Page 28 of The Fallen Man

“You may,” said Eleanor.

“Just on his say so,” asked Ralph, his mustache bristling skeptically.

“HeisOlivia’s representative,” said Eleanor, with a shrug. “I assume they have discussed matters.”

“I donotunderstand your family,” said Ralph, shaking his head.

“Very few people do,” said Eleanor. Ralph reached into his jacket and retrieved a piece of paper. He slid it across the table, and Eleanor unfolded it. It was a printout of a photo that Ralph had clearly snapped with his phone.

“This turned up in one of my committee meetings,” said Ralph.

“Who submitted it?” asked Eleanor, handing the photo to Jackson. Jackson looked at the memo asking that the Absolex files not be released, per the request of the Ethics Committee.

“The right and honorable Senator Griffeth from New Jersey. Which, coincidentally, is where J.P. Granger voted from, wasn’t it?”

“Griffeth also sits on the security committee, doesn’t she?” asked Jackson.

“Yes, she does,” said Ralph. “You got problems, Eleanor. Someone doesn’t want those files released.”

“And what do you care about our problems?” asked Jackson.

“J.P. Granger sold medication to the V.A. that resulted in a forty percent increase in suicide,” said Ralph, and Jackson saw a spark of righteous wrath behind the fat and mustache. “Suicide is a sin, and pushing our veterans into it, that’s the devil’s work. Granger is roasting in hell right now, but someone out there is trying to cover up the blood on their hands. I may hate you like a plague of boils, and I may think you’re trying to capitalize on this for your own ends, but I’m not going to be a part of that.”

“Ralph,” said Eleanor, and he tore his eyes off Jackson to look at her, “I don’t believe that either of us is confused by our relationship. We don’t like each other.”

“You’re arrogant and elitist,” said Ralph.

“And you are hypocritical and intentionally ignorant,” replied Eleanor. “And I would go so far as to say that we do not have a sense of shared trust.”

“If that’s a fancy way of saying I don’t trust you further than I can throw a heifer, then yes.”

“It is. But,” Eleanor leaned forward in her seat, fixing Ralph with a hard stare, “I have never doubted that you thought some things were bigger than politics. The list may be short, but I know you have it. And I also know that those of you clinging to such lists are facing hard times within your party.”

“Moderates are gone,” complained Ralph. “I used to be considered extreme, but that ain’t exactly the case anymore.”

“Well, I just want you to know that should this situation blow up on us,” said Eleanor, “I will most certainly blame you.”

Jackson felt shocked that Eleanor would announce that, and Ralph sat back in his chair, looking stunned.

“Well, thank you, Eleanor. I appreciate that.”

Jackson blinked and then realized that he’d misunderstood the conversation. In the event of the situation going tits up, the best protection for Ralph was to have a democrat blame him for everything. It would almost certainly look like Eleanor wasgrandstanding and trying to scapegoat Ralph. If the left hated him, he would become a hero of the right.

“Our political system was designed for compromise. Without it, we’re treading water at best. There should be no complete victories for one side. Everyone should walk out of the room mildly annoyed.”

Ralph laughed, his belly bouncing against the edge of the table.

“There must be ways for us to reach across the aisle,” she continued. “And if those ways are at the Waffle House, then I, for one,” she paused to spear a forkful of hashbrowns, “am willing to suffer through that.” She popped the hashbrowns into her mouth and smiled in satisfaction.

Ralph laughed again, and the waitress smiled at them as she passed by.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Ralph said, picking up his own fork.

Jackson waited until they were in the car and heading back to the office before asking Eleanor anything.

“You want me to start looking into who’s blocking the release of the Absolex files?” he asked.

“No,” she said firmly. “It’s a political issue. There isn’t any point in getting you involved. I’m sure my staff can handle it.”