"Last on "Rich Man, Poor Man" " Book ll":" "Your name's Bill Fowler." "You're a security guard here." "You don't leave this hotel unless you check with me first." "In the hearings I don't want anyone screaming "conflict of interest"." "I wanna be absolutely clean." "That's a $2.5 million bath you're taking, Senator." "I'm not peddling pipe dreams here." "With those, you can imprison Charles for bribery." "What about murder?" "I need to know what information he has and who's giving it to him." "You want me to spy on my stepfather?" "What do you do when somebody puts your head in a vice and squeezes?" "Do what you can to relieve the pressure." "Washington." "Come to Washington." "Work on my staff." "Maggie, I thought our relationship had more going for it than that." "Than what, a little honest jealousy?" "At least I'm honest." "I can live with half the pie, Washington and me, but the pieces keep getting smaller." "Now it's Washington, Kate and me." "And what really hurts, Rudy, is you don't seem to mind." "No." "Not after a conversation like this." "You make a terrific team." "Estep dangles the carrots in front of me, and you beat me over the head with the stick." "You should've taken the carrot." "What do you want me to do?" " Rudy." " I don't care." "You'd better get the hell over." "Dillon." "I'll have to get back to you." "I got another call." " He's called a subcommittee meeting." " Why wasrt I informed?" "Rumour has it he's out to quash the Estep investigation and he doesn't want you there to oppose it." " Ramona!" " I guess I should've called first." " We werert expecting you." " I just decided this morning." "I got on a train before I changed my mind." "Uh..." "I'm glad." "You will be too, I promise." "I've gotta get to a meeting, so I'll turn you over to Ken - my noisy but indispensable congressional aide." "Ken Catani, Ramona Scott." "I'll see you later." "I knew I was missing something vital in my life, Miss Scott, but I didn't know what until I saw you." "Follow me to the salt mines." "Gentlemen, we had a quorum." "I'm certain that nothing underhanded was intended." "I hear you called a meeting and overlooked me." "How careless." "You waited until I was in Oklahoma to round up a quorum last time." "I have pushed for an investigation of Tricorp for months." "I wasrt about to stop it because you were in Oklahoma." "By an odd coincidence, that's when it passed." "I was absent too or I'd have changed a few minds." "Gentlemen, I'm tired of this sniping." "Five's a quorum." "The vote's on record." "Three of that quorum were diddled out of a look at the evidence." "Real kind of you to worry about me, Dillon, but I am in no hurry." "No hurry?" "To see if this committee is investigating Charles Estep - or any other American citizen - for good and sufficient cause." "I voted to get moving on Tricorp, but, candidly, I'd prefer we take a more personal look at all the stuff on Estep." "Our chairman vouches for it." "I'm satisfied until Estep is on the stand." "No, we can't be satisfied." "I want to examine it personally." "Here we are, Jordache, all of us for a change, the entire subcommittee." "Now, I demand, right now, that you produce evidence that Tricorp is guilty of subverting public servants and due process." " I can't, Senator." "It would cost too much." " Cost?" "Now he's worried about cost." "How much?" "Another life." "We're back to the alleged murder of the first witness, right?" "Sarah Hunt died two hours before she was to be taken into protective custody." "I can't afford to take that risk again." "We'll decide what risk we can afford after we get all the evidence." " Then move to reopen, dammit." " Very well." "I move that the entire subcommittee be given immediate access to all of the witnesses' testimony, documents, any other evidence we have concerning Tricorp." "Seconded." " All in favour, signify." " Aye." " Aye." " Aye." " Opposed?" " No." " No." " No." "Yeah, I'm opposed." "Motion dies of malnutrition." "No, it dies because you kill it, Mr Chairman, and this procedure is entirely illegal." "No, Mr Dillon, it's moot." "Until we check out the legalities, all evidence will be withheld." "Shall we adjourn?" "Jordache, I'd like a word with you, if you have a moment, please." "You're blocking us from this evidence for one very simple reason - you have no evidence." "You're conducting