Stillwatch (31 page)

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Authors: Mary Higgins Clark

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Anthologies (Multiple Authors)

BOOK: Stillwatch
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At ten minutes past four, Pat managed to reach Sam from the lobbyof the Potomac Cable Network building. Without mentioning theirquarrel, she told him about Eleanor Brown. “I couldn’t stop her. Shewas determined to turn herself in.”“Calm down, Pat. I’ll send a lawyer to see her. How long will yoube at the network?”“I don’t know. Have you seen the
Tribune
today?”“Just the headlines.”“Read the second section. A columnist I met the other night heardwhere I lived and rehashed everything.”“Pat, I’ll be here. Come over when you finish at the network.”

 

Luther was waiting for her in his office. She had expected to betreated as a pariah. Instead, he was fairly restrained. “The Apple Junctionshooting went well,” he told her. “It snowed there yesterday and thatwhole cruddy backwoods looked like the American dream. We caughtthe Saunders house, the high school with the crèche in front and MainStreet with its Christmas tree. We put a sign in front of the town hall:‘Apple Junction, Birthplace of Senator Abigail Foster Jennings.’”Luther puffed on a cigarette. “That old lady, Margaret Langley,was a good interview. Kind of classy-looking and quaint. Nice touchhaving her talk about what a dedicated student the Senator was andshowing the yearbook.”Pat realized that somehow it had become
Luther ’s
idea to dobackground shots in Apple Junction. “Have you seen the footage fromlast night and this morning?” she asked.“Yes. It’s okay. You might have gotten a little more of Abigailactually working at her desk. The sequence at Christmas dinner was fine.”

 

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“Surely you’ve seen today’s
Tribune?
”“Yes.” Luther ground his cigarette into the ashtray and reachedfor another one. His voice changed. Telltale red spots appeared in hischeeks. “Pat, would you mind laying your cards on the table andexplaining why you gave out that story?”“Why I
what?
”Now the restraint in Luther ’s manner disappeared. “Maybe a lotof people would consider it coincidence that so much has happenedthis week to give the Senator sensational publicity. I happen not tobelieve in coincidence. I agree with what Abigail said after that firstpicture came out in the
Mirror.
You’ve been out from day one toforce us to produce this program
your
way. And I think you’ve usedevery trick in the books to get personal publicity for yourself. Thereisn’t anyone in Washington who isn’t talking about Pat Traymore.”“If you believe that, you ought to fire me.”“And give you more headlines? No way. But just as a matter ofcuriosity, will you answer a few questions for me?”“Go ahead.”“The first day in this office, I told you to edit out any reference toCongressman Adams and his wife. Did you know you were rentingtheir house?”“Yes, I did.”“Wouldn’t it have been natural to mention it?”“I don’t think so. I certainly edited out every single picture ofthem from the Senator’s material—and incidentally, I did a damngood job of it. Have you run through all those films?”“Yes. You did do a good job. Then suppose you tell me yourreasoning for the threats. Anyone who knows the BUSINESS wouldrealize that whether or not you worked on the program it was goingto be completed.”Pat chose her words carefully. “I think the threats were just that—
threats
. I don’t think anyone ever meant to harm me, just scare meoff. I think that someone is afraid to have the program made andthought that if I didn’t do it the project would be dropped.” She paused,then added deliberately, “That person couldn’t know I’m just afigurehead in a campaign to make Abigail Jennings Vice President.”

 

197

 

