Lethal Trajectories - Michael Conley [55]
“Jack, I know this is totally unfair, and something I shouldn’t ask, but I’m going to ask it anyway: will you be my chief of staff? The hours are long and the pay is poor, and those are the good parts, but I need you like I’ve never needed anyone before.”
“Clayton,” Jack said, grappling for the right words, “I’m overwhelmed. First, out of the blue, I find out that a man I greatly admire is going to die. Second, I realize that my big brother is about to become the new president. And last, I find myself being asked to accompany him on this journey. Honestly, I just don’t know what to say. It is all so surreal—like some hokey script from a soap opera.”
“Of course. I’m also shocked by the news. It’s happening so fast that I keep expecting to wake up from this dream—or nightmare—soon. But this is for real, Jack, and I’ve got to say there’s no one on Earth I trust more than you. Not just because you’re my brother, but also because I haven’t met a man yet who could carry your jock on anything you set your mind on doing. Perhaps, if I had months to find someone, I could; but how do you match the trust and respect we have as brothers and friends? I could never find that.”
“Wouldn’t it be a major political problem for you, Clayton? You know the ‘McCarty Gang riding roughshod over all of Washington’ sort of thing? Imagine the field day a jerk like Wellington Crane would have with this. He’ll surely portray us as the reincarnation of the Jesse James gang. Besides, isn’t George Gleason the incumbent chief of staff?”
“The president advised me that George would be leaving with him, so that’s not a problem. No doubt the political hacks will have a field day with it, but as I recall, the Kennedy brothers survived the storm. In many respects it strengthened the Kennedy administration, because Bobby wasn’t afraid to tell Jack behind closed doors that he was full of crap. Believe me, after watching the way people fawn all over the president and tell him what they think he wants to hear, the president needs someone like Bobby to tell it like it is. And, as far as I can remember, you’ve never had a problem disagreeing with me in the strongest possible terms when you thought I was wrong.”
Jack smiled and said, “You’re right about that. But you may be dead wrong in thinking that what I’d bring to the table would outweigh the negative spin you’ll get from the media.”
“C’mon, Jack, when have either of us shied away from a fight? You were my campaign manager when we went up against both major parties to win the election in California. We had bullets flying at us from all directions then, remember? Being an Independent could actually be a huge advantage this time because we won’t be beholden to any party, and we’ll have a real opportunity to address the pressing energy and climate-change issues we both feel so passionate about. Aside from all that, there’s no one I’d rather have in my foxhole than you.”
Jack smiled and thought, Clayton sure knows how to push all the right buttons. Still, he had his employees to consider. “I’ve got a business to run, Clayton, and it wouldn’t be easy to just drop everything. You’d need me right away, but I don’t know if I could disengage that quickly.”
“I hear you, Jack, but I’ve met your people, and they’re totally capable of running IEE in your absence. I also know how the Washington game is played, and I doubt very seriously that any of your major clients would want to drop your firm because its owner is now working directly with the president of the United States.”
Clayton must have guessed that Jack’s resistance was wearing down. “Jack,” Clayton said, almost pleading, “I need you. It’s almost impossible for me to imagine doing this without you at my side. There’d be a few logistical challenges in the early stages of the transition, I’m sure, but nothing we couldn’t work out together.”
Jack sighed, relenting. “Clayton, you smoothie, you, I always did have a hard time resisting you when you pulled a full-court press on me. I’ll agree to your offer on one condition.