a fishing expedition and you know it." "Wrong, Dillon." "I landed the fish." "Wrong, Jordache." "You ended your brief and uninspired Senate career because I'll fight you in the full committee and on the floor of the Senate." "Dillon, why are you so hot about this thing?" "Really?" "And skip the party loyalty bit." "The truth." "The truth you want?" "All right, I'll give it to you." "I spent time and money to find out what makes Rudy Jordache run, and I found out that you blame Charles Estep for the strike that caused your electronics plant to close down." "And this whole high and mighty crusade against Tricorp is nothing but a personal grudge - with overtones of paranoia, in truth." "So you're the boy who put the bug in Paxtors ear." "I should've guessed." "You're the boy that turned Paxton around." "God knows how." "Well, it cost me two million bucks." "What?" "$2 million difference between what I sold the plant for and what I could've gotten if I wasrt in such a hurry." "Oh." "It was won'th it." "You won't get any mileage out of it." "While we're on the subject, how about the fact that the hearing is being blocked by a $100,000-a-year consultant to one of Charles Estep's companies?" "Is there a slight conflict of interest there?" "See, I invested a little time and money myself." "Now, I've told no one." "Yet." "That's wise." "You'll save face." "You can save yours by resigning from the subcommittee." " Or?" " The newspaper columns will start biting." "Now listen, junior." "I've been a senator for 15 years and if you don't know yet that this is a gentlemers club, you will." "Spread stuff like that to the papers and you'll be out before your first term's up." "Dillon, if I go..." "you'll go with me." " Huh." " Huh." "I didn't expect you to start right away." "I wanted to." "I've decided to face the fact that Daddy's not coming back." "Good." "I've never been in Washington, you know." "Oh?" "Everyone should do a tour of duty here." "It's very educational." "I can use that." "All I know is Whitby and school and the plant." "Thought I'd look around, anyway." "OK, but on your days off." "Now we need you here." "Ramona, it's all arranged." "Judy has a room for you until you get your bearings." "You're so kind to me, when you're so busy and you've got so much on your mind." "Have you heard from Wes?" "No." "Not yet." "If I do, I'll let you know." "We'll get in a little sightseeing when things ease up." "OK?" "I don't believe it." "Somehow, I figured Washington wasrt on the maps you use." "I looked, there it was, here I am." "Well, good." "What's going on?" "What's all this stuff in the paper about this guy Estep?" "I finally got a committee OK for a hearing." "He's that important?" "I mean, for a Senate committee to go after him?" "Well, for openers, he bribed Justice Department lawyers." "He arranged a sudden death for his secretary/mistress when she turned on him." "I didn't know he..." "Listen, um... you don't need any visitors, you've got enough on your mind." "This is what I actually came for." "Repaying the loan that bought me into Greenway Records." " This is..." " $50,000 plus 10% interest." "Interest?" "I wouldn't charge you interest." "Well, you werert exactly flush when you gave it to me, remember?" "You put out when I needed it." " You sure you can afford this?" " Positively." "Now we're even, Rudy." "See you at home." "Sort these out by the three categories I told you about, OK?" "I jumped when I saw you, too." "What are you doing here?" " Working for Rudy." " Since when?" "Today." "That's some war room they got in there." "Rudy tells me he's taking on some guy named Estep." "Sounds heavy." "Yeah." "Ken, his aide, says Rudy works all day, reads all night." "What?" "Uh, research backing up somebody's testimony." "Or something." "I don't know." "Ramona, you, uh, heard from Wes lately?" "No." "You will." "God, Ramona." "It's not what the crazy mistake we made has done to our lives, it's what it's done to others that scares me." " Wes, hi!" " Hi." " I didn't know if you'd remember me." " What's your name again?" "How are you?" " Have you got time for a drink?" " Sure." " So what are you doing here, anyway?" " Business." "A glass of white wine, please." "Would you mind getting my purse?" "It's on the piano." "Bourbon and water." "I saw your name out front, I had to come in and see you." "Well, I'm