Aaron’s response surprised him. The attorney nodded slowly, his eyes lidded now. The wise and battle-hardened veteran studying the terrain. “Off the record?”
“Absolutely.”
“What I say, it goes no further.”
“I understand.”
“Then I agree with you. Grey is a legal snake of the first order. But to willfully break the law, even if he was certain of his ability to avoid detection, this puts his entire career at risk.”
Roland started to speak, but in the end he merely sighed. Pushed his plate to one side. Sighed again.
“I’ve been doing some research of my own. Your father’s campaign manager is one Matthew Alexander. He is known as a gutter fighter. A strategist who will do anything at all, whatever it takes, to bring his client victory.”
Roland protested, “He didn’t need to do anything like this to win.”
“This was not about winning,” Aaron said. “Or rather, not about winningthis election.”
Roland offered a quietahh.A vocal sigh over he knew what was coming.
Aaron turned to Colin. “Alexander sees your father as a winner after his own heart. Your father wanted …”
Colin said the word for him. “Revenge.”
Roland protested, “But why?”
“Because I stopped him from taking over my life. I took away his power of control.”
Aaron’s chin rose a notch. “This is important to your father, having control?”
“It’s vital. It’s the code he lived by as a sheriff. It’s how he survived. At least, that’s what he always claimed.”
“Then I can probably track out what took place,” Aaron said. “Your father threatened Alexander with dismissal. ‘Do this or I find another manager for my next campaign.’ And the one after that. And so forth.”
“Your father is being mentioned as North Carolina’s next senator,” Roland said.
“There you go. Your father demanded, Alexander went to work. Contacting major donors. Working his connections. Uncovering …”
Once again, Colin saw the need to speak the word for him. “Lucretia.”
“What bribe they offered, the terms, I cannot imagine. …” Aaron waved it aside. “And here we are. Enjoying a fine lunch. Celebrating the fact that it did not all end in disaster.” He lifted his water glass in a toast. “Because of you, young man. I know you see this as a terrible mistake.”
“Because it was.”
“On the contrary. You saved us from losing everything.” Aaron sipped his water, the sunlight casting liquid prisms over the starched tablecloth. “Consider this your first trial by fire.”
CHAPTER33
The week before Easter, his share minus taxes appeared in Colin’s account. All of it.
Roland was almost apologetic when he called. “Aaron and I discussed it. There may be issues with the authorities, having so much money show up in the account of a minor. If anything arises, you refer them to me. Aaron and I will handle it.”
Colin stared at the numbers on his online account page. Trying to digest its full meaning. “What should I do?”
“Several things. Speak with the branch manager. Set up an investment account. Park all but your petty cash there.” Roland hesitated, then added, “I feel a bit foolish, advising you on matters of finance.”
“This isn’t the same,” Colin replied. “This isn’t investment. This ismoney.”
“Indeed it is. Well then. I would suggest we insert me as cosignatory on the investment account. Or Aaron, whoever—”