Stone watched Otero work his way across the floor, shaking hands, smiling, slapping a back here and there, pecking women on the cheek. Then he found Willingham, rigid in his pin-striped suit, greeting men—only men. He apparently didn’t have much use for women, and it didn’t take him long to rejoin his delegation.

“Well,” Stone said to Dino, who stood beside him, “all the players are where they’re supposed to be.”

The convention was being hammered to order by the chairman, who was shouting at the delegates to take their seats.

Stone took a seat next to Ann, found a remote control, and turned on the TV sets to get the play-by-play.

—

BACK IN THE library of The Arrington’s presidential cottage, Will and Kate Lee sat, having dinner off trays. Kate put her fork down. “I don’t think I can eat.”

“Funny, I’m starved,” Will said, shoving a slab of steak into his mouth and sipping from a glass of Cabernet.

“Well,” Kate said, “that’s the difference between an office seeker and an officeholder—and a lame duck at that.”

—

CHRIS MATTHEWS WAS holding forth on the balloting. “Kate Lee has taken an early lead,” he said. “Arizona, whose delegates Martin Stanton won in the primary, went solidly for her, but Alabama and Alaska went for Willingham. California has put the first lady ahead—she got forty-two of her fifty-five delegates. And Otero got the rest.”

—

STONE SAT UP. “Thirteen went to Otero? Dick wasn’t able to swing them all.”

“That could hurt us later in the balloting,” Ann said, chewing her lip and taking a swig of her martini. “God, I hate this part.”

Chapter 31

Stone looked over Ann’s shoulder at the running totals she was keeping on a legal pad. “Kate can’t be that far off Sam’s projection,” he said.

“Hang on, here comes Illinois.” Illinois’s twenty delegates were voted for Kate.

“That’s better,” Stone said, relieved.

“Yes, but we’re only twelve votes ahead. And we’ve got some Willingham and Otero states coming.”

Kansas cast six votes for Otero and Missouri ten for Willingham.

“Why is Otero so far behind?” Stone asked.

“Texas,” Ann replied. “Second-largest delegate count. When we get to the Ts, Texas will bring Otero up to fiftyish.”

“How long before we get to the Ns?” Stone asked.

“Soon.”

Stone called Ed Eagle.

“Yes, Stone?”

“Ed, how would you like to elect the next president of the United States?”

“Personally?”

“Personally.”

“How do I do that?”

“Take Otero aside and tell him that Kate is going to win it on the first ballot.”

“Are you sure?”