〃What's this？〃
〃That's a video frame from the Nakamoto security tapes； taken last night。 At the time of the murder of Cheryl Austin。〃
She frowned at the picture。 〃You're kidding。〃
〃No。〃
〃You're going with this？〃
〃We have to。〃
〃You're going to arrest Senator Morton？ You're out of your fucking mind。〃
〃Maybe。〃
〃You'll never see daylight； Peter。〃
〃Maybe。〃
〃They'll bury you so fast and so deep you'll never know what hit you。〃
〃Maybe。〃
〃You can't make this work。 You know you can't。 In the end； it's only going to harm Michelle。〃
I didn't say anything to that。 I found I liked her less all the time。 We walked along； her spike heels clicking on the sidewalk。
Finally she said； 〃Peter； if you insist on following this reckless course of action； there's nothing I can do。 As your friend； I advise you not to。 But if you insist； there is nothing I can do to help you。〃
I didn't answer。 I waited and watched her。 In the hard sunlight； I saw she was starting to get wrinkles。 I saw the dark roots of her hair。 The fleck of lipstick on her tooth。 She took off her sunglasses and glanced at me； her eyes worried。 Then she turned away； looking toward the press。 She tapped the sunglasses in the palm of her hand。
〃If this is really what's happening； Peter； I think maybe I had better hold off a day and let events take their course。〃
〃All right。〃
〃You understand： I'm not dropping my concerns； Peter。〃
〃I understand。〃
〃But I don't think the question of Michelle's custody should be mixed up in some other； crazy controversy。〃
〃Of course not。〃
She put her sunglasses back on。 〃I feel sorry for you； Peter。 I really do。 At one time you had a promising future in the department。 I know you've been mentioned for a position under the chief。 But nothing can save you if you do this。〃
I smiled。 〃Well。〃
〃You have anything besides photographic evidence？〃
〃I don't know if I should give you too many details。〃
〃Because if you only have photographic evidence； you have no case； Peter。 The D。A。 won't touch it。 Photographic evidence doesn't fly anymore。 It's too easily doctored。 The courts know it。 If all you have is a picture of this guy doing the crime； it won't wash。〃
〃We'll see。〃
〃Peter；〃 she said。 〃You are going to lose everything。 Your job； your career； your child； everything。 Wake up。 Don't do it。〃
She started back toward her car。 I walked with her。 We didn't say anything。 I waited for her to ask how Michelle was； but she never did。 It wasn't surprising。 She had other things to think about。 Finally we arrived at her car； and she went around to the driver's side to get in。
〃Lauren。〃
She looked at me over the top of the car。
〃Let's keep it clean for the next twenty…four hours； okay？ No well…placed calls to anybody。〃
〃Don't worry；〃 she said。 〃I never heard any of this。 Frankly； I wish I never heard of you。〃
And she got in the car and drove off。 As I watched her go； I felt my shoulders drop； and a tension leave me。 It was more than the fact that I'd done what I set out to do … I had talked her out of it； at least for a while。 It was more than that。 There was something else； finally gone。
？
Connor and I went up the rear stairs of my apartment building； avoiding the press。 I told him what had happened。 He shrugged。
〃This was a surprise to you？ How the liaisons are chosen？〃
〃Yeah。 I guess I never paid attention。〃
He nodded。 〃That's how it happens。 The Japanese are very skilled at providing what they call incentives。 Originally； the department had qualms about letting outsiders say anything about which officers would be chosen。 But the Japanese said they simply wanted to be consulted。 Their remendations wouldn't be binding。 And they pointed out that it made sense for them to have some input in the choice of liaisons。〃
〃Uh…huh 。 。 。〃
〃And just to show they were even…handed； they proposed a contribution to the officers' relief fund； to benefit the whole department。〃
〃How much was that？〃
〃I think half a million。 And the chief was asked to e to Tokyo and consult on criminal record…keeping systems。 Three…week trip。 One…week stopover in Hawaii。 All first class。 And lots of publicity； which the chief loves。〃
