Contents ( 84)
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- FORTY-SEVEN
- FORTY-EIGHT
- FORTY-NINE
- FIFTY
- FIFTY-ONE
- FIFTY-TWO
- FIFTY-THREE
- FIFTY-FOUR
- FIFTY-FIVE
- FIFTY-SIX
- FIFTY-SEVEN
- FIFTY-EIGHT
- FIFTY-NINE
- SIXTY
- SIXTY-ONE
- SIXTY-TWO
- SIXTY-THREE
- SIXTY-FOUR
- SIXTY-FIVE
- SIXTY-SIX
- SIXTY-SEVEN
- SIXTY-EIGHT
- SIXTY-NINE
- SEVENTY
- SEVENTY-ONE
- SEVENTY-TWO
- SEVENTY-THREE
- SEVENTY-FOUR
- SEVENTY-FIVE
- SEVENTY-SIX
- SEVENTY-SEVEN
- SEVENTY-EIGHT
- SEVENTY-NINE
- EIGHTY
- EIGHTY-ONE
- EIGHTY-TWO
- EIGHTY-THREE
- Acknowledgements
‘Nick, I would never—’
Dupart held up the same hand that had silenced Meyer. It had an identical effect on Cunningham.
‘I told you what would happen, Kelvin. I don’t make empty threats,’ Dupart continued without even turning his head. ‘Now, Mr Meyer. Were Mr Cunningham and the president to die in this room, murdered by the president’s implicated head of protection, that would leave only you. And you, I know, will disclose nothing. Because that way your son gets to live. Do we have an understanding?’
Cunningham rose from his seat. He was shaking.
‘Nick, you don’t need to do this. Have I not been loyal? My whole life, Nick. Please.’
‘You were loyal to my father,’ Dupart replied, his focus shifted to Cunningham. ‘All you’ve done to me is lie. Keep things from me. And fail. Why do you think I insisted on being appointed as senior advisor here? When has anyone from my family felt the need to be so close?’
Cunningham opened his mouth to respond, but Knowles beat him to it. The last few minutes had been a series of shocks. But they were starting to fill in some gaps he had not even noticed.
‘Your family? Your family runs this . . . this organisation?’
Dupart’s gaze moved to Knowles. When he answered, there was still no hint of emotion. Just cold fact.
‘This isn’t a democracy, Mr Knowles. I run this organisation. I own it, in fact. Just as I own this office.’
‘You own this office? You arrogant little shit. No one “owns” this office. You might have compromised me. You might have blackmailed your way to control my administration. But you own nothing. My time here’s done. And so is yours.’
Dupart smiled. The first hint of humanity, however dark.
‘Is that what you think?’ Finally some emotion, even a touch of humour. ‘You think this is just about you? You think you’re the only one?’
Knowles felt a shiver move up his spine.
Dupart continued.
‘Mr Knowles, do you really think this begins and ends with your administration? You’re a speck, John. You’re nothing. My family have owned this office for sixty years. We have owned every president who has sat behind that desk since the time of my grandfather. Every. Last. One of them. And we’ll still own it, long after your death.’
Knowles could not quite believe what he was hearing. And yet he had no doubt that it was true. He glanced away. Towards Meyer. Then towards Cunningham. Nether showed any sign of doubt.
‘But how?’ Knowles heard himself ask. ‘How is that even possible?’
‘Open your eyes,’ Dupart said. ‘Absolute power is possible if you’re willing to do what you must to take it. And what you must to keep it. My family? We were willing. We backed the Kennedys. That was our first try at this. And when Jack and Bobby fought against the deal their daddy had made, look what happened. And once we were there? Once we were in? We were too powerful to stop. It’s like my grandfather always said, John. If you take the White House, you take the world.’