The Founders' Plot

Two days later, Stern greeted Griswold with a big smile when he arrived just before noon. “Hello, Tom. Have a seat. How are you?”

Griswold took off his gray suit coat and wrapped it around the back of a chair in front of Stern’s desk and sat down. His limp seemed exaggerated this morning.

“Hip acting up?” Stern asked.

“A bit. I’ve been on my feet a lot the past few days. But I’m fine. I have good news.”

“That’s nice to hear.” She put her elbows on the desk and rested her chin in the heels of her palms like a schoolgirl posing for the high school yearbook. “Let’s have it.”

“I talked to McMasters this morning. He told me we got five votes from the other side in the house so far.”

“Wow!” Stern jumped up and she spun around once. “I got two more in the senate yesterday. Looks like Mr. DiGrasso is going to get his head handed to him. The bill passes with a solid majority.”

Griswold smiled. “Actually, it’s better than that. We picked up two more in the senate besides yours.”

Stern’s jaw dropped. “Good Lord. I thought it was going to be tougher than this.”

“Me, too. This is a big embarrassment for the gov.”

“And it means overriding the veto is possible.”

“Maybe. Just maybe.”

“Feeling better about this now?”

“Yes, I am,” he said and stood, grimacing, and grabbing the back of the chair to push himself up. He threw his suit coat over his shoulder. “I’ve got to run. I just wanted to give you the news in person.”

As he limped to the door, Stern called out, “Great. And Tom—” He looked back, and she said, “Why don’t you get off your feet for a while? I think we can live without you for a day or two. Go home and put a heating pad or something on your hip.”

“Maybe I will,” he said and left.

Stern sat with a satisfied smile. She washed her hands, applied moisturizer, and walked to the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman’s office. When she reached the hall outside, she walked back to her office to be sure the lights were out, and the door locked.