glad you did." "What kind of business do you have?" "Unfinished business." "Remember that crazy night in New York?" "When you guys came down from Whitby?" " Met you at that go-go place?" " Yeah." "Yeah, you and Billy." " And what was your girl's name?" " Ramona." "That's right, Ramona." "Yeah." " How is she?" " She's still in Whitby." "I gather you two aren't exactly a thing any more, huh?" " Not exactly." " Too bad." "She seemed like a nice kid." "So how's God's gift to the record business these days?" "I, uh..." "I don't see much of Billy either." "Oh, thank you." " How long you been here?" " Three weeks." "It's not that bad, though - really." "I just keep hoping that some Hollywood producer would show up and whisk me away to stardom in his Rolls." "To the producer and the Rolls." "You must meet a lot of people here." "How would you find somebody in this town?" "Somebody you couldn't look up in a phone book?" "Yeah, right." " I don't know." "I guess I'd call the police." " Guess again." "Are you in some kind of trouble?" "I'm trying to find a guy without ringing bells and blowing horns." " Will you help me?" " I'll see what I can do." "Thanks." "So where are you staying?" "Place the other side of town." "This place wouldn't happen to have benches for beds and the dining room's a vending machine?" "The bus station?" " No, listen, really..." " Wes, look..." "I know a guy who needs a hot shower and a fresh bed when I see him." "Take these." "Yeah." "Thanks." "But what about you?" "I also know a guy who needs some company." "Once again, ladies and gentlemen," " the beautiful Vicki St John." " Bye." "Talk to you later." " You wanted to see me?" " Lady says you did this to her." " Did what?" " This!" "You oughta see the rest of me." " She tried to roll me." " Roll you?" "!" "She took off with my wallet." "I gotta get my wallet back." " You lousy lying creep!" " Shut up!" "I told you not to leave the hotel." "I turn my back for five minutes, you get yourself into a jam." "What are you jumping on my back for?" "Look, huh?" "The broad is a slut." "Don't let him call me names like that." "I got a reputation to maintain." "I know your reputation and how you maintain it." "Here, get yourself fixed up." "$200?" "Forget it!" "I'll sue - for damage to my physical person." "I'll show a judge what that freako did to me!" "You'll lose." "It's his word against yours." "Hell I'll lose, I've got pictures!" "I've got $400 cash." "You'd better take it." "Well, you'd better come up with more, or I'll take this hotel for a bundle." " I'll have $1,000 for you in the morning." " How do I know?" "You're just gonna have to take my word for it." "Now get outta here." "All right." "But I don't take cheques." "Well, it looks like our little talk yesterday didn't make any impression on you." "Oh, yes, it did." "That's a good trick one time, but don't try it twice." "Just get back to your post." "Thank you for putting me up in the Presidential Suite." " You get back upstairs!" " I'd say it's a very nice beat." "I know it's cos there's nobody up there, is there?" "Nobody there so I get a lot of time to think." "Know what I'm thinking?" "Who's the heavy juice that sent me down here that keeps me nice and cosy?" "Huh?" "And I keep thinking..." "You hear me?" "I keep thinking..." "I keep thinking..." "and I come up with one name." "Estep." "Estep." "Charles Estep." "Where'd you come up with that name?" "I read the newspapers and I figure:" ""What senator is doing an investigation on what big tycoon?"" ""Owns a hotel in Las Vegas." Huh?" "All right, so I figure me and Estep got something in common." "Right?" " Jordache." " You're late for your shift." "Oh." "I'm sorry, chief." "Can I make one phone call?" "Yes." "Dallas, Texas." "Yeah." "Thank you." "Mac stuck by me, of course, and Jones came around finally." "But Paxtors vote threw it to Jordache." "Paxton." "The old cat still has all of his teeth." "Now, why can't he stop biting me and just die?" " What's next?" " Next?" "I told you, I just spent the most humiliating..." "Humiliating?" "How?" "They blocked me off, cut me off from the evidence." "That Johnny-come-lately from New York - New York - finessed me right in front of men I've worked..." "You call that humiliation?" "Well... granted that no one else could've cut a five-to-nothing vote into a one-vote margin, so maybe I