«Mr. Chairman.»
Trevayne felt the ice in Hill’s voice, the title spoken in an emphasized monotone that skirted the edge of insult. The Ambassador was an angry man. That was fine, thought Andrew. Strange, but fine. He was angry himself. He returned his attention to the President, who indicated a chair—one of four forming a semicircle in front of the desk.
«Thank you.» Trevayne sat down.
«What is that quote?» asked the President with slim humor. «‘We three do meet again…’ Is that it?»
«I believe,» said Hill slowly, still standing, «that the correct words are ‘When shall we three meet again?’ The three in question had forecast the fall of a government; they weren’t sure even they could survive.»
The President watched Hill; his eyes bore deeply into the old man’s, his look a cross between compassion and irritation. «I think that’s highly interpretive, Bill. A bias I’m not sure would hold up academically.»
«Fortunately, Mr. President, the academicians do not concern me.»
«They should, Mr. Ambassador,» said the President curtly, turning to Trevayne. «I can only assume, Mr. Trevayne, that you requested this meeting as a result of my exercising executive privilege. I intercepted the subcommittee report on grounds you find suspect, and you’d like an explanation. You’re entirely justified; the grounds I employed were fallacious.»
Andrew was surprised. He hadn’t questioned the grounds at all. They were for his protection. «I wasn’t aware of that, Mr. President. I accepted your explanation up front.»
«Really? I’m amazed. The device seemed so transparent to me. At least, I thought you’d think so… Robert Webster’s death was a private war, in no way connected with you. You don’t know those people, you couldn’t identify them. Webster did and could, and therefore had to be silenced. You’re the last person on earth they’d want to touch.»
Trevayne flushed, partly in anger, more so because of his own ineptness. Of course, he was the «last person on earth they’d want to touch.» Killing him would create a furor, bring about a relentless investigation, an intense hunt for the killers. Not so Robert Webster. No intense pursuit for his killers; Bobby Webster was an embarrassment to everyone. Including the man who sat behind the desk in the Oval Office.
«I see. Thanks for the lesson in practicality.»
«That’s what this job’s all about.»
«Then I would like an explanation, sir.»
«You shall have it, Mr. Chairman,» said William Hill as he crossed to the chair farthest away from Trevayne and sat down.
The President spoke quickly, attempting to vitiate Hill’s invective. «Of course, you will; you must. But, if you’ll forgive me, I’d like to exercise another privilege. Let’s not call it executive; let’s just say the prerogative of an older man. Then we can get on… I’m curious. Why did you consider this meeting so vital? If I’ve been accurately informed, you damn near told the appointments desk that you’d camp in the hallways until I saw you… A tight morning schedule was rearranged… The report’s complete. The formalities of leave-taking aren’t exactly priority functions.»
«I wasn’t sure when you’d release the report.»
«And that concerns you?»
«Yes, Mr. President.»
«Why?» interrupted William Hill harshly. «Do you think the President intends suppressing it?»
«No… It’s not complete.»
There was silence for several seconds as the President and the Ambassador exchanged looks. The President leaned back in his chair. «I stayed up most of the night reading it, Mr. Trevayne. It seemed complete to me.»
«It’s not.»
«What’s missing?» asked Hill. «Or should I ask, what’s been removed?»
«Both are accurate, Mr. Hill. Omitted and removed… For what I believed at the time were reasoned judgments, I eliminated detailed—and indictable—information about the Genessee Industries Corporation.»
The President sat up and stared at Trevayne. «Why did you do that?»
«Because I thought I was capable of controlling the situation in a less inflammatory manner. I was mistaken. It must be exposed. Completely.»
The President looked away from Andrew, his elbow on the arm of the chair, his fingers tapping a slow rhythm on his chin. «Often first—reasoned—judgments are quite valid. Especially when they emanate from such reasonable men as yourself.»
«In the case of Genessee Industries, my judgment was in error. I was persuaded by an argument that proved groundless.»
«Would you please clarify?» asked Hill.
«Of course. I was led to believe—no, that’s not right, I convinced myself—that I could bring about a solution by forcing the removal of those responsible. By eliminating them, the root motives could be altered. The corporation—or companies, hundreds of them—could then be subject to restructuring. Reshaped administratively and brought into line with compatible business practices.»
«I see,» said the President. «Root out the corrupters, the corruption will follow, and chaos is averted. Is that it?»
«Yes, sir.»
«But the corrupters, in the final analysis, would not be rooted,» added Hill, avoiding Trevayne’s eyes.
«That’s my conclusion.»
«You’re aware that your … solution is infinitely preferable to the chaos that would result from ripping Genessee Industries apart. Genessee is the major producer for the country’s defense program. To lose confidence in such an institution would have extraordinary effects throughout the nation.» The President once more leaned back in his chair.
«That was my initial thinking.»
«I think it’s sound.»
«It’s no longer feasible, Mr. President. As Mr. Hill just said … the corrupters can’t be rooted.»
«But can they be used?» The President’s tone was steady, not questioning.
«Ultimately, no. The longer they’re entrenched, the more secure their control. They’re building a base that will be passed on as they see fit; to whom they consider fit. And they deal in their own absolutes. A council of elite that will be inherited by their own kind—protected by unimaginable economic resources. Exposure’s the only solution. Immediate exposure.»
«Aren’t you now dealing in your own absolutes, Mr. Chairman?»
Trevayne was annoyed once again by Hill’s use of the title. «I’m telling you the truth.»
«Whose truth?» asked the Ambassador.
«The truth, Mr. Hill.»
«It wasn’t the truth when you submitted your report. The truth changed. The judgment was altered.»
«Yes. Because the facts weren’t known.»
William Hill lowered his voice and spoke with no apparent feeling. «What facts? Or was it a single fact? The fact that you’d compromised your subcommittee for what you discovered was a hollow offer. The presidency of the United States.»
The muscles of Andrew Trevayne’s stomach tensed. He looked at the President.
«You knew.»
«Did you really think I wouldn’t?»
«Strangely enough, I hadn’t given it much thought. I suppose that’s asinine.»
«Why? It’s not a betrayal of me. I asked you to do a job; I didn’t demand political fidelity; or adherence.»
«But you did demand integrity, Mr. President,» said Hill with conviction.
«Whose description of integrity, Mr. Ambassador?» shot back the chief executive. «Must I remind you of your own admonitions regarding truths and absolutes?… Oh, no, Mr. Trevayne, I’m not being kind. Or solicitous. I’m only convinced that you conducted yourself in good conscience—as you understood it… Which makes my job easier. For the reason I intercepted the subcommittee report—my sole purpose in exercising privilege—was to stop you from tearing this country apart… From using Genessee Industries as the means to destroy a large section of the economy unnecessarily. Depriving livelihoods, ruining reputations indiscriminately. You can imagine my astonishment when I read what you’d written.»