Chapter 10 chapter eight

Dana was preparing breakfast early in the morning when she heard a noise outside the door.She looked out the window and was surprised to see a moving car parked in front of the apartment building, and workers were moving furniture up. Who is moving out?Dana wondered.Each apartment is occupied and each has a long-term lease. There was a knock on the door as Dana put cereal on the table.It was Dorothy Wharton. "Dana, I have news for you," she said excitedly, "Howard and I are moving to Rome today." Dana stared at her dumbfounded. "Rome? Today?" "It's unbelievable, isn't it? A man came to Howard last week. It's very confidential. Howard told me not to say a word. Well, this man called last night and asked for Howard's business in Italy. Offered a job at three times what Howard is making now." Dorothy looked ready.

"Oh, that—that would be great," Dana said, "We'll miss you." "We'll miss you too." Howard came to the door. "I suppose Dorothy has given you news?" "Yes. I'm so happy for you. But I thought you'd make your home here all your life. Suddenly—" Howard just kept talking. "I can't believe it either, it was a surprise. And it's a big company. Priestino, Italy, they're one of the largest conglomerates in Italy. They have a subsidiary company that specializes in the restoration of ruins. I don't know Know how they heard about me, but they sent a guy all the way over here to make a deal with me. There are a lot of monuments in Rome that need fixing. They even paid our rent for the rest of the year so we got our security deposit back .The only requirement is that we have to be in Rome tomorrow. So we have to move out of the apartment today."

Dana tentatively said, "That's pretty unusual, isn't it?" "I guess they have something very urgent." "Do you need help cleaning up?" Dorothy shook her head. "No. We didn't sleep all night. Most of the luggage was checked by Goodwell. With Howard's new income, we have a lot more money." Dana smiled. "Keep in touch. Dorothy." An hour later, the Whartons had left the apartment and were on their way to Rome. Once at the office, Dana said to Olivia, "Can you look up a company for me?" "certainly." "It's called Priestino Italia. I think it's based in Rome."

"OK." Fifty minutes later, Olivia handed Dana a piece of paper: "Here, it is one of the largest companies in Europe." Dana felt a long breath of relief: "Okay. I'm glad to hear it." "By the way," Olivia said, "it's not a private company." "Oh?" "Yes. It is owned by the Italian government." When Dana picked up Kenmore from school that afternoon, a middle-aged man with glasses was moving into Wharton's apartment. Thursday, the day Dana had a date with Roger Hudson, got off to a bad start. In the first teleconference, Robert Fenwick said: "It looks like we're in trouble for this evening's broadcast."

"Leave it to me," Dana said. "You know that team we sent to Ireland? We're going to use their footage tonight." "yes." "They were arrested. All equipment has been confiscated." "Are you serious?" "I never joke about the Irish." He handed Dana a piece of paper. "Here's the headline about the Washington banker accused of fraud." "It's a good show," Dana said, "and it's our exclusive." "Our legal department just shot it down." "what?" "They fear being sued."

"That's great," Dana said sarcastically. "I'm not done yet. The witnesses to the murder we plan to interview live tonight—" "yes……" "He's changed his mind. He can't be there." Dana complained that it wasn't even ten o'clock in the morning.The only thing Dana could count on today was a meeting with Roger Hudson. After Dana got back from the press conference, Olivia said, "It's eleven o'clock, Miss Evans. With weather like this, you should probably leave right away for your appointment with Mr. Hudson."

"Thanks, Olivia. I should be back in two or three hours." Dana looked out the window.It started snowing again, and she put on her coat and scarf, and went to the door. The phone rang. "Miss Evans..." Dana turned around. "You have a call on Line 3." "Not now," Dana said, "I have to go." "It's from the Kenmore school." "What?" Dana hurried back to her desk. "Hey?" "Miss Evans?" "yes." "I am Thomas Henry." "Oh, Mr. Henry. How is Kenmore?" "I really don't know how to respond. I'm sorry to tell you this, but Kenmore has been fired."

Dana stood there in shock: "Fired! Why? What did he do?" "Maybe we should discuss it face to face. I would appreciate it if you could come and take him away." "Mr. Henry—" "I'll explain when you come, Miss Evans. Thank you." Dana put the microphone back, transfixed.What can happen? Olivia asked, "Is everything okay?" "Very good," Dana grumbled. "It made the morning almost perfect." "Is there anything I can do?" "Pray for me one more time." Rick Underwood had been watching as Dana dropped Kenmore off at school earlier in the morning to wave goodbye and drive away.

