“Come out strongly for women’s rights. Let Dant talk to the ultraconservatives. We’ll talk to the biggest voting bloc in the state: women.”

Tomlinson stared at her. “Do you really think…?”

“You tell the voters that you support a woman’s right to decide for herself about family planning. There’re more women in this state who’ll vote for that than there are who’ll vote against it.”

“Meet him head-on,” Tomlinson mused. He turned to his father. “What do you think, Dad?”

The old man fixed his son with a stern gaze. “You’ve got to do something.”

Amy smiled warmly. “You come across so beautifully on TV, Franklin. Just look into the camera and smile that handsome smile of yours and tell the women of this state that you’re on their side. They’ll vote for you. I know they will. Even the Catholics.”

Jake wondered how much of Amy’s certainty was based on her personal feelings for Tomlinson. But then he remembered Tip O’Neill’s dictum about all politics being local. No, Jake said to himself, all politics is personal.

“And what about this MHD business?”

Jake stirred, realizing that the elder Tomlinson was talking to him.

“It’s … making progress, sir,” he equivocated. “They’re testing a new electrode design on the big machine up in Lignite.”

“What about this Professor Sinclair?” Tomlinson Senior demanded. “Is he going to make a public statement supporting Leeds?”

“No, sir, he is not.”

“Are you sure of that, Jake?” Tomlinson asked.

Jake nodded. “Sinclair will stay quiet. He won’t say anything, one way or the other.”

“He’s neutralized, you mean.”

“That’s one way to put it.”

“Good work, Jake,” said Amy, beaming at him.

“How did you do it?” Tomlinson asked.

With a shrug, Jake replied uneasily, “That’s between the professor and me. He agreed to stay quiet through the whole campaign, right through to November. I agreed to trust his word.”

The elder Tomlinson made a noise that was little short of a growl.

As he left the mansion, Jake thought he’d better call Sinclair and tell the professor that he hadn’t told Tomlinson about his wife’s addiction. That ought to satisfy Leeds and Nacho, he thought.

As he drove back toward campus, Jake turned on the car’s radio. For once, he heard no ads by Dant. But the news broadcast opened with:

“There’s been a double homicide in Vernon. Police report that Mr. and Mrs. Arlan Sinclair have both been shot to death in their home. According to Vernon police chief Peter Harraway, Sinclair shot his wife and then turned the gun on himself. Police are trying to determine his motive. Sinclair was a professor of—”

Jake snapped the radio off so hard the knob fell off in his hand.

Repercussions

REPERCUSSIONS