BooksBarbecue
Back Below the Belt Save as PDF
Chapters (67)
  1. Cover
  2. BOOKS BY STUART WOODS
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  66. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  67. What’s next onyour reading list?

“No, Kate’s not a worrier, but I am. I mean, we can match his fund-raising, but there’s never been an independent candidate with that kind of war chest at the outset. I find it scary, especially since he’s got St. Clair for a sponsor. Christian loves nothing better than a puppet, and this one’s going to be the most expensive one ever put together.”

“How does the strong case play into all this?”

“Hard to say. What’s important is that Christian thinks it’s important.”

“Is it all about the pardons?”

“At least partly.”

“I’m sorry I ever asked you to pardon Teddy Fay.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“What I don’t understand is why Ed Rawls would do something that might undermine Kate. He owes her a lot, or rather, owes you a lot.”

“I have my own theory about that, but it’s just a theory.”

“Tell me.”

“I believe Ed thinks that what’s in the strong case would help Kate, and what’s more, I believe Christian St. Clair thinks so, too.”

“Perhaps we’ll know more tonight.”

“Perhaps.” They finished their wine, and Stone chose to walk home while Will went east, toward his chopper.

40

THE HOUSE SEEMED ODDLY EMPTY; Holly was gone, and the staff were out or at home in Stone’s second house next door. He found a book that he had left unread for weeks and plowed into it.

—

IN THE EARLY evening he went upstairs and asked Helene to send his supper up in the dumbwaiter, then he got into a nightshirt and switched on 60 Minutes.

Martin Shawn, who he had read was near retirement, conducted the interview with Nelson Knott. The show opened with a helicopter tour of his Virginia estate, then Shawn was greeted on the front porch by the Knotts for a tour of the house. Finally, the two men settled into comfortable chairs before a cheery fireplace in a large library, bursting with books.

Shawn got right to the point. “Mr. Knott, there have been strong and persistent rumors that you are considering a run for President. Anything to them?”

Knott smiled. “There is usually something to a strong and persistent rumor, isn’t there?”

“Then you’re considering a run?”

“I am. I haven’t made a final decision yet, but I seem to be thinking about it more and more.”

“Have you been thinking about your qualifications?”

“I’ve been thinking about my qualifications since high school.”

“And you think you’re ready to be commander in chief?”