As Kenmore passed him, Rick said, "Hey, that's the battle hero. Your mom must be so disappointed. You only have one hand, so when you fucked her with that shitty hand—" Kenmore's movements were almost invisible.His foot hit Rick's groin with a thud.Just as Rick was screaming and bending over, Kenmore's left knee rushed up and broke his nose.Blood spurted into the air. Kenmore loomed over the groaning body on the ground. "Next time I will kill you." Dana drove to Theodore Roosevelt High School as quickly as possible, wondering what was going to happen.Whatever it was, I had to convince Henry to keep Kenmore at school.

Thomas Henry was waiting for Dana in his office.Kenmore sat in the chair opposite him.Dana had a déjà vu feeling when she walked in. "Miss Evans." Dana asked, "What is it?" "Your son broke a boy's nose and cheekbone. An ambulance took him to the emergency room." Dana looked at him suspiciously. "How—how could this happen? Kenmore has only one arm." "Yes," said Thomas Henry sternly, "but he had two legs. He broke the boy's nose with his knee." Kenmore was watching the ceiling. Dana turned to him. "Kenmore, how did you do that?"

He looked down: "That's very simple." "You know what I mean, Miss Evans," said Thomas Henry, "his whole attitude—I—I don't know how to describe it. I'm afraid we cannot tolerate Kemore's conduct any longer. I suggest you He found a more suitable school." Dana said eagerly, "Mr. Henry, Kenmore wouldn't initiate a fight. I'm sure if he did, he'd have a good reason. You can't—" Mr. Henry said firmly: "We have made a decision, Miss Evans." His tone was decisive. Dana took a deep breath. "Okay. We'll find a more sensible school. Come on, Kenmore." Kenmore stood up, glared at Mr. Henry, and followed Dana out of the office.They walked silently towards the side of the road.Dana looked at her watch.She's late for an appointment at the moment, and she has no room for Kenmore.I had to take him with me. Once they got in the car, Dana said, "Okay, Kenmore. What happened?" There was absolutely no way he could have told her what Rick Underwood had said: "I'm so sorry, Dana. It was my fault." Awesome, thought Dana. Hudson's house sits on five acres of land in an exclusive part of Georgetown.The house, invisible from the street, is a three-storey Georgian mansion built on a hill.It is white in appearance, and a long, wide driveway leads to the front door. Dana parked the car in front of the house.She looked at Kenmore: "You go in with me." "why?" "Because it's too cold outside. Come." Dana walked to the gate, and Kenmore reluctantly followed her. Dana turned to him. "Kenmore, I have a very important interview here. I want you to be quiet and polite. OK?" "Ok." Dana rang the doorbell.One in a butler's uniform.The giant with a friendly face opened the door: "Miss Evans?" "yes." "I'm Caesar. Mr. Hudson is waiting for you." He looked at Kenmore, then at Dana. "Can I get you your coat?" A moment later he hung them up to the guests in the front hall in the closet.Kenmore kept looking up at the condescending Caesar. "how tall are you?" Dana said, "Kenmore! Don't be rude." "Oh, nothing, Miss Evans. I'm quite used to it." "Are you taller than Michael Jordan?" Kenmore asked. "I'm afraid so." The butler smiled. "I'm seven feet one. This way please." The foyer was spacious, a long hallway with hardwood floors, antique mirrors and marble tables.Along the walls are shelves of precious Ming statuettes and Chihli blown glass figures. Dana and Kenmore followed Caesar down the long corridor to the living room under the steps.The walls in the room were pale yellow, the floor white, and there were comfortable sofas, an Anne tea table, and armchairs with Sheraton-style winged backs covered in pale yellow silk. Senator Roger Hudson and his wife, Pamela, sat at a dime table.Dana and Kenmore stood up when Caesar announced their arrival. Roger Hudson was a man of sixty and stern-looking, with calm gray eyes and a wary smile.There was a measured aloofness about him. Pamela Hudson is a beauty, slightly younger than her husband.She seemed warm, cheerful and down-to-earth.She has hazel hair with bits of gray that she doesn't care to hide. "I'm so sorry I'm late," Dana apologized. "I'm Dana Evans. This is my son, Kenmore." "I am Roger Hudson. This is my wife, Pamela." Dana had already looked up Roger Hudson on the Internet.His father owned Hudson Industries, a small steel mill, which Roger Hudson built into a conglomerate with global operations.He is a billionaire who was the Senate majority leader and for a time headed the Armed Services Committee.He has retired from the business world and is currently a political adviser to the White House.Twenty-five years ago he had married a high society beauty, Pamela Connelly.The two were well known in Washington society and influential in politics. Dana said, "Kenmore, this is Mr. and Mrs. Hudson," and she looked at Roger. "I'm sorry to bring him, but—" "It's good," Pamela Hudson said. "We know Kenmore very well." Dana looked at her in surprise: "You understand?" "Yes. You've been written about a lot, Miss Evans. You rescued Kenmore from Sarajevo. That's a great job." Roger Hudson stood there, not saying a