“Are you trying to insinuate . . .?”“No, not insinuate: state. Look, I fell for it. I fell for being hired sofast, for being rushed down here to do three months’ work in a week,for having the material for the program spoon-fed to me by you andthe Senator. The little claim this program will have to being an honestdocumentary is because of the segments I had to force down yourthroats. It’s only because of the rotten publicity I’ve inadvertentlycaused Abigail Jennings that I’m going to do my best to make thisprogram work for her. But I warn you, when it’s over, there are somethings I intend to investigate.”“Such as . . . ?”“Such as Eleanor Brown, the girl who was convicted of embezzlingthe campaign funds. I saw her today. She was about to turn herself into the police. And she swears she never touched that money.”“Eleanor Brown turned herself in?” Luther interrupted. “We canmake a plus out of that. As a parole violator, she won’t get bail.”“Congressman Kingsley is trying to have bail set.”“That’s a mistake. I’ll see that she stays put until the Presidentmakes his appointment. After that, who cares? She had a fair trial.We’ll talk about the case on the program just as we’ve written it, onlywe’ll add the fact that because of the program she turned herself in.That’ll spike her guns if she wants to make trouble.”Pat felt that somehow she had betrayed her trust. “I happen to thinkthat girl is innocent, and if she is, I’ll fight to get her a new trial.”“She’s guilty,” Luther snapped. “Otherwise why did she breakparole? She’s probably gone through that seventy thousand bucksnow and wants to be able to stop running. Don’t forget: a panel ofjurors convicted her unanimously. You still believe in the jury system,I hope? Now, is there anything else? Any single thing that you knowthat could reflect badly on the Senator?”She told him about Catherine Graney.“So she’s talking about suing the network?” Luther lookedimmensely pleased. “And you’re worried about that?”“If she starts gossiping about the Jennings marriage . . . the veryfact that the Senator wasn’t left a penny by her mother-in-law. . . .”“Abigail will have the wholehearted support of every woman in

 

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America who’s put up with a miserable mother-in-law. As far as theJennings marriage goes, it’s this Graney woman’s word against theSenator and Toby . . . don’t forget he was a witness to their last timetogether. And what about the letter you gave me that the Senatorwrote to her husband? That’s dated only a few days before he died.”“We
assume
that. Someone else could point out that she neverfilled in the
year.
”“She can fill it in now if necessary. Anything else?”“To the best of my knowledge those are the only two places wherethe Senator might have unfavorable publicity. I’m prepared to givemy word of honor on that.”“All right.” Luther seemed appeased. “I’m taking a crew to tapethe Senator going into her home this evening—that end-of-the-dayworking scene.”“Don’t you want me at that taping?”“I want you as far away from Abigail Jennings as you can get untilshe has time to calm down. Pat, have you read your contract with thisnetwork carefully?”“I think so.”“Then you do realize we have the right to cancel your employmenthere for a specified cash settlement? Frankly, I don’t buy the cock-and-bull story that someone is trying to keep this program from beingmade. But I almost admire you for having made yourself a householdword in Washington, and you’ve done it by piggybacking onto awoman who’s dedicated her whole life to public service.”“Have
you
read my contract?” Pat asked.“I wrote it.”“Then you do know you gave me creative control of the projectsto which I’m assigned. Do you think you’ve fulfilled my contractthis week?” She opened the door of Luther’s office, sure that everyonein the newsroom was listening to them.Luther ’s last words echoed through the room: “By this time nextweek the terms of your contract will be moot.”It was one of the few times in her life that Pat slammed a door.

 

Fifteen minutes later she was giving her name to the desk clerk inSam’s apartment building.

 

199

 

Sam was waiting in the hallway when the elevator stopped at hisfloor. “Pat, you look bushed,” he told her.“I am.” Wearily she looked up at him. He was wearing the sameArgyle sweater he’d had on the night before. With a stab of pain shenoted again how it brought out the blueness of his eyes. He took herarm and they walked down the long corridor.Inside the apartment, her immediate impression was surprise atthe decor. Charcoal gray sectional furniture was grouped in the centerof the room. The walls had a number of good prints and a few first-class paintings. The carpet was wall-to-wall in a tweedy gray-black-and-white combination.Somehow in Sam’s home she’d expected a more traditional look—a couch with arms, easy chairs, family pieces. An Oriental, howeverworn, would have been a distinct improvement over the carpet. Heasked her what she thought of the place and she told him.Sam’s eyes crinkled. “You sure know how to get invited back,don’t you? You’re right, of course. I wanted to make a clean sweep,start over, and naturally outdid myself. I agree. This place does looklike a motel lobby.”“Then why stay here? I gather you have other options.”“Oh, the apartment is fine,” Sam said easily. “It’s just the furniturethat bugs me. I rang out the old but didn’t know exactly what the newwas supposed to be.”It was a half-joking statement that suddenly assumed too much weight.“By any chance, do you have a Scotch for a tired lady?” she asked.“Sure do.” He went over to the bar. “Lots of soda, one ice cube,twist of lemon if possible, but don’t worry if you’re out of lemon.”He smiled.“I’m sure I don’t sound that wimpy.”“Not wimpy, just considerate.” He mixed the drinks and placedthem on the cocktail table. “Sit down and don’t be so fidgety. Howdid the studio go?”“By this time next week I probably won’t have a job. You see,Luther really thinks I’m pulling all this as a publicity stunt and herather admires my moxie for trying it.”“I think Abigail has somewhat the same view.”

