste it. Taste it.’ Hotchins’s eyes burned with almost sensual delight as he spoke.

‘Easy, my friend. Save that energy, it is a long time between now and July.’

But Hotchins’s ardour could not be stemmed. He bad contained himself in Lowenthal’s presence, not wishing to reveal his need. Now he let go, savouring what he felt was a sweet victory.

‘1 can feel it in my bones,’ he said. ‘Lowenthal’s committed. He’s excited, enthusiastic. And he’s a brilliant tactician. Just what we need to go up against the committee. Now we can beat ‘em, I know it. We can grind the sons of bitches under.’

DeLaroza stared at the senator and puffed on his Havana. Somewhere within the immaculate framework of the Rolls an exhaust fan quietly sucked the smoke from the rear compartment.

‘You remember a movie with Brando called
One-Eyed Jacks?’
DeLaroza said.

‘Why? What’s the point?’

‘You remind me of a one-eyed jack. The rest of the world sees only half your face. They see the veteran hero, the warm family man, charging windmills, tilting with the political machines. How many people ever see the other side, the hidden face of the jack?’

‘Why, what do you see there?’ Hotchins asked cautiously.

‘A barracuda. A competitor with big needs, big hungers. it is what attracted me to you, Donald. That is why you will win. It will not be because of Lowenthal or Casterone or any of the others. You will win because you have an instinct for the jugular and that will surprise them.’

Hotchins leaned forward in the seat, tense and suddenly uneasy. They had never talked this openly before. Finally he said, ‘Takes one to know one, right, Victor?’

‘Oh, I am not a barracuda,’ DeLaroza said. ‘The barracuda is selective, it picks its victims to appease its appetite. I am a shark, Donald. I will eat anything that comes in my way.’

‘Sounds like a warning,’ Hotchins said.

‘No. I want to make sure you are aware that I too have big appetites. And I also go for the throat.’

Hotchins pondered the comment for a few moments and then laughed. ‘All right,’ be said.

DeLaroza laughed with him. He puffed on the cigar again, then said, ‘Now, what are the complications?’

It was Hotchins’s turn to raise his eyebrows. ‘Complications? Who said anything about complications?’

‘My friend, there are always complications.’

Hotchins rubbed his hands together but said nothing.

‘1 would guess,’ said DeLaroza, ‘that it is money.’

‘You’re a mind reader.’

‘Not really. The last thing one always discusses is the price.’

Hotchins’s blue eyes grew colder. He looked DeLaroza hard in the eyes. ‘The price is two million dollars.’

The big man said nothing for a few minutes. He puffed on the Havana, savouring the taste of the smoke on his tongue, letting the smoke ease from his lips, watching it race towards the concealed exhaust vents. Then be said, ‘Is this Lowenthal’s estimate?’

Hotchins nodded.

‘He’s low,’ DeLaroza said.

‘Low?’

‘Yes, low. According to our computer, it will take four point six million. That is, of course, considering all the variables. Possible run-offs, et cetera. Add on a ten per cent contingency, over five million.’

Hotchins chewed his lips. He looked out the window of the car, staring around the tomblike interior of the parking lot. A Honda pulled in and stopped and a hassled suburban wife lifted a crying child from the car, then dragged him along behind her towards the elevators.

‘I know what you are thinking, DeLaroza said, ‘you are thinking how could Lowenthal make such a sizeable error. Correct?’

‘It crossed my mind.’

‘It is simple. The last time he was involved in a campaign was ‘68. In ‘72 his man lost in the primary, but principle was Involved. We cannot fault him there. The point is, it is eight years since he was involved in a campaign that went all the way. Inflation. New Methods. The cost of television, newspaper advertising, all rising every day. Many things could account for the discrepancy. He is not an accountant. His political acumen is beyond value. With his friends, you have a package worth more than a million dollars. You probably could not buy them for that.’

‘You can’t buy them at all,’ Hotchins said.

‘I would tend to doubt that. It is naive, but also immaterial. We have them, that is what is important.’ He paused, then mused aloud, ‘Five million dollars. A lot of money.’

‘Yes,’ Hotchins said. ‘Now we have some strong bank commitments and...’

DeLaroza held up a hand. ‘Donald,
. .
Donald,
wait. I said a lot of money. I did not say too much money. You have relied on my financial advice for what
—
sixteen years now? Are you getting nervous because the price is going up?’

‘It has to be done carefully,’ Hotchins said. ‘You know the rules of disclosure. If Fitzgerald can turn up anything

‘Please,’ DeLaroza said, ‘do not tell the bunter how to load his gun.’

Hotchins stopped. Then be patted DeLaroza on the knee.
‘Sorry,’ he
said.

‘The money is my problem,’ DeLaroza said. ‘There is this other thing.’

‘It can wait,’ Hotchins said quickly.

‘No, I think not.’

‘It can wait!’

‘No.’

