When No One Is Watching (20 page)

“Thank you, Congressman,” she said, beaming at the compliment. “Go on in, he’s expecting you.”

“What’s this crap I hear about you wanting to leave Washington?” the president bellowed from behind his desk, leaning back in his chair, feigning shock.

Blair strode across the room, now comfortable in the surroundings as a result of frequent visits over the past twenty months. Some of those visits involved official business, but most were just casual chats at the invitation of the president, who had been true to his word about his desire to serve as a mentor to the talented young congressman from Illinois. “Well, I’m just mulling it over, sir, and was hoping I could count on you for some advice and counsel.”

The stern look on Arthur Courtright’s face evaporated, replaced by a broad grin as he stood and shook hands with his protégé. “I’m all ears, Blair. Talk to me.” The president motioned to the chair in front of his desk.

“Well, sir, you once told me to listen carefully when opportunity knocks, and that it may come from an unexpected direction. I think I hear some knocking, and it’s not coming from here in Washington.”

The president leaned back, put his feet up on the desk, and folded his arms. “Go on. I’m listening.”

“I love what I’ve been doing since I arrived here,” Blair began, “and I think I’m pretty good at it, but—”

The president sat upright and leaned across the desk. “Pretty good at it! For Chrissakes, you’re the best I’ve ever laid eyes on! I’ve been around Washington for thirty years, and I’ve never seen anyone in Congress accomplish what you have in such a short time. In just three years, you’ve developed real influence, and that’s our stock in trade around here. Your fellow legislators seek you out because they want you on their side. Having Blair Van Howe in their corner means something. You give them and their causes instant credibility. You can help them sell their agenda—not because you’re a salesman, but because you’re respected around here. You’re Mr. Integrity.” He leaned back again, his feet returning to their resting spot atop his desk. “Sorry, I interrupted you. Go on, please.”

“Well, sir, here’s the opportunity I see. The political scene back home in Illinois is in turmoil at the moment. The state is facing a financial crisis, largely because of runaway spending. The governor’s office has been plagued by one scandal after another. First, there was the disclosure that he had a long-standing affair with a former stripper and may have fathered her child; second, there’s talk about his dirty dealings with certain labor unions, promising generous contracts for state employees and pressuring the feds to back off their corruption investigations in return for the union’s assurances of campaign contributions and votes; and third, there are all those allegations about the governor coddling special interest groups, which is contributing to the runaway spending. He’s about to be run out of town on a rail, and if he had any sense at all or anything resembling a conscience, he’d resign. But the stubborn son of a bitch will never do that, and the voters are ready to revolt.”

“So you want to be the white knight, riding to the rescue with your Mr. Integrity mantle, and then waltz into the governor’s mansion as the man who can clean up the mess. And you’ll be a hero when you do.” The president folded his hands behind his head and nodded slowly as he considered the matter.

“Mr. President, you’ve often suggested that I consider my position in Congress as a stepping stone, a learning experience, but also a path to something bigger. I can win that election, and I can clean up that mess. I know I can! After that, maybe I can come back to Washington and get back into national politics.”

President Arthur Courtright silently eyed his protégé for a long moment. “Let me be completely candid with you, Blair. When I took you under my wing, it was with one goal in mind—this goal, right here!” He pounded his desk with his index finger. “I want to see you in the White House. You’ve got what it takes. I sensed that as soon as you arrived here in Washington, and now that I know you better, I believe it more strongly than ever. It would be a great thing for our party and a great thing for our country. And if that’s the goal, then your instincts are right on, as usual. It’s rare for a congressman to be elected president. In the last fifty years, most presidents were either senators or governors before they were elected president. You got a lot of national exposure with your convention speech, so you’ve got good name recognition already. It’ll only get better if you’re successful as governor. This is smart, Blair! You’re young, and you’ve got time. It’s the perfect opportunity. You’ll win, and you’ll win big. You can be a hero when you turn things around. And that will set the stage perfectly for a presidential run. I say go for it!”