 

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Pat raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure you’d be the first to know. Sam, Ihardly expected to call you so quickly after last night. In fact, my guesswould have been a nice three-month cooling-off period before we metas disinterested friends. But I do need some help fast, and I certainlycan’t look to Luther Pelham for it. So I’m afraid you’re elected.”“Not exactly the reason I’d choose to hear from you, but I’m gladto be of service.”Sam was different today. She could feel it. It was as though thatvacillating aimlessness were missing. “Sam, there was somethingelse about the break-in.” As calmly as possible, she told him aboutthe Raggedy Ann doll. “And now the doll is gone.”“Pat, are you telling me that someone has been back in your housewithout you knowing it?”“Yes.”“Then you’re not going to spend another minute there.”Restlessly she got up and walked over to the window. “That isn’tthe answer. Sam, in a crazy way the fact that the doll is gone is almostreassuring. I don’t think whoever has been threatening me reallyintends to hurt me. Otherwise he certainly would have done it. I thinkhe’s afraid of what the program might do to
him.
And I’ve got someideas.” Quickly she explained her analysis of the Eleanor Brown case.“If Eleanor Brown wasn’t lying, Toby was. If Toby was lying, theSenator was covering up for him, and that seems incredible. Butsuppose another person was involved who could imitate Toby’s voice,who knew about Eleanor ’s storeroom and planted just enough of themoney to make her look guilty?”“How do you explain the doll and the threats?”“I think someone who knew me when I was little, and may haverecognized me, is trying to scare me and stop this program. Sam,what do you make of this?
Toby
knew me when I was little. Toby hasbecome truly hostile toward me. I thought at first it was because ofthe Senator and all the bad publicity, but the other day he kept eyeingthe library as though he was casing it. And after he left, he let himselfback in. He didn’t realize I intended to follow him to slide the safetybolt. He tried to say he was just testing the lock and that anyonecould get in and I should be careful. I fell for that—but Sam, I really

 

201

 

am nervous about him. Could you have him checked out and see ifhe’s ever been in trouble? I mean real trouble?”“Yes, I can. I never liked that bird myself.” He came up behindher, put his arms around her waist. In an instinctive reaction she leanedback against him. “I’ve missed you, Pat.”“Since last night?”“No, since two years ago.”“You could have fooled me.” For a moment she gave herself up tothe sheer joy of being close to him; then she turned and faced him.“Sam, a little residual affection doesn’t add up to what I want. Sowhy don’t you just . . .”His arms were tight around her. His lips were no longer tentative.“I’m fresh out of residual affection.”For long moments they stood there, silhouetted against the window.Finally Pat stepped back. Sam let her go. They looked at eachother. “Pat,” he said, “everything you said last night was true exceptone thing. There is absolutely nothing between Abigail and me. Canyou give me a little time to find myself again? I didn’t know until Isaw you this week that I’ve been functioning like a zombie.”She tried to smile. “You seem to forget, I need some time too.Memory Lane isn’t as simple as I expected it to be.”“Do you think you’re getting honest impressions of that night?”“Honest, perhaps, but not particularly desirable. I’m beginning tobelieve my mother may have been the one who went crazy that night,and somehow that’s harder.”“Why do you think that?”“It’s not why I
think
it, but why she may have snapped that interestsme now. Well, one more day and ‘The Life and Times of AbigailJennings’ will be presented to the world. And at that point I startdoing some real investigating. I just wish to God this whole thingwasn’t so rushed. Sam, there’s too much that doesn’t hang together.And I don’t care what Luther Pelham thinks. That segment about theplane crash is going to blow up in Abigail’s face. Catherine Graneymeans business.”She declined his invitation to dinner. “This has been a gruelingday. I was up at four o’clock to get ready for the Senator ’s office, andtomorrow we finish taping. I’m going to fix a sandwich and be in bedby nine o’clock.”

 

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