Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews

Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews

Author:Mary Kay Andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group


33

When Conley got back to the Beacon office, Lillian was at her usual post in the reception area. The radio was on, and she was listening to Buddy Bright, who was talking excitedly about the county commission zoning meeting. Conley reached over and turned the volume down.

“I’ve had about enough of that guy,” she groused. “When does he sleep?”

“I go to church with a lady who works at the Waffle House out on the county road,” Lillian said. “Melissa told me that Buddy Bright’s in there all the time, at all hours of the night. Guess he really is a night owl.”

Conley sat back down at her desk and was trying to craft a lede for the story that would be combined with Rowena’s exclusive when Michael Torpy burst into the tiny newsroom, holding his cell phone in one hand and a grease-stained paper sack in the other. He wore faded blue jeans, a rumpled short-sleeved shirt that had seen better days, and unlaced Converse high-top sneakers. As always, the earbuds for his iPhone dangled from around his neck.

“I got Charlie Robinette to give me a statement,” he announced, grinning. “He confirmed that he’s running for his father’s unexpired term. And,” he added, “I videoed the interview, just in case.”

He rolled his desk chair up alongside hers. “Take a look.” He tapped the photo icon on his iPhone and held it out for Conley to watch.

Charlie Robinette was already assuming the mantle of a mature politician. His neatly barbered hair showed a few strategically placed gray hairs at the temples. Conley cynically wondered if he’d had his barber tint his hair just for the occasion. He was wearing a white button-down shirt with a loosely knotted red, white, and blue tie, the shirtsleeves rolled up, as though notifying the voting public that he was ready to get down to work in Washington.

He looked steadily into the camera. “All my life, I’ve looked up to my dad as a role model. And I modeled my life plan after his, graduating from the same university and law school, practicing law in the family firm, and working summers during college as a congressional aide in his office. Dad and I had many late-night discussions on the topic of public service and the best way to serve his constituents and address the changing needs of the district.”

“Uh, so, does that mean your dad was grooming you as his successor?” Michael asked off-camera.

“Yes,” Charlie said. “That’s why I’d begun having conversations with some of Dad’s closest political advisers over the past year. My father made it clear to me, even before his recent illness, that he believed I would be the best candidate to represent the Thirty-fifth District. Of course, we’d hoped I wouldn’t have to announce before his retirement, but cancer has a way of cheating the best-laid plans.”

Michael’s voice could be heard off-camera. “Can we back up? You’re saying he knew the cancer diagnosis was terminal? But kept that diagnosis secret?”

Robinette’s smooth, tanned face flushed.



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