Harmon stopped dancing. "What?"
Esperanza shrugged. "There is no need. My opponents are reduced to making accusations and counteraccusations against one another. I, they cannot criticize. I am the multicultural candidate and they have come out in favor of multiculturalism. What is there to criticize? Oreo cookies and hope?"
"Pretty slick. Say, Ricky. You didn't really goose Rona up there, did you?"
"In politics, as in war, a little rear-guard action at the optimum moment can alter one's destiny," Esperanza said.
"For a guy who was growing grapes until a month ago," Harmon said admiringly, "you sure know the ropes of this business."
"I am Esperanza. I know a great many things. For instance, I know that we are now a shoo-in."
"That's what I've been saying."
"Once in the governor's chair, I will control the largest economy in this hemisphere, one greater than most other nations'. And its people will be my people. People of color. They will trust me. They will do anything I ask."
"Anything?"
Esperanza nodded. "Even, if I suggest it, secede from the union."
Harmon Cashman blinked. "Secede?"
"Who is to stop me?"
"Well, the Federal government, for one thing."
Esperanza smiled beneficently. "Not if I have the President under my thumb."
Harmon's face acquired a stung look. "How would you get him under your thumb?"
"By informing him that I have knowledge of his employment of a professional assassin, the greatest assassin in human history, on his payroll."
Harmon Cashman blinked. "The little Korean?"
"No. Our little Korean."
"You really mean it? You want to make California a separate country?"
"If the people will have it. And I believe they will."
Harmon Cashman went bone-white. He felt a chill coursing up and down his spine. Woodenly, he stood up. "Excuse me, Ricky. If we're going to be in Sacramento soon, there's something I gotta do."
Enrique Esperanza looked up. "And what is this?"
"Work on my tan," said Harmon Cashman, leaving the room on leaden feet.
Chapter 29
The next morning, Harmon Cashman awoke to find that an envelope had been slipped under his hotel-room door. He opened it and read the hand-written note.
Harmon: I have returned to my home in the Napa Valley, to rest. I suggest that you do the same. For we shall need all our strength after the election.
Ricky
P.S. Help yourself to cookies.
Harmon found a package, neatly wrapped, standing out in the hallway. It looked big. Whistling his disappointment away, he carried the box back into the room.
The box was a literal smorgasbord of chocolate-and-white creme-filled treasures. There were mini-Oreos, regular packs, the Double Stuf kind with extra filling, and Harmon's current favorite, Big Stuf.
Putting a pot of coffee on the hot plate, he settled down to breakfