Killing the Messenger by Christopher Wallace

Author:Christopher Wallace [Wallace, Christopher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780956613547
Publisher: Freight Books

CAMPAIGN LAUNCH MINUS 50 DAYS

Downing Street, London

Greig shook the Prime Minister’s hand and left the room on the second floor. Still smiling, he followed the assigned member of household staff down the stairs, along the corridor and out towards the front door. As he passed through, all around him were signs, portraits and items of historic importance to remind him where he was. He promised himself he would replay this moment later, savour it more than he was allowed to now, all passing by in a blur as he was escorted out.

Of course he had had a briefing on how to behave, the decorum on how to receive the appointment to Cabinet. Again this had registered somewhere in his mind, but too deep to be of practical use when facing the real thing.

He paused by the doorway, strictly taboo according to his brief, strictly the preserve of the Prime Minister himself, but in Greig that day simply a natural reaction to the cheers of the crowds held back by a gentle barrier, and the wave of photographer flashes that lit the street once he had shown his face. Still smiling.

He had thought they were three, perhaps four deep. Watching on the news later in the day he would see that number easily doubled. TV cameras, newsmen, radio mics, visual audio feeds of every persuasion set up in some kind of aggressive defence against those being ejected from the Prime Minister’s office that day.

What is going on? they clamoured. He could have asked the same himself. Still smiling. A step forward, onto the pavement, speaking out over the roof of the ministerial car awaiting him. Breaking taboo, again, forgetting himself in the freedom of that moment, now part of the charmed elite. Untouchable.

‘A wonderful moment, not just for me, not just for the Party, not even just those that voted for us. A wonderful moment for everyone in this country, a chance for us to make a change. The Prime Minister has shown courage and imagination in taking on this challenge, and I thank him for his faith in me, faith I hope to repay. But it’s not about me, or even the Prime Minister. It’s about all of us, the courage and imagination of us all to make our dreams a reality.’

Watching the same performance on the news channels later in the day where it threatened to surpass even the triumph of the newly re-elected Prime Minister, Greig was struck by the poise and ersatz gravitas on display. He was the only one watching who would not believe the delivery was not rehearsed, the only one who could possibly know the depth of improvisation utilised. Greig would take a mouthful of red wine and allow himself to savour the talent that had surprised him then, the same talent that had transformed a daunting election campaign trail into an effortless cruise to the finishing line. A victory cruise.

True, he had inherited an efficient local party machine in his adopted constituency. True,

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