The muscles in the corners of Hotchins’s jaw quivered, then grew rigid. The fiat, hard tone returned to his ‘voice. ‘It is personal, Victor.’

‘It is a dangerous thing now. Before it was merely risky. I could understand it. I know that kind of hunger. But...’

‘It’s still
my
business.’

‘I have never risked five million dollars on you before, Donald.’

‘Ah, so now I find out where the strings are.’

‘Have there ever been strings attached before?’

‘No. But I knew there must be a price. Sooner or later there had to be a price. I guess now is as good a time as any to settle that.’

‘You are getting off the subject.’

‘This
is
the subject.’

‘You are getting angry,’ DeLaroza said.

‘You’re damn right. We’re getting into my personal life
—‘

‘You have no personal life any more.’

‘Half the politicians in Washington have mistresses.’

‘Half the politicians in Washington are not running for president.’

‘Jesus!’

‘Donald, we are friends. After all it was 1 who introduced you to the woman. I saw the need. Understood it. But now it must wait until after the election.’

‘You think she’s going to wait around until after the election? Hell, you know her better than that, Victor. Besides, it’s not just me, it’s the idea of me that fascinates her.’

DeLaroza nodded. ‘I am glad-you realize that,’ he said.

‘It would he a sign of weakness, asking her to sit in the wings until the election’s over.’

My friend, when you are in the Oval Office, you will have anything you wish. Women will be at your call.’

But I need her now, Hotchins thought to himself. ‘I’m not talking about women,’ he said, ‘I’m talking about her.’

‘Are you in love with her?’

‘Possibly. No, not really. Not in the dramatic sense. But in a way I . . . hell, I don’t know. Don’t push me. Don’t pu.th me.’

DeLaroza scowled. He was on dangerous ground and he knew it, Now was not the time to start pulling the strings. And yet, the issue was crucial to him. ‘Am I to believe that you would risk something like this for a piece of ass?’ be said.

Hotchins glowered at him, his face red, anger boiling in his eyes. ‘What was that?’ he demanded.

DeLaroza shook his head violently and waved his hand in the air. ‘I am sorry,’ he said quickly. ‘That was a foolish remark. Forgive it.’

They sat without speaking and the minutes crept by. Finally DeLaroza said, ‘We will drop it for now. I did not mean to cause harsh words. I was speaking as one friend to another. Just promise rue that you will consider it. Think about it. Will you do that?’ It annoyed him to patronize Hotchins, but he sensed two egos keening the air like duelling swords.

‘Sure,’ Hotchins said, ‘I’ll think about it.’

More silence.

Hotchins felt boxed in, but the furies began to settle down inside him. Perhaps DeLaroza was right. And yet he had never known anyone like her. Her sexuality had given him a new vigour, a vitality that he had missed for years. It was not a motivation; it was fuel for the motivation. And yet if giving her up was part of the key to winning

‘Let us get back to the money,’ DeLaroza said. ‘We have commitments from individual contributors for almost a million dollars. I can call them in today. In the meantime I can make the funds available through my own accounts. Immediately if necessary. Oh, don’t worry, it will be done properly. Nothing would ever appear as a loan.’

Hotchins held up a hand. ‘I trust you, Victor. I am sure it will be done in a way that’s above. . .‘ He started to say ‘suspicion’ but quickly changed it to ‘reproach’. He sank back in the seat. His shoulders drooped and he sighed. ‘I’m sorry too,’ he said. He held out his hand and they shook.

‘There will be many anxious times,’ DeLaroza said. ‘I sometimes forget that we are both emotional men.’

‘It’s forgotten,’ Hotchins said. ‘Look. I’ve got to get back. It’s hard for me to get away at all these days, even for a few minutes. They want an itinerary when I go to the bathroom.’

‘Get used to it,’ DeLaroza said. ‘Your private days are about over.’

‘I’ll be in touch,’ Hotchins said. ‘Thanks.’

He left the car and DeLaroza settled back. The smile vanished from his face. He sat deep in thought for several minutes. Yes, his private days are over, he thought, and so are mine. Thirty years of living in shadows and now, in a few short days, the recognition he bad needed for so long would be his. He had built an empire and was about to create a king and now, finally, he would have what be deserved — applause. An ovation! The plan to emerge from his self.. imposed cell of secrecy had started forming in his mind when he met Hotchins. It bad taken sixteen years to gestate. Sixteen years. And now the blood hammered in his temples. Four more days.

He pressed the button, lowering the window between the front and back seats of the car. Chiang, his chauffeur- bodyguard, handed him a cassette. Another addition to the Gwai-lo file. It was time to discuss matters with Kershman.

Gerald Kershman was sprawled face down on the bed, his hands and feet bound to the corners by velvet cords. Sweat stung his eyes and he gulped for air as the strips of leather bit into his already tortured flesh. He turned his face into the silk sheets that muffled his cries of pain. The naked young man standing over him with the cat o’ nine tails was hard and lithe; his blond hair tumbled in sweaty ringlets over his forehead.