The Stolen - Jason Pinter [49]
rehab-image deal, everything but appear on the cover of
People magazine. Anyway, Talbot came in after Michelle
disappeared and tore Rowland a new one for letting the
state go to seed. He said the state was not protecting its
youth. At the time, Meriden had the second-highest crime
rate in the state, and it had gotten worse over the previous
few years. Even though Talbot was a New York senator,
he was quoted as saying, 'This is a matter so vital to the
future of our country that it would be irresponsible to only
permit coloring within state lines.'"
"So Talbot ruins Rowland, then what?"
"Talbot institutes a program called 'Not on Our Watch.'
He raises millions of dollars earmarked for improving
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security within Meriden and other surrounding counties.
More money for police recruiting, neighborhood watches,
more incentives for gang members and criminals to
become informants. He raises thousands of dollars for the
Oliveira family, basically seals up trust funds for their
other children to go to college. Within two years, the crime
rate in Meriden drops like a rock. He spent years working
to help the Oliveiras move on with their lives."
Amanda said, "And now this guy is knocking on
Wallace's door telling him to let the city move on. It sounds
to me like Talbot is a guy who worked his ass off to rebuild
a community, then sees some punk reporter, no offense..."
"None taken..."
"...digging around, looking for holes in the masonry."
"Not to mention the most interesting part," I said.
"Michelle Oliveira grew up in Meriden, but guess where
she was born?"
"I don't know, where?"
"Hobbs County."
"Like Danny Linwood?" she said. "Holy shit, that's a
hell of a coincidence."
"Or maybe not," I said. "Guess where our favorite
senator also grew up?"
Amanda looked at me. She said, "No way..."
"That's right, Hobbs County for two hundred, Alex."
"So this guy has taken protecting his own to a whole
new level. No wonder as a New York senator he decided
to stick his nose into another state."
"What's also strange, though, is that both Meriden and
Hobbs County were essentially cesspools before Michelle
Oliveira and Daniel Linwood were kidnapped. Since
Talbot came in, they've seen unprecedented growth and
community support."
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"Talbot seems to have done his job well," she said.
"There are certainly enough shitty neighborhoods in
New York, maybe he should take care of his own
backyard for a bit."
"That's why he was at Danny Linwood's home the day
I interviewed him," I said. "He is looking out for his own
backyard. Literally."
"What are you thinking we should do?" she asked.
"I'm not sure," I said. "But it concerns me any time a
politician does something for the alleged good of the community. It makes me wonder what the quid pro quo is."
"Well, how has Talbot's career been affected since
Michelle Oliveira and Danny Linwood came back?"
"Well, he's won by a landslide every time he's run for
reelection," I said. "One would assume at some point he'll
want to move from the senate to the governor's mansion.
All that good press can't hurt."
"You think we might be a little too cynical?" Amanda said.
"I mean, this guy seems to have legitimately changed lives.
Maybe even saved a few. For all the politicians that talk a big
game, this guy actually gets his feet dirty.Yet he ruffles a few
feathers at your office and we're ready to string him up."
"I'm not doing anything like that," I said defensively.
"But I need to know why two children disappeared into
thin air, reappeared years later with no memory of where
they went, and nobody seems to be looking too hard into
that fact. I have no idea if Gray Talbot is the greatest
Samaritan of all time or Jack the Ripper in a good suit. I
just want the truth. And one thing I've learned in this job
is that anytime somebody tells you not to look under that
rock, there's something there they don't want you to find."
"And now you're going to lift that rock. Even if it
means your job."
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"Even if it