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she wanted to blackmail us, she could have done that long ago. She’s never done a thing to hurt or embarrass any of us. And she has had ample opportunity,” he reminded them.

      The responses stopped. Maybe there was a chance they wouldn’t have to go through with their plan. The senator knew he had to pull them back from their ambivalence, tap into their fear.

      “She tried to quit before,” the senator prompted them. “She changed her mind. She may change her mind again in the future,” he suggested.

      The rumbling started up again.

      “Listen to me,” said the young opponent. “All she wants to do is get as far away as possible from the life she has led up until now. We trusted her to keep our secrets in the past. She has never betrayed any of us, has she?”

      Looks were exchanged around the room. He was right; they had to agree. The whore was selected partially for her well-known discretion.

      “I think she can be trusted to keep quiet about us.”

      “And what if she’s not successful in her new life?” the senator asked.

      Now they all began talking at once, sounding like an angry mob.

      “She may decide it would be very profitable to write her memoirs.”

      “Or sit down and have a chat with Oprah.”

      “We have to act now, or these matters could come to light at a most inopportune time.”

      “We could all be ruined and lose everything.”

      “She’s a cancer that must be cut out.”

      It was useless. They were not listening to him. The young man felt like a ghost from another time. He looked at the senator. He was not talking now but sat silently sipping his port, seeming pleased with himself that the rest had aligned with him.

      The man walked over and grabbed the senator’s arm before he could raise the port to his lips again.

      “This is murder you’re talking about. You’re crossing a line you will never be able to step back from.”

      “We’ll risk it. The stakes are too high.” The senator broke free of the man’s grip on his arm and took a long sip of his port.

      The man scanned the faces of the other men in the room and knew they had decided against him. The girl had become a threat swirling around their cherished upper-class lives. Nothing he could say was going to change their minds.

      “I don’t want any part of this,” he said. “If anything happens to her, if she twists her ankle, if she breaks a nail, I promise I’ll come after you. I’ll find you, and I’ll do whatever I can to see you get the justice you deserve.”

      Then he walked out.

      A few attempted to stop him, but it was useless. He forced his way past them and was gone.

      “Let him go,” the senator said casually. “He’ll come around. He has as much to lose as the rest of us.” The senator stood up now to address them further. “I’ll take care of it. I know someone the whore trusts. He’ll see that the problem is fixed—disposed of properly.” He sipped his port.

      Then the questions started.

      “Are you sure he can be trusted?”

      “Yes, this man is perfect,” he assured them.

      “Perfect how?”

      “When it is done, he will be the perfect scapegoat. We’ll use him, then throw him away. He won’t be missed.” Another silence. “Any other questions, gentlemen?” No one spoke.

      “I will make sure the whore goes away permanently. It’s extreme, but it’s the only move we have. Put your minds at ease. There will be one less of these miserable bitches to prey on our weaknesses.”

      The mood in the room became jovial again. There was a tasteful round of restrained applause and the relighting of cigars.

      “We will never speak of it again, and this won’t cost you a thing,” he said.

      “We will be in your debt forever,” someone said casually.

      “Yes, you will, won’t you…forever. I’ll let you know when and if I intend to collect on that debt.”

      He raised his glass and toasted them.

      “Good night, gentlemen.”

      Every eye was on him as he left.

      Then there was a crashing silence. The powerful men in the room let it sink in for a moment just what that debt might cost them. No one said a word. No one even blinked.

      This Is Action News 10 in New Jersey…All of New Jersey All of the Time

      “Good morning. I’m Michelle Tevotino. Republican Pete Moreno now has a seven percent advantage in New Jersey’s U.S. Senate campaign. The latest election poll in the Garden State shows Moreno leading Democrat challenger Clinton Kendall forty-three percent to thirty-six percent. Seven percent of voters say that they will vote for some other candidate, an independent, or write-in, and fourteen percent remain undecided in this Democratic-leaning state. A month ago, Moreno held a two percent advantage. Moreno has solidified support among Republicans since the last poll, while Kendall has lost ground among Democrats. From an ideological perspective, Family Values Moreno has improved his standing with conservative voters in the state.

      “And for the second time, New Jersey voters will decide on a bond for special development improvements. Supporters of the bond claim that the monies would be used to promote smart growth and improve quality of life. The goal is to rebuild cities with an emphasis on residential construction and therefore increase the tax base. The first three target areas would be Newark, Trenton, and Camden. Opponents of the bond proposals claim that there is no way to ensure the money would be used appropriately and that approving the bond would lead to an increase in taxes. The bond failed to pass in the last election when seventy-seven percent of the voters said nay.

      “In other news, a twenty-six-year-old unidentified man from Jackson, New Jersey, choked to death on a sequined pastie while getting a lap dance at a local strip club last night. The exotic dancer, identified only as ‘Ginger,’ had this to say to our Action 10 in New Jersey News crew: ‘He was sucking on my…um…titties…oops (giggle snort), I mean, bosoms when he orally removed the three-inch plastic pastie. He started chewing it while he was laughing. It was all in good fun. I didn’t think he was going to actually try to swallow it, ya know what I mean? Those things aren’t edible. He was really drunk. I’m a little hungover myself, ya know what I mean?’” (giggle snort)

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      Slick and Laura went over the plan one more time. Laura was tired and apprehensive, and she fumbled her part.

      “Damn it,” she said. “Just call me butterfingers.”

      Laura didn’t curse often, but when she did, Slick knew she had reached her limit.

      Laura was still skeptical about this new assignment. She stood up and walked around the room, deep in thought. She stopped at the window and looked out.

      Garbo, who was practicing with them, grabbed hold of Laura’s pant leg and wouldn’t let go. Laura laughed in spite of herself. She stroked the dog’s head. Garbo immediately let go of her pant leg, wiggled her hind quarters, and rolled over on her back to get more.

      Laura shook her head in exasperation

      “What’s wrong?” Slick asked.

      “Garbo is better at this than I am. I’m not sure I’m ready.”

      “Of course you are.”

      “Did you see me drop the package?”

      “So you made a mistake.”

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