“Are you going to pick a running mate before then?” the senator asked.

“No. I told Otero I didn’t want to get into swapping jobs for delegates and that seemed fine with him.”

“My people are calling every delegate now,” he said. “We should have an estimate within the hour.”

“Director,” Ann said, “can you tell us now who was on the phone with you at lunchtime?”

“I suppose I can now,” Kate said. “It was Dick Collins.”

“Did he tell you how all this came to pass?”

“He didn’t. He just told me that Marty was going to nominate me.” She turned to Will. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you—Dick swore me to secrecy.”

“He did a great job of keeping it under his hat,” Sam said. “It’s my bet that only he, Marty, and you knew what was going to happen. I’ll bet the chairman didn’t know until it was Dick’s turn to speak.”

“It’s my guess,” Ann said, “that the governor took the vice president aside and told him that some California delegates were going to jump to you and that the offer of the Senate appointment was expiring.”

“If he did, that was a masterful move,” Kate said. “Dick never even told me what he was going to do after the first ballot. If that’s what happened, then I’m very impressed with him. Stone, what was your impression of him at your meeting at Peter’s house?”

“Calm and entirely in control,” Stone said. “That was quite a contrast with the vice president when I spoke to him later. I’ve always liked Collins. I’m impressed with his record and now I admire him.”

“That pretty much speaks for me, too,” she said.

A phone call came for Sam Meriwether and he took it outside the room. He came back five minutes later. “Our head count put us with a hundred and eleven delegates for Kate—that’s the great majority of the vice president’s count—sixty-nine for Willingham, and fifty-seven for Otero. About forty-three are undecided. I’d say we’re looking very good.” Another call came for him and he left again.

“You’re going to have to get a majority of the undecideds,” Will said to Kate. “It may not happen on the first ballot.”

Sam Meriwether returned. “That was Dick Collins. Ann, your take on what Dick did was right on the money. He’s now personally calling all the undecideds in the California delegation. There are fifteen or so.”

“Let’s hope he swings them all,” Will said. “That will make it a lot easier for Kate.”

Kate stood up, and everyone stood up with her. “Let’s all go and get ready for tonight,” she said.

Chapter 24

Stone and Ann were getting dressed for the gala when Manolo buzzed him for a phone call.

“Mr. Barrington, that fellow from the Secret Service is on line one.”