Arthur Courtright’s prediction was correct. The following November, Blair Van Howe won the Illinois gubernatorial election in a landslide. He was thrilled to be going home with a new challenge in front of him. His wife was less than thrilled. Kimberly had made it very clear to her husband that, after four years in Washington, she did not relish the prospect of taking up residence in Springfield, Illinois. However, there was almost as much official business for the governor in Chicago as there was in Springfield, so she would be able to spend much of her time at their home in Beverly.

Just a couple of blocks from the Van Howe home, Danny Moran sat in his kitchen visiting with his daughter, Allie, and two college friends, Kristen and Lindsay, whom Allie had invited home for Thanksgiving dinner. Danny and Allie worked together preparing the stuffing according to the old family recipe, Danny tearing slices of bread into small pieces as Allie sautéed vegetables. Kristen and Lindsay spoke excitedly about the new governor upon learning that he lived nearby and that he and Danny had once been close friends.

“What’s he like?” Kristen asked, trying hard not to sound like a political groupie.

“What you see is what you get,” Danny replied. “He’s smart, charming, charismatic. And he truly is a good, decent man. All that talk about integrity and ethics—those aren’t just buzzwords. He really means it.”

“How well do you know him?” asked Lindsay.

“We were best friends for a long time,” Danny replied. “We were roommates all through law school. We went our separate ways for awhile after graduation, then we became law partners and worked closely together for ten years.”

“Do you still keep in touch?” Lindsay asked.

“No, we went in different directions about four years ago. I stopped practicing law, Blair went into politics, and our paths just don’t cross anymore. He still has a home right down the street, but he’s almost never there except when Congress is in recess and during the holidays. He might be there now.”

After the turkey was stuffed and placed into the oven, Kristen and Lindsay decided to jog around the neighborhood. Allie pointed them in the direction of the Van Howe house, so they could be sure to run past it and perhaps get a glimpse of the new governor. Allie stayed home and began setting the dining room table.

“Does it bother you that Blair has completely written you off, Daddy? It’s hard to believe that someone who was your best friend could just abandon you the way he did.”

Danny thought for a moment as he pulled dishes out of the china cabinet. “I have to admit that it does hurt when I think about it. We had a great friendship, and I miss our time together. I understand that he had to distance himself from me during his first election, right after the accident, but that was a long time ago. Anyway, I try not to dwell on it. Blair was part of my old life. I have a new life now, and I’ve come to grips with that.”

After their Thanksgiving dinner, Allie took her friends on a tour of the Western Avenue watering holes, and Danny went to an AA meeting. The girls returned shortly after midnight, Kristen and Lindsay sounding giggly and tipsy. Danny was sitting in his usual late-night spot, in his living room armchair next to the window, the room dark but for the eerie glow of the old blue lava lamp.

“Goodnight, Mr. Moran!” the girls called out cheerfully as they bounded up the stairs, the sound of loud, clumsy footsteps echoing through the quiet house.

“Goodnight, Pops,” Allie said, leaning over to hug her father. His face felt damp, and she pulled back and could see tears glistening on his cheeks in the pale blue light. “Daddy, what’s wrong?” she asked, alarm in her voice.

Danny sniffled quietly and cleared his throat, struggling to find his voice. “Joe Jansen is dead. They found him in a hotel room in Yuma. He’d been dead two weeks when they discovered his body.”

“Oh, Daddy, I’m so sorry.” Tears of sympathy flowed freely down Allie’s cheeks. “What happened?”

“We don’t know yet. I’m sure it was drugs or too much booze, maybe both. He was such a sweet, gentle soul … didn’t have a mean bone in his body. And so talented. It’s such a waste. I wish I could’ve been there for him. I wish I could have done something.” He wept harder, openly and unashamed.

“But you did do something for him, Daddy. You were his friend. You were one of the few people in his life who cared for him. You can’t save everyone.”

Danny sighed deeply, his breath shaking from the quiet sobs. “I know that. It just breaks my heart that he was so alone. He was dead for two weeks, and no one even missed him. To the rest of the world, he was just another drunk … a loser.”

“But you know what he was really like, Daddy. Most people didn’t know Joe like you did. You were able to see beyond the hopeless drunk and see him for the beautiful, talented soul that he really was. And he was better for that, and so are you.”

