The President's Daughter - Mariah Stewart [94]
“There were several Secret Service men who knew. They’re gone now, however. I checked after Simon and I spoke the first time. The party chairman, Peter Stinson, knew about Blythe but not, I believe, about you. Frankly, I don’t think anyone knew about you. Graham kept that secret very closely guarded. I don’t think anyone knew other than Miles and myself.”
“You must have been very close to him, for him to have trusted you with that,” Dina said.
“We were close.” Norton smiled gently. “It broke his heart when Blythe died. It absolutely broke him. He was never the same. He loved her very, very much.”
“Who had known that he had been thinking about leaving office other than you and Miles?”
“Stinson knew. He wouldn’t hear of it, of course. Out-and-out dismissed it. Said no one in their right mind would even consider something so stupid and refused to believe that Graham would do such a thing. Conrad Fritz, who was Graham’s campaign manager both times, might have gotten wind of it. And the vice president might have known. Who knows who one of them might have told?”
“And you?” Simon asked. “Did you tell anyone?”
“No. I don’t recall ever discussing it with anyone, other than Graham and Miles.”
“Where would I find Stinson and Fritz?”
“Stinson’s living in Green Lake, New Jersey. Just off the Delaware Bay. I have his number somewhere, but I’d have to look for it. I saw both of them recently at a party fund-raiser at Gray’s place in Rhode Island. I didn’t ask where Fritz was living, but I can try to find out for you.”
Simon handed the pen to Dina. “Do you have anything to write your cell phone number on?”
Dina opened her purse and pulled out a small notebook and proceeded to write down the number. When she finished, she handed it to Norton, who placed it on the table without looking at it.
“Call when you find out where Fritz is. I’m going to pay a visit to each of them. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t give them advance warning.” Simon moved slightly toward the door.
For a moment, Norton appeared to be deep in thought.
“Philip?” Simon asked, to bring the man back.
“Oh, sorry. I was thinking how interesting it was that the same method was used to go after you as was used to kill your mother.” Norton smiled apologetically. “Sorry. This must be a terrible trial for you.”
Dina nodded.
“We’re assuming that the same person was driving both vehicles, of course,” Simon said. “The one that killed Blythe and the one that attempted to run down Dina. Maybe he—or she—feels comfortable with using the car as their weapon.”
“Because they got away with it once before.” Norton nodded his agreement as he took his pipe from his pocket and tapped it lightly against the palm of his hand.
“That and maybe because the car removes them from the victim a little. They don’t have to see or touch the body; they don’t have to be eye to eye with their victim.”
“Who’s watching out for Mrs. McDermott?” Norton asked.
“I am,” Simon told him.
“Why not bring her here, and I can help you—”
“Not on your life.” Simon shook his head.
“Why not?” Norton asked.
“Because I don’t know if I trust you.”
Simon stared at his old mentor for a very long minute.
“I’m sorry, Philip,” Simon said as he closed the door behind them.
“You don’t really think that Dr. Norton was driving the van, do you?” Dina asked Simon as they made their way through rush-hour traffic in search of the Beltway.
“No.” Simon shook his head. “He’s not a murderer. And I can’t see him covering up for one, either.”
“Then why don’t you trust him?”
Simon paused, reflecting. “I don’t know that I don’t. Maybe I just have a bad taste in my mouth because I still think he tried to manipulate me.”
“Do you think that one of these men, Stinson or Fritz, might have killed Blythe?”
“I don’t know. If they thought that Graham was even remotely serious about leaving office because of Blythe, they might have had a motive to remove her from the picture. Think of what a big blow such an action would be to the party. It would