Stone and Ann rode in the presidential limousine with the president and first lady. The gate guard at Centurion Studios was ready for them and waved the three-car motorcade through the big front gates. A few yards behind them were more cars, carrying Secret Service agents, the president’s secretary, and a physician—and a young naval officer carrying a valise called “the Football,” which contained the codes for initiating a nuclear attack. The limousine glided to a halt in front of the production company’s bungalow, the passengers got out, then all the vehicles pulled into the parking lot across the street and waited.

Peter and Ben greeted them at the door as Hattie and Tessa waited inside. The two partners took the group through the various rooms—Hattie’s studio, with its Steinway concert grand piano, the editing suite, and the offices, where they shook hands with Billy and Betsy Burnett. Finally, they emerged onto a recently constructed rear deck that offered a sweeping view of the sprawling studio lot. A large round table was set for lunch, and waiters hovered nearby.

Leo Goldman Jr. showed up, greeted everyone, and joined them for lunch.

Before Stone could begin to eat, his cell phone went off. He checked the caller ID: Dick Collins. Stone excused himself, went inside, and answered the phone.

“Stone, it’s Dick Collins.”

“Good morning, Governor—or, rather, good afternoon.”

“I didn’t want to call Kate directly, but you can tell her that, after many phone calls this morning, Sam Meriwether and I now put her delegate count at a hundred and thirty-five.”

“Exactly what’s needed to nominate?”

“Exactly.”

“No margin for error, then.”

“We’ll be working the rest of the day to move undecideds in other delegations to Kate’s side and we hope to come up with as many as half a dozen more.”

“Will you keep me posted on that?” Stone asked.

“Certainly.”

“It’s going to be an exciting evening,” Stone said.

“I hope not too exciting,” Collins said, then hung up.

Stone went back to the table and leaned between the president and first lady. “Dick Collins says you have a hundred and thirty-five delegates, and he and Sam will be working all day on rounding up, maybe, another half dozen.”

“Thank you, Stone,” Kate said. “Now, let’s try to enjoy our lunch.”

Stone took his seat next to Leo Goldman, who was sitting next to Kate.

“How’s the vote count going?” Leo asked him quietly.

“Close,” Stone said.

“Close good or close bad?”

“Ask me late tonight.”

Leo nodded and went back to talking movies with Kate and Will.