Total pages in book: 64
Estimated words: 61054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61054 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
“The only incentive I have to be here, in this room, or in this state, is Lilah. I would have left a long time ago if she didn’t give me a reason to be here.”
“Let’s fix that. I’ll hand you a package twenty percent better than the best offer you have, including backing a pipeline, and paying your relocation fee for our out-of-state operations. I understand you have a heavy presence in Texas, among other mostly red states.”
“Again,” Kane says, without confirming or denying where his production operations are set-up, “my incentive to house my corporate offices in the state of New York is Lilah.” Kane’s attention shifts to Pocher as he adds, “I’ve grown concerned that this state isn’t a safe place for her or my business.”
Pocher’s eyes burn into Kane’s. My father eyes Pocher and says, “We can ensure both of your protection.” He eyes Pocher. “Correct?”
Pocher’s face tightens, and he looks like he’s sucking a lemon, but he manages a firm, “Correct. Your support of the future governor’s energy program would motivate all those in power to go out of their way for that protection.”
“Excellent,” my father says. “Kane? What do you say? Can I go on that stage and announce a massive new energy program with Mendez Enterprises, moving jobs, energy, and resources to our great state?”
“With the understanding that this agreement cannot be broken. If it is, I’ll pull out and make it clear why I pulled out. And that will be you, Governor.”
“I can live with that,” he says, “because we aren’t going to break this agreement. Pocher’s people want me to go as far up the government ladder as possible. If I can’t run my state, I can’t run the country.”
“The country?” I query, and while it’s not the first time I’ve heard him say this, it’s a bitter pill to swallow, and I want to know exactly where his head is right now.
“That’s the great thing about this country,” he says. “We can aspire to be anything we want. Let’s see if I can really make it happen for us all. And Kane,” he adds, shifting back to him, “just think about what we can do energy-wise for our entire country.” He motions to Pocher. “And my good friend here is going to use his vast resources to ensure we’re all protected on the way up the ladder.”
There’s a charge to Pocher’s energy, tension rippling through his shoulders.
Power is shifting from Pocher to my father, and the resources my father needs to succeed are as well. It’s clear to me now that Pocher has misjudged my father and believed that he’d stay a “yes” man all the way to the presidency. But that’s not going to happen. If Pocher isn’t careful, actually if we’re all not careful, my father will replace him in the Society. And my father would be a much more savvy, charismatic, and an ultimately dangerous player in this game.
Unless we sink hooks into my father and ensure we can control him. But again, I think, predictably per Kane, the push to get him here tonight was about oil. And oil is money, and money is control. But it’s also only part of our plan.
There’s a knock on the door, and then the guard pokes his head in. “Five minutes.”
My father slaps his palms on his legs. “Showtime.”
Showtime indeed, I think. He has no idea how true those words are.
Chapter Forty-Three
The plan was simple.
Slowly build up my father and tear down Pocher. Show my father that Pocher can’t protect him, but we can. Pocher plays into our hand in what is storybook perfection. We’re about the leave the room for the rally when he stands and offers his hand to Kane.
“When I offer my protection, it’s solid. I do believe we’re better off aligned. The past is the past. This is about the future.”
Kane studies him a moment, and then slowly extends his arm. The two men connect palms and I swear hell freezes over. I never thought I’d see this moment, but it’s not real. We will never align with Pocher, and when he turns to me and offers me his hand, it’s a test. If I were to accept his offering, he’d know we’re full of shit. Good thing, I will never touch him if not to kill him.
I’ll settle for a shift in power, one where he needs us or he doesn’t get what he wants.
His eyebrow arches with expectation.
His hand is still hanging in the air when there’s another knock on the door, and it opens. Andrew walks in and the mood shifts, the tension easing as I turn away from Pocher to be pulled into my brother’s embrace. When he releases me, Andrew shakes Kane’s hand, but he doesn’t meet Kane’s stare, and I know why. He looks in his eyes and all he sees is the man who buried Roger’s body with him. Andrew still can’t see Roger as the brutal serial killer he was.