She returned her attention to the magazine. Damn the press. And damn Jack Rudly. First he’d hurt Katherine, and now he’d gone after Warner. She realized that as a journalist he had a job to do, but this felt personal. If he wanted a blood bath, she’d give him one, but it wasn’t Warner’s blood that was going to be spilled.

Bobby Young peddled hard against the wind, racing his new bike against his father’s car. At the stop sign. Bobby pulled up short and waved a mittened hand at his father.

Richard Young motioned for his son to zip up his coat, then gave him a thumbs-up before turning the corner and heading toward his office.

Bobby jumped the curb, turned in the opposite direction, and peddled with all of his might toward his elementary school. The flaps of his open jacket blew behind him like the cape of Superman.

Tires squealed on pavement as a truck burned a strip of rubber around the corner ahead of him.

Bobby looked up quickly. His gaze caught in the eyes of the Asian driver. He swerved to the edge of the road. His bike skidded on a patch of gravel. He fought for control.

The Ford Explorer matched his swerve, bearing down on him for a head on collision.

Bobby screamed as the SUV snagged his front wheel, crushing the rim and flipping the bike.

Bobby somersaulted through the air. His nine-year-old body cracked into the windshield, flew over the roof of the Explorer and landed on the ground behind the vehicle.

Associated Press

January 16,2000

Senator Young’s Son Critically Injured

ATLANTA – Senator Richard Young’s son, Bobby, age nine, was seriously injured when hit by a car. His condition is considered serious, but stable. Witnesses say the accident was a hit and run. Bobby Young was riding his bike when a white Ford Explorer swerved around a corner, hitting the boy head on. A witness described the hit-and-run driver as an Asian female. She is wanted for questioning.

Nick walked into Carolyn’s office and handed her a hot dog. “Lunch is served.”

“Nutritious.” Carolyn accepted.

“The path is almost clear for us.” Nick said, then bit into his own hot dog as he sank down into the nearest chair.

“I think Davis and Landon are both out of it. We still have to worry about Gaston, though. He could be tough to beat since New Hampshire is his home state.” Carolyn wiped mustard from the corners of her mouth with a tissue. “And I can’t believe our luck. David Taylor’s defeating himself. I don’t get it. He’s got the best of the best as far as political advisors are concerned. No offense to you, of course, yet he appears completely disorganized.”

“You’re right. They haven’t been able to define his campaign. People don’t know what he stands for or what he presents. He’ll get killed in the primaries.” Nick waved his hot dog for emphasis.

“I’m worried about Richard Young and his family,” she said. “What a horrible accident. Not that I ever liked the man, but I can’t stand the thought of that little boy lying in a hospital bed. Thank God, he’s going to make it. Did we send flowers yet?”

Nick nodded. “Rumor has it Young is going to withdraw from the primaries. They say the kid may never walk again.”

Carolyn set aside her hotdog. “That makes me sick. I wonder if we can help in any way. Put a call into his office and offer our support.”

“I’ll do it right away. At this point, he’s canceled all of his commitments. It’s a bad break for him, but we obviously benefit from the tragedy.” He shook his head. “Political Reality 101.”

“I don’t care about how this accident has ‘helped’ us,” Carolyn snapped. “A little boy is horribly injured, and I have no desire to profit from such a catastrophic event. That’s not what we’re about here.”

Nick flushed. “I understand. Forgive me for being so insensitive.”

“You’re forgiven.”

“Good.” Nick pushed up from his chair. “Onward and upward.”

Once he was gone. Carolyn dialed Mark’s number. “Mark, it’s Carolyn.” Her tone was all business.

“How are you?”

She detected a note of discontent in Mark’s voice, but chose to ignore it. “Fine. I’m calling about the transactions you’ve been handling for me. I need a total dollar figure.”

Mark paused. “I’m uncomfortable about using campaign funds to hire investigators, and delaying tax payments. I’m also worried about my exposure. I have a family to care for.”

His remark sliced her heart. “I’m aware of your commitment to your family.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean-”

“Let it go. Mark.”

He continued. “It’s just that I spend my days in this courthouse fighting for what’s right. It used to be so cut and dried, black and white. And now I look in the mirror, and I don’t know who the bad guys are anymore.”

“How can you even think such a thing?” Carolyn asked. “You’re one of the good guys.”

“I don’t know about that anymore.”

What was bringing on his crisis of conscience? Certainly not hiring investigators, Carolyn thought. Mark was not naive, and none of this was illegal. Worst-case scenario was paying penalties to the Internal Revenue Service, and that was a long shot.

“What’s really bothering you?” she asked, her concern glowing. “You don’t sound like yourself.”

Mark hesitated. “It’s… it’s nothing.”

“We both know who the bad guys are, Mark, you prosecute them every day. Nothing has changed, except your perception. You just aren’t looking at this clearly. The only way to fight a battle is to employ the tools necessary to win. We’re just aiming ourselves correctly.” She rubbed her eyes. “It’s the same as having a weak case, but knowing the guy is guilty. You’d search for an angle and argue to use evidence even if you knew it was tainted, if that was all you had. Right?”

“This is a little different, misusing funds could be construed as improper.”

“And using tainted evidence isn’t? Think about this, please. There’s no difference here. We’re just bending the rules within the law. In this instance, the end justifies the means. If we knew a guy was guilty, we’d both use whatever we had, right or wrong, to get him convicted.”

Carolyn tried to conceal the frustration she felt.

“Besides, we’re talking about my money, money given specifically to put Warner in the White House. We aren’t using it for any other purpose, it’s still going to the appropriate cause. Hiring investigators is a necessary expense. Don’t kid yourself – the other candidates are doing exactly the same thing.”

Mark paused. “I guess.”

“Are we talking about the money? I get the feeling something else is troubling you.”

“Of course, we are.” he answered abruptly. “What else would I be talking about?”

“I don’t know. I was hoping you’d tell me.”

Carolyn heard Mark sigh. She wondered if she’d pushed him too far.

“You need some totals, don’t you?” His voice sounded flat. “I’ll crunch the numbers, then courier the paperwork over to you. You can decide if you want to keep the funds in checking accounts or put them into short-term investments.”

“Thank you.” Not wanting to end on a bad note, she softened her voice. “Have I told you lately how wonderful you’ve been?”

“Carolyn, don’t do this… I’m sorry… Thank you for the compliment.”

Perplexed, Carolyn reluctantly re-cradled the receiver. His distorted sense of concern confused her. He’d talked in circles, as if the topic they were discussing wasn’t what worried him. Did he have another agenda? Did he have a guilty conscience? She dismissed the thought as ridiculous.

Associated Press

January 22, 2000 Young Withdraws from Primaries