Free Flashpoint by Ed Gorman Page A

probably lost the seat no matter what now.’
    â€˜Maybe.’
    He had a nice, mellow whiskey laugh. A Jack Daniel’s black label laugh. ‘For such a cynical bastard, Dev, you’re always surprisingly optimistic.’ Then, ‘This is such a mess I can’t believe it.’ He’d controlled his rage and now had let it dissipate. ‘I’m getting calls from campaigns all over the country. They’re afraid this’ll hurt their candidates.’
    â€˜Poor babies.’
    â€˜It just might.’
    â€˜Maybe. But since we’re still not four hours out I’d give it a little time.’
    â€˜There’s supposed to be a big fundraiser tonight. This’ll put a pall on it.’
    â€˜I wish you could see the tears in my eyes. I’m sorry but I couldn’t give a shit about a fundraiser right now. I’ve got other things to worry about.’
    â€˜You think you and I will ever like each other?’
    â€˜Probably not.’
    This time the Jack-blacked throat emitted a laugh. ‘Me neither.’
    I called Lee Sullivan in Chicago. He’d been a homicide detective who’d gone private and then started doing a lot of work for me and our candidates. He had a computer-wizard son who was also excellent at opposition research. Jason had picked up two opponent scandals that a big opposition firm had missed.
    As soon as Lee came on the line, he said, ‘It’s all anybody’s talking about.’
    He didn’t have to include a subject in that sentence. ‘It’s going to get a lot worse.’
    â€˜You have an opinion yet?’
    â€˜I believe he’s innocent. I think he was set up by forces unknown. The woman’s been hanging around his events for a while. She was a stunner. She was also a trap that he was stupid enough to walk into.’
    â€˜Pols should be eunuchs.’
    â€˜I’ll pass that along.’ Then, ‘I need everything you and Jason can find on a woman called Tracy Cabot. And emphasize everything.’
    â€˜Of course.’
    â€˜I’m sure she was tracking Senator Logan on someone else’s dime.’
    â€˜We’ll start right away.’
    â€˜I’ve got some interesting news for you, Lee.’
    â€˜Yeah?’
    â€˜Howie Ruskin’s out here.’
    â€˜Wow. Now this is getting
really
interesting
.
’
    â€˜She may have been working directly with him. Or maybe she was hired separately and the third party put them together.’
    â€˜It figures that Ruskin would end up with a murder rap. He’s such a creepy little bastard.’
    â€˜I thought about that, too, Lee. But as much as I hate Ruskin that’s a real big step. Ruskin’s never even gotten close to violence before.’
    â€˜OK, maybe not murder, but there’s always a first time when the stakes are so high. By the way – and I hope this doesn’t piss you off – you sure Logan didn’t kill her?’
    â€˜I asked him and he said no. I have to believe him, Lee, because if I didn’t I’d resign.’
    â€˜Yeah. I can see that all right.’
    My only problem is that I still had to allow for the possibility that Robert had been lying his ass off.
    â€˜Oh, by the way,’ Lee said just before we hung up, ‘Jason says he’s working on something hot for you. You know how superstitious he is, though. He won’t even give me a hint till he’s sure of it. Say your prayers, Dev.’
    But I was way ahead of him on that one. Political consultants pray every waking moment.
    When I walked into the Linton campaign headquarters the bright, ambitious volunteer staff I’d been told about had been reduced to two college-age girls in jeans and red and blue sweaters respectively, sitting at a table piled high with circulars to be delivered throughout the city.
    I introduced myself and got a suspicious glance. The one who wore the Wendy name tag said,