Danny nodded slowly and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “You’re right, sweetheart. He just had an adversary that was too much for him. Most people can’t understand the brutal power that alcohol has over an alcoholic. Only another drinker can really understand it.”

“That’s why people like Joe need people like you, Daddy. You made a difference to Joe, and you make a difference to a whole lot of people, and I couldn’t be more proud of you.”

CHAPTER 30
B
lair Van Howe stormed into the governor’s mansion with a mandate from the populace. The State of Illinois was ready for a new leader, one who would bring ethics and accountability back to state government. Democrats and Republicans alike were ready for someone who could bring fiscal responsibility, jobs, and prosperity to the Land of Lincoln. The electorate saw that kind of leader in the inspirational congressman who had burst onto the national political scene just a few years earlier and had been thrust into national prominence through his captivating performance at the Democratic National Convention.

The people of Illinois were not disappointed in their choice. Blair Van Howe delivered exactly as promised. The mere absence of scandal during his administration would have been a vast improvement over prior regimes, but the Van Howe administration did far better than that. Governor Van Howe made ethics in government a top priority. He aggressively pushed an agenda that included campaign finance reform and real transparency and disclosure from elected officials and lobbyists. The goal was to reduce conflicts of interest and the sway of special interest groups, and by all accounts, he had succeeded in achieving major reform in these areas. Of even greater importance from the voters’ perspective, economic prosperity had returned to the state. As he approached the halfway point in his second term as governor, Blair’s approval ratings were higher than any Illinois governor in decades.

During the preceding presidential election campaign four years earlier, Blair had been approached by party leaders and asked to consider running as the vice presidential nominee on the Democratic ticket, alongside presidential candidate Colin Cooper, senator from the neighboring state of Wisconsin. Blair tactfully resisted the considerable pressure from the party’s leadership and from Cooper himself. His stated reason was that he had made a commitment to the Illinois voters, and he intended to serve his full term as governor and possibly seek a second term to complete his unfinished business. His unstated reason was that he detested Cooper, whom he considered a blindly ambitious egomaniac who had no core values or beliefs and would take whatever position he believed would win him the most votes. Besides, he expected Cooper to lose handily and didn’t want to tarnish his own name and reputation by being associated with that losing effort. Cooper got drubbed, and the Republican candidate, Jonathan Reese, took up residence in the White House.

Reese’s tenure had been uneventful. He hadn’t accomplished much, but he hadn’t done anything foolish, either. To a large extent, his hands were tied by congressional infighting and inertia, and he had neither the forcefulness of personality nor the creativity of fresh ideas to break the congressional gridlock to make things happen. To make his plight even sadder, his wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer and her prognosis was bleak. President Reese had announced that he would forego the possibility of a second term to spend time with his family. That left the race for the White House wide open.

Governor Van Howe had thrown his hat into the ring and quickly become the front-runner. The primaries became a mere formality, and by early spring, it was a foregone conclusion that Blair Van Howe would be the Democratic candidate for president of the United States. By late May, it was becoming apparent that his Republican opponent would be Henry Hamilton, a three-term United States senator from California. Hamilton had made a fortune as an entrepreneur who had founded, developed, and then sold several fabulously successful software companies prior to embarking on his political career. He possessed a formidable intellect and was widely perceived as a brilliant businessman who did not readily suffer fools. He spoke his mind, even when it was politically incorrect to do so, but the media and his constituents found his candor refreshing. His drive to succeed, coupled with his aggressive personality, made him a ruthless but effective campaigner.

Arthur Courtright had stayed in regular contact with Blair Van Howe after Blair had left Washington and after Courtright had completed his second term as president. Courtright spent most of his time on the speaking circuit and writing his memoirs, but remained active in politics as the elder statesman of the Democratic Party. In that capacity, his contact with his star pupil had become much more frequent as Blair considered, and then announced, his run for the White House. For several months, he had been suggesting that Blair upgrade the caliber of his campaign team, and those suggestions had become much more forceful once it became apparent that Henry Hamilton would be Blair’s opponent.