Vanishing Point - Marc Cerasini [38]
Sherry took the phone, her expression doubtful. "Hello, Larry."
"Sherry," the Congressman purred. "How was your luncheon?"
"About as charming as that impromptu press conference this morning," Sherry replied, her hackles rising at the memory.
She heard a chuckle. "What's so funny?" Sherry demanded.
"That was just a little demonstration I cooked up," Bell replied. "I thought you'd appreciate it."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Sherry, you and I both know your husband is running for president..."
"That hasn't been determined yet..."
"Cut the crap, woman. He hasn't announced yet, but he's caught the fever. I can see it. You forget that I've known David almost as long as you have."
"What's your point," Sherry snarled.
"Now I can be a good and loyal ally and help David reach his goal, or I can be a friendly — or even a not so friendly rival. It's really up to you."
Sherry eyes narrowed. "What are you angling for, Larry?"
"For now, I only want you to meet a friend of mine. He's a businessman with very deep pockets, who's interested in David's political career."
"And later?"
Sherry could feel Larry's smile across the wires. "The House of Representatives is a very crowded place. Very crowded," he said. "It's hard for a man of my aspirations to shine. A better fit for me would be a cabinet position in the Palmer Administration, don't you think?"
Bell fell silent for a moment. Sherry's knuckles strained as she clutched the receiver, her self control slipping.
"My friend is in the hotel. Why don't I fetch him, bring him up to that luxury suite of yours right now, and make the introductions."
There was a long pause before Sherry replied. "I'm willing to listen," she said at last.
"Great." Bell's tone was triumphant. "See you in ten."
The line went dead and Sherry dropped the receiver into the cradle.
"What did he want?" Lev asked.
"He wants to be in David's cabinet."
Lev jumped to his feet. "What?"
Sherry shook her head, slipped her heels back on. Then she rose and, faced her husband's chief of staff. "We're going to have a visitor," she announced. "I want you to stay and listen to what this man has to say. This could work out very well for David's campaign, but only if we play our cards right."
"You're scaring me, Sherry," Lev replied, his ruddy face suddenly pale. "You can't buy and sell cabinet positions."
"Don't panic, Larry. Nothing's been decided yet," Sherry replied. "What Larry Bell wants and what he gets are two entirely different things. And if the esteemed Congressman thinks he can buy himself a cabinet position in my husband's administration, he better know that it's going to cost him and his deep pocket friend a lot of money and a lot of influence..."
* * *
4:47:15 p.m. PDT
Tunney and Sons Quality Tool and Die
Browne End Road, Las Vegas
Curtis Manning had used the abandoned factory to stake out Bix's operation several times before. A shattered front window commanded a perfect view to the entrance of Bix Automotive, just across street. Better still, because the deserted tool and die works was completely boarded up, no one suspected the building could possibly be occupied, even by a homeless vagrant.
On one of the early reconnaissance missions, Curtis found a back entrance known only to a nest of rattlesnakes he was forced to quietly eradicate before taking sole possession of the property. After he'd found the broken window with the strategic view, Curtis set up a bent steel chair behind an ancient desk and used them for his observation post.
In the beginning, Curtis Manning believed Jack's goading of Hugo Bix was both reckless and a waste of CTU resources. While it was known that Bix was a powerful player on the local crime scene, there was no evidence the man was connected with the stolen military technology. Now Curtis knew differently, and he was man enough to admit it to anyone who asked, especially his boss, Jack Bauer.
Manning had several years' experience as a member of CTU's tactical team, but this was his first real covert operation. Because