did pretty well for you, Charles." "Yesterday." "What's next?" "Come." "I'm sorry, Charles, Senator." "You have a call from Las Vegas." "The gentleman working as a security guard." "Now, why would he be calling me?" "Interesting, isn't it?" "I couldn't get him to open up." " You might do better." " No, you do better, Raymond." " What next?" " I resign from the subcommittee." " Why?" " Have you been listening to me?" "Hm?" "What I've heard is why you can't resign from that subcommittee." "Charles, Jordache knows that I'm on your payroll." "He's threatened to tell the world unless I resign." "Tell the world what?" "You haven't violated any law that I know of." "The Hill is crawling with corporation consultants." "Elected - like you." "They don't serve on committees that are investigating their employers." " No." "I'm resigning." " You're staying." "Are you talking to some janitor or to a United States senator?" "If you're on my payroll, no difference." "Now, come off of it, Estep." "You're not asking me to scrap a Senate seat, 15 years of my life, for your personal run-in with Jordache?" "Hell, fire me - that'll settle it." "No, it won't." "And you knew that from the first dollar you ever took from me." "I didn't hire you for your banquet oratory." "No, sir." "You'll stay, you'll get me a look at that evidence." "And when the press jumps me - which they will - what do I say?" "Or haven't you thought about that?" "Try "No comment"." "Charles..." "Don't do this to me." "Call me when you have something to say, Senator." "Raymond?" "Has Mrs Estep arrived home yet?" "No." "No, just delay dinner." "Why did Falconetti call me?" "Forget Falconetti." "Where's Claire?" "We're waiting dinner for her." "Those volunteer meetings go on forever." "Lester said she dismissed the car at three, said a friend would bring her home." "He tried the hospital an hour ago to see if she'd changed her mind." "He couldn't reach her." "An hour ago?" "Well, my God, what have you done to find her?" "There was no hospital meeting, no one close to her has seen her." "I was just upstairs." "Marie says that, uh... some toilet articles are gone, some clothes, a suitcase." "That was a mistake." "She shouldn't have done that." "Don't be too hard on her." "She's afraid she'll break under questioning." "And she might." "We'll do better without her." "Are you out of your mind?" "Without her?" "Raymond, that was a Senate subpoena." "A Senate subpoena." "If we don't find her, they will." "Dammit!" "All right." "All right, priorities." "First we have to find her." "Call that little travel agent she sometimes uses, then check the airlines, trains, buses." "No, forget buses." "She'd never take one." "Call New York." "Have them do the same." "What if we don't find her?" "We have to justify her walking out on a subpoena." "True, true." "In that case, get a deposition from Dr Arnold, backdate it two weeks." ""Her recovery from viral pneumonia..." Uh, make that hepatitis." ""...is expected to be slow."" "Book her into a sanitarium." "Backdate that." " May I come in?" " Sure." "Let's talk to each other." "All right." "I'm sorry." "I said things..." "I regret." "Oh, Rudy." "Me too, me too, me too." "I love you." "I don't want to lose you." "I love you too." "And I know I didn't help things by being jealous of Kate." "It was dum-dum, childish." "Let's talk about it over dinner." "Over dinner." "Um..." "Oh..." "Rudy, I can't." "I'm sorry, not tonight." "Why not?" "Well... because I have a dinner date." "With Joe Galen." "Oh." "Does that make things even?" "I go home to Kate, you go out with Joe Galen?" "No, come on." "He just happened to call me up, that's all." "He's an old friend." "All right." "I don't own you." "You want to go out with other men, fine." "When can we see each other?" "Well, um..." "This weekend I really ought to spend with Diane, because Monday I think" " I hope - she's going to boarding school." " Boarding school?" " Yeah." "She can't sit around here watching old movies the rest of her life." "New York City has schools." "Some good ones." "Well, I know that, but I found this place in Connecticut that I think is perfect for her." "I remember when I sent Wesley to boarding school, thinking it was the best thing for him - fine education, good athletic training, fresh air." "Only, it wasrt the right thing for him at that time in his