We got to the second…floor landing。 Went up to the third。
〃So；〃 Connor said； 〃by the time it's all finished； it's rather difficult for the department to ignore the remendations of the Asian munity。 Too much is at stake。〃
〃I feel like quitting；〃 I said。
〃That's always an option；〃 he said。 〃Anyway； you got your wife to back off？〃
〃My ex…wife。 She got the point right away。 She's a finely tuned political animal； Lauren is。 But I had to tell her who the murderer was。〃
He shrugged。 〃There's not much she can do in the next couple of hours。〃
I said； 〃But what about these pictures？ She says they won't stand up in court。 And Sanders said the same thing： the day of photographic evidence is over。 Do we have any other evidence？〃
〃I've been working on that；〃 Connor said。 〃I think we're all right。〃
〃How？〃
Connor shrugged。
We came to the back entrance to my apartment。 I unlocked the door； and we went into the kitchen。 It was empty。 I went down the corridor to the front hall。 My apartment was quiet。 The doors to the living room were closed。 But there was the distinct smell of cigarette smoke。
Elaine； my housekeeper； was standing in the front hall； looking out the window at the reporters on the street below。 She turned when she heard us。 She looked frightened。
I said； 〃Is Michelle all right？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Where is she？〃
〃Playing in the living room。〃
〃I want to see her。〃
Elaine said； 〃Lieutenant； there's something I have to tell you first。〃
〃Never mind；〃 Connor said。 〃We already know。〃
He threw open the door to the living room。 And I had the biggest shock of my life。
？
John Morton sat in the makeup chair at the television studio； a Kleenex tucked around his collar； while the girl powdered his forehead。 Standing at his side； his aide Woodson said； 〃This is how they remend you handle it。〃 He handed a fax to Morton。
〃The basic through…line；〃 Woodson said； 〃is that foreign investment invigorates America。 America is made stronger by the influx of foreign money。 America has much to learn from Japan。〃
〃And we aren't learning it；〃 Morton said gloomily。
〃Well； the argument can be made；〃 Woodson said。 〃It's a viable position and as you can see； the way Marjorie shaped it； it doesn't read as a change of position so much as a refinement of your previous view。 You can skate on this one； John。 I don't think it is going to be an issue。〃
〃Is the question even going to e up？〃
〃I think so。 I've told the reporters you are prepared to discuss a modification of your position on MicroCon。 How you now favor the sale。〃
〃Who'll ask it？〃
〃Probably Frank Pierce of the Times。〃
Morton nodded。 〃He's okay。〃
〃Yeah。 Business orientation。 Should be fine。 You can talk about free markets； fair trade。 Lack of national security issues on this sale。 All that。〃
The makeup girl finished； and Morton stood up from the chair。
〃Senator； I'm sorry to bother you； but could I have your autograph？〃
〃Sure；〃 he said。
〃It's for my son。〃
〃Sure；〃 he said。
Woodson said； 〃John； we have a rough assembly of the mercial if you want to see it。 It's very rough； but you might like to give ments。 I've set it up for you in the next room。〃
〃How much time have I got？〃
〃Nine minutes to airtime。〃
〃Fine。〃
He started out the door and saw us。 〃Good evening； gentlemen；〃 he said。 〃You need me for anything？〃
〃Just a short conversation； Senator；〃 Connor said。
〃I've got to look at a tape；〃 Morton said。 〃Then we can talk。 But I've only got a couple of minutes 。 。 。〃
〃That's all right；〃 Connor said。
We followed him into another room； which overlooked the studio below。 Down there； on a beige…colored set that said NEWSMAKERS； three reporters were shuffling through their notes and being fitted with microphones。 Morton sat in front of a television set； and Woodson plugged in a cassette。
We saw the mercial that was shot earlier in the day。 It had a timecode running at the bottom of the frame； and it opened with Senator Morton；