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"Shoot."
"You won't technically be working for me."
"Who will I be working for?"
"Congressman Rudin."
Steveken frowned. "Excuse me for being so blunt. Hank, but the man has a reputation as being a real ass."
"I know he is, but he means well. I promise I'll tell him to be on his best behavior or you'll walk."
The frown had not left Steveken's face. "Does he know what my rate is? I mean the guy has a reputation of being the cheapest politician on the Hill."
"Don't worry about your fee. I'm going to take care of that."
"No." Steveken was embarrassed. "I can't charge you. You've done enough for me."
"No, I insist, Norb, and I'm not going to argue about it with you. You're worth every penny and then some."
"Hank I don't feel right taking-"
Clark held up his hand and cut him off. "Don't say another word. I don't want to hear it. I'm paying you and that's the end of it. All right?" Clark believed that the best way to keep someone loyal was to pay them well.
Steveken nodded. "All right. But I'm not going to take any crap from Rudin."
"That's fine," smiled Clark. "Now there are a couple more things. I have a contact for you at Langley. He's very high up, and I think he'll be willing to help."
"Who is it?"
"Jonathan Brown. Do you know who he is?"
Steveken mumbled something and said, "The former federal judge?"
"Yes."
"He had a reputation as a real prick when he sat on the bench."
"That doesn't surprise me. He's a by-the-book kind of guy."
"Then he's not going to tell me anything."
"Don't be so sure," cautioned Clark. "He's seen some things at Langley that have troubled him greatly." "Has he told you?"
"No. He knows if he tells me there's no turning back."
Steveken seemed to struggle with the whole thing. "I don't see why he'd open up to me."
"Because he has a conscience. All he needs right now is for someone to give him the chance to do the right thing." Clark backed off a bit and added, "Now that's assuming Kennedy has done something egregious. Maybe it's someone else, maybe it was Stansfield, but the point is I want to make sure before I vote for Kennedy that I'm not going to get egg on my face."
Steveken accepted the answer. "I think I understand."
"Good." The senator stood and so did Steveken. "Do you know where Wolf Trap Park is?"
"No."
"It's out by the Leesburg Pike."
"I'll find it"