life." "What he needed was a parent around, one who loved him." "Wait a minute, Rudy." "I didn't make this decision on a whim or out of spite." "I was just giving the benefit of my experience." "Well, I appreciate that." "But I happen to think I know what's best for my daughter." "And for me." "And the last thing I need right now is some kind of a back-door lecture on how to be a parent." "Fine." " Hello, Senator." " Diane." " How are you?" " Fine." " Have you heard from Wesley?" " No, not yet." "We'll be in touch." "Diane." "He still blames me for Wesley leaving, doesn't he?" "Diane, he blames a lot of people for a lot of things right now." "Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?" "Sit down, all right?" "What?" "Well, I've been doing research into schools." " Schools?" " Mm-hm." "I mean, you have to finish your education sometime, and I guess I've been a little lax about that." "Anyway, I have found a place in Connecticut that I think looks terrific." "Academically, it's got a fine reputation, and there seem to be a lot of interesting activities." "And the important thing, really, is that it's only 35 miles out of New York." "So we can have weekends together." "I can either visit or you can come here." "Those are our bus tickets." "I thought we might take a trip up on Saturday and see the place, see if you like it." "And, if it meets with your approval... they've indicated that they'd be interested in you." " Where are you going?" " To pack." " For our visit?" " We don't need to visit." "I'll just go." "Oh, Diane, come on." "I wanted to show you the place before we made a decision." "You've already made your decision, so why take the whole trip so you can do your motherly thing before you get rid of me?" "Oh, honey, come on." "Look, Diane..." "Diane, this is just not working between us." "We keep tripping over each other - emotionally." "It's..." "I think it would be a good thing if there was a little space between us and some time so that we can sort out our feelings." "And then when we do see each other, we'll really be able to talk." "Look, let's just face it and stop all this pretending stuff." " We have never gotten along." " Diane." "Look, I mean, it happens sometimes." "What's a mother or a daughter?" "They're just words... for accidents of nature." "I'd like to have my money back, please." "Hi." "I didn't hear you come in." " Oh, I thought you were still asleep." " I guess I did you out of your bed." "I came up after my set last night and you were dead to the world." " Sorry." " Oh, no problem." "I stayed with a friend." " Breakfast?" " Room service?" "I was gonna give it to you in bed." " I'll take a rain check." " Las Vegas is desert." "It doesn't rain here." " Eddie has terrific timing." " Eddie?" "You wanted somebody to help you find someone." "Eddie knows everybody." " Hi, Eddie." "Eddie, this is Wes." " Howdy." " It'll cost you." " How much?" "Well, I don't look up G in the phone book for under 500." "Shop around if you think you can do better." "I don't have $500." "Wait a minute." "Uh..." "I've got 50." " I'll get the rest." " Who you looking for?" "Friend of mine owes this guy." "I wanna pay him." "Hey, I didn't say "why", I asked "who"." "What's the name?" "Falconetti." "Anthony Falconetti." " Big, or what?" " Yeah, he's big." "He's got a glass eye." " What does he do?" " Sailor, dock worker." "You sure he's in Vegas?" "There's a lot of sand here." "This ain't exactly the beach." "Yeah, I'm sure." "I'll tell you what." "Get in touch when you can come up with the rest of the bread." " You got 50." "Get started on that." " 50 buys 15 minutes of my time, which is over... right now." "Wes, look, I've got $100." "No, thanks." "That's all right, I'll think of something." "You're gonna come back here tonight, aren't you, and stay?" "Hey, look, you've been terrific, but I don't wanna take advantage." "Wes, you haven't even tried." "Goodbye." "Annie, you're going to record your album." "Any time!" "Hang on." "I said, hold my calls." "What kind of an emergency?" "Hey, pretty lady." "Be ready." "When I call, I want you down here." "In voice, OK?" "All right." " What's the big emergency, Vicki?" " I need $500 right away." " Well, go to a loan company." " It's not for me, it's for Wes." "Wes?" " Yeah, Wes." "You know Wes." " Well, is he in Vegas?" " That's right." " What's he