word. "Shall we get you something?" Pamela Hudson asked. "I don't want anything, thank you," Dana said. They looked at Kenmore.He shook his head. "Sit down, please." Roger Hudson and his wife sat down on the sofa.Dana and Kenmore sat across from them in two comfortable chairs. Roger Hudson said abruptly, "I don't understand why you're here, Miss Evans. Matt Baker asked me to see you. What can I do for you?" "I want to talk to you about Taylor Winthrop." Roger Hudson frowned. "What about him?" "I heard you knew him?" "Yes. I met him when he was our ambassador to Russia. I was the head of the Armed Services Commission. I went to Russia to evaluate their weapons performance. Taylor stayed with our committee for two or three days." "What do you think of him, Mr. Hudson?" There was a pause for thought: "Quite frankly, Miss Evans, I am not overly impressed by all that charm. But I must say, I think this man is very capable." Kenmore looked around bored, then got up and wandered into the next room. "Did you know that Ambassador Winthrop was in trouble in Russia?" Roger Hudson looked puzzled. "I don't quite understand. What kind of trouble?" "Some things... He may have made enemies because of some things. I mean really sworn enemies." Roger Hudson shook his head slowly: "Miss Evans, if anything like that had happened, not only would I have known, but the whole world would have known. Taylor Winthrop's life was very public , may I ask what these questions are trying to explain?" Dana said awkwardly: "I think Taylor Winthrop may have done something to somebody that was bad enough that it was a reason to want to kill him and his whole family." The Hudsons were staring at her. Dana said quickly, "I know it sounds far-fetched, but so is it that they all die within a year." Roger Hudson said curtly, "Miss Evans, I've lived long enough to know that anything is possible, but this—on what grounds do you have it?" "If you mean hard evidence, I don't have it." "I'm not surprised," he hesitated, "I did hear..." His voice gradually weakened: "It doesn't matter." Two ladies were watching him. Pamela said gently: "It's not fair to Miss Evans, dear. What were you trying to say?" He shrugged. "It doesn't matter," he turned to Dana. "When I was in Moscow, there were rumors that Winthrop was involved in some secret deal with Russia. But I won't discuss the rumors." , and I'm sure you won't either, Miss Evans." His tone was almost reproachful. Before Dana could react, there was a loud crack in the adjacent library. Pamela Hudson stood up and hurried towards the sound, followed by Roger and Dana.They stopped at the door.In the library, a blue Ming Dynasty vase fell to the floor and shattered.Kenmore stood aside. "Oh my God," said Dana, horrified. "I'm so sorry. Kenmore, how could you—?" "this is an accident." Dana turned to the Hudsons, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry. I'll pay it, of course. I—" "Don't worry," Pamela Hudson said with a good-natured smile, "our dogs do worse things." Roger Hudson's face was gloomy.He was about to speak, but was stopped by a look from his wife. Dana looked down at the fragment of the vase.It might be worth ten years of my salary, she thought. "Why don't we go back to the living room," suggested Pamela Hudson. Dana followed the Hudsons, Kenmore by her side. "Follow me," she muttered angrily.They sit down again. Roger Hudson looked at Kenmore. "How did you lose your arm, boy?" Dana was surprised at the bluntness of the question, but Kenmore was more than happy to answer. "A bomb." "I see. Where are your parents, Kenmore." "They and my sister were killed in an air strike." Roger Hudson muttered, "Damn war." At this moment, Caesar walked into the room: "Lunch is ready." The lunch was hearty and delicious.Dana finds Pamela warm and charming, while Roger Hudson is reticent. "What are you doing right now?" Pamela Hudson asked Dana. "We're talking about a new program called Crime Scan. We're going to expose criminals who are getting away with it, and we're going to help the innocent in prison." Roger Hudson said: "Washington is a good place to start. The upper class here is full of impostors who think they are superior to others, and they commit any crime you can think of with impunity." "Roger was on several government reform committees," said Palmetto Hudson proudly. "And it's good," muttered her husband. "The difference between right and wrong seems to have been blurred. Home education should be done. Our schools obviously don't deal with it." Pamela Hudson looked at Dana. "By the way, Roger and I are having a small party Saturday night. Do you have time to come?" Dana smiled. "Oh, thank you. I want to come." "Have you any young lads?" "Yes. Jeff Connors." Roger Hudson said, "Sports announcer on your station?" "yes." "He's nice. I watch his show sometimes," he said. "I want to meet him." Dana smiled. "I'm sure Jeff wants to come too." Roger Hudson takes Dana aside as Dana and Kenmore leave. "To be frank, Miss Evans, I think your conspiratorial speculation about Winthrop is pure imagination. But for Matt Baker's sake, I'd like to look it up and see if I can find something that might confirm it." "Thank you." The tape is over.