The Founders' Plot

THE FOLLOWING DAY, Stern called Mike. “Governor, I think we should meet. There’s something I think you’ll want to know.”

“What is it?”

“It’s not something to be discussed on the phone. We should be in your office, or maybe even outside the capitol building.”

Mike’s forehead furrowed. “All right. Come to my office this afternoon, around one.”

“I’ll be there.”

“What’s this about, Liz?” Mike asked before she could hang up.

“Not on the phone. I’ll see you at one o’clock.”

Mike stood. This couldn’t be good. Pacing slowly back and forth, he squeezed his fingers tightly into fists as he tried to guess what Stern was up to.

He stopped. He bent and put his hands on the desk to steady himself. “No! No, it can’t be that! How could she possibly know about that? It was sixteen years ago.”

He stood when Stern entered. “Have a seat, Liz,” he said, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk.

“Thank you,” she said, rolling a ring on her right hand, then with another on her left hand.

“So, what’s the big mystery, the big surprise?” he asked.

Stern rubbed her palms on her skirt. “Governor, this is not something I like doing, and that’s the truth. I’ve never done anything like it before and hope I never have to again. But I need you not to veto a new immigration bill.”

“Let’s have it,” Mike said flatly.

She gave him a sideward glance. “Does the name Karina Sanchez mean anything to you?”

Mike’s stomach rolled. Then, his teeth clenched, and his nostrils flared open. “Not even you would go that far.”

“I’m afraid I would.”

He stood and walked around his desk. “You’re as low as they come, Liz! You’re a night crawler.”

Stern pushed herself out of the chair and stepped back saying nothing, just gawking at Mike with wide unblinking eyes.

He stood, chest puffed out. His voice was a growl, and his fists were clenched, except when he pointed a menacing finger at her. “You would bring up a two-month affair I had sixteen years ago? You’d threaten my marriage over a meaningless fling. You’re scraping the bottom of the barrel, Senator, or maybe you just live there.”

Stern took another step back, keeping the chair between them. “It’s not something I want to do. I told you that. But I want that new bill passed. This doesn’t have to come out. I’m the only one who knows, and I can keep a secret.”

He advanced toward her, his jaw muscles flexing. “That’s outright blackmail. If you let this out, I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life bringing you down. I will be merciless! Relentless!”

“I expect you would,” she said, turning her gaze away, then back to Mike. “Don’t make me do this, Governor.”

Maybe she really didn’t like what she was doing. But that didn’t matter. Like it or not, she’d follow through. And the effect on his already strained marriage could be devastating.

“Obey the court ruling or don’t veto the new bill,” she said. “Say that after more thought, you decided it wouldn’t be worth the effort, something like that.”

He turned, walked behind his desk, and sat. He rubbed his chin. “How did you find out about this?”

Stern took her seat again. “She called me the day after you announced you wouldn’t obey the court and I met with her. Most of her family is here illegally and she resented your immigration law, thought it was anti-Mexican and a slap in her family’s face.”

“Then why did she wait so long to contact you?”

“She said she waited until the court ruled. She figured it would be struck down. But after you refused to comply, she felt compelled to come out with it. Besides, she said your breakup wasn’t as amiable as she let on, and she’s harbored a grudge against you ever since.”

“Okay,” Mike said calmly and sat. “You’ve made your case. You’ve twisted your knife into me. I don’t think there’s any more to talk about.”

Stern walked to the door but turned to Mike before she opened it. “I hope you accept this, Governor,” she said and left.