doing there?" "I don't know." "I just know he's broke and all he has is the shirt on his back." "I'll send the money." "Only, don't tell him where you got it." "Why not?" "He wouldn't take it." "How's the record business going today?" "You know how it is." "It's a shambles." "How's the star recording artist?" "She's a basket case." "Lay off her, for God's sake." "I know that crazy broad - she'll crack." "Typical of her to think this is all her fault and she's a failure." "What a shame." "Let me set up a session." "Huh?" "We don't even have to put tape in the reel." "Just let her think that..." "you know, she's doing her thing." "Just satisfy Mr Estep and it'll all be over." "I tried." "I went to Washington." "The place is tied down like Fort Knox." " I'm not a burglar." " You're whatever you have to be." "The depositions, when they're not with Rudy, they're locked up." "I can't even find out where." "Where there's a will, as they say." "Maybe we could convert the agreement, tell Mr Estep I could do something else." "I mean... well, tell him about Annie." "She's on booze, pills." "She could OD." "This is Vincent." "It's time Miss Adams paid off her advances." "Pull her royalties." "That'll take her mind off her other troubles." "Understand this, Abbott, Mr Estep doesn't care about Miss Annie Adams, or you." "He only cares about the agreement." "The one you made." "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" "Every minute." "Once you've satisfied Mr Estep and he's finished with you, watch out for me." "I owe you." "And in due course..." "I'll pay you back." " Kate?" " Rudy!" "Home before dark for once?" "I started worrying a steady diet of Beat the Clock or canasta might drive you mad." "Thought we'd be reckless and go out to dinner." "Oh, well, that would be nice." "But, uh... first..." "I have a confession to make." "Oh?" "Yes, I..." "I slipped my leash for about three hours today." "I wondered where you got that glow." "I took a drive up the pike, keeping an eye peeled for Falconetti at all times, I swear." "I spotted this ice rink." "Maberry's?" "That's not still in business?" "Yes, it is." "With the original clientele, I might add." "Well, this lovely little old man kind of tottered up to me and asked me if I would skate this waltz with him." "Well, how could I say no?" "If you could've seen us." "Right, let me explain this to you." "You gotta see." "Imagine me on skates, which I'm not very good at, propping this little old man up." "All right, we start to go off very slowly, because his ankles are shaking." "And, as we're skating around, I feel I'm responsible for him if he fell or something." "I'm skating very slowly with him." "And, all of a sudden, he takes off." "I mean, he flew!" "It turned out he was one of Sonja Henie's touring partners." "It's the revenge of the senior citizens." "Oh, gosh, I looked like a clod!" "Never in your life, anywhere, any time, Katherine Jordache, did you look like a clod." "I'm leaving tomorrow." "Why?" "Uh... because I miss Janey." "And my parents are expecting me." "And I'm just goofing off here, as much as I like it." "And, um... you've got a very nice thing going with a very nice lady." "And you yourself admit that things aren't going too well, so I think I should leave." "Nothing wrong with your reasons, Kate." "Too many of them, that's all." "Maybe." "But I can't think of a one for staying." "I have one selfish one." "This house will seem awfully empty without you." "There hasn't been this much laughter here lately." "Well, there will be." "Uh, look..." "I've got this weekend coming up, then the hearings start, and, uh... and I'll be too busy to miss you." "Stay until then?" " Are you coming or going?" " I haven't decided yet." "In that case, come on in, sit down." "Billy?" "No, no, you're busy." "I'm doing more organising than actual work." "Besides, I'd like the company." "Come on." "So, how's it going?" "The investigation?" "Fine." " How's it going with you?" " All right." " How's Kate?" " Mm, fine." "She's a nice lady." "Yes." "She is." " How's the record business going?" " Same thing." "Crazy." "How about that problem you were having?" "Work itself out?" "I think it's about to." "Good." "Well..." " How about a nightcap?" " Why not?" " Hello?" " John Franklin." "Thank you." "Martin." "Would you be so kind as to freshen Mr Franklirs drink?"