Recessional by James A. Michener

Author:James A. Michener
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Retirement communities, Gerontology, Social Science, Action & Adventure, Florida, General, Fiction, Sagas, Historical, Older people, Aged
ISBN: 9780449223451
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 1995-10-30T00:00:00+00:00

I'd expect him to know a lot."

Under cross-examination the senator frustrated the lawyer for the younger Mallorys by citing a few other other complex fields in which the grandfather had exhibited mental acuity: "But those discussions were in the past?"

"If you call two weeks ago the past."

Andy saw, with relief, that some of the jury members had been impressed by the senator's deportment and testimony, but the surprising highlight of the morning came when President Armitage took the stand.

After stating his credentials, which were impressive, with the long list of books published and services rendered to the federal government, he told of conversations with Mallory that were not much different from what the senator had testified to. He must have been aware of the repetition, for out of the blue he volunteered: "And Mr.

Mallory was of considerable help to me personally, so I had a good opportunity to evaluate his mental sharpness."

"In what specifics?"

"My wife and I had built up some savings, from my books and speaking fees, and we felt it would represent a conflict of interest if I asked the finance manager of my former college to advise me on how to invest these funds. So I went to Mr. Mallory, remembering that he'd been president of a bank, and he was glad to counsel me."

"And the results?"

"Our college finance team earned us seven percent on the college funds they invested. Chris earned my wife and me ten and a half percent, year after year."

"But did he charge you a fee for his services

"Of course. He's a canny businessman. And we were glad to pay it."

Page 240

Editor Jimenez from Colombia, ramrod straight, with a slight accent, weighed each word carefully: "Mr. Mallory frequently stopped me in the hall to ask about developments in my home country. He was very knowledgeable."

"In what way?"

"About drugs. The Call gang. The Medellin connection. He always wanted to know what they were up to."

"Why would he have such an interest?"

"Because he had served as chairman for his state's antidrug committee.

He had even gone down to the hill country of Colombia, at some risk to himself, I must say, because those drug gangs are killers."

"On such a trip what did he learn?"

"Only that Colombian drugs keep seeping into this country, corrupting our legal system and killing our children."

Now, when the jury looked at Old Aan Mallory they saw an entirely different kind of man, but the decisive testimony came from Ambassador St. Pres, whose credentials were so impeccable and manner so dignified that whatever he said was bound to carry weight. He spoke of his frequent contacts with Mallory, and of the man's interest in matters besides dancing and dining out: "When the President appointed him to the national committee looking into the drug problem, Mr. Mallory had occasion to visit the centers in the Orient from which drugs were being sent out to carriers who slipped them into the United States. Burma, Thailand, a very rough gang in Malaysia, he knew of them all.

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