Billy and Betsy Burnett arrived, Billy introduced Betsy to the grown-ups. It suddenly occurred to Stone that having the former Teddy Fay at a dinner with the first lady and the president who had secretly pardoned him could make for some discomfort. He was about to take Billy aside and talk with him about it when the presidential party arrived.

Introductions were made, and Stone watched Kate carefully. Will Lee had never seen Teddy Fay, but Kate would have when she was at the CIA. The moment passed without incident, and Stone breathed a little easier.

Stone found himself sitting between Senator Sam Meriwether and Kate Lee.

“You heard about Senator Eleanor Stockman’s illness?” Kate asked.

“Yes, this morning on TV.”

“I spoke with her son a few minutes ago. Eleanor is showing no sign of brain activity, and the family are discussing now whether—or rather when—to take her off the respirator.”

“That’s very sad,” Stone said. “I had to face something like that with my mother. She died before we could bring ourselves to turn off the machine.”

Kate nodded. “So many families have to face that.”

Sam Meriwether spoke up. “This means we’re going to have to face another event,” he said. “When Eleanor dies, her Senate seat comes available, and Governor Dick Collins will appoint someone to replace her. She was reelected two years ago, so there’s a four-year term before the appointee would have to face reelection.”

“You see where this is going, Stone?” Kate asked.

Stone took a sip of his drink. “Might Martin Stanton be a candidate to fill her seat?”

“That’s astute of you,” she said. “We have to make some suppositions here, and without as much information as we’d like before doing so.”

“You think Stanton would accept if it’s offered?” Stone asked.

“No, I don’t—at least, not before the convention.”

“What if his support begins to crumble in the California delegation?”

“That would certainly point him in the right direction, but we don’t see that happening, at this point.”

“The thing is,” Meriwether said, “if Marty knows there’s a safe Senate seat waiting for him if he isn’t nominated, he may not fight quite so hard to get the nomination.”

“Is there someone you’d like me to speak to?” Stone asked, cognizant of his conversation with Kate on the flight out.

“Do you know Dick Collins?” Kate asked.

“I met him at a cocktail party in San Francisco five or six years ago when he was still mayor. I don’t know if he’ll remember, but we had a nice conversation for a few minutes.”

“He’ll remember,” Kate said. “He has a phenomenal memory for names and faces.”

Peter was sitting nearby. “Excuse me, Dad, but did I hear you mention Governor Collins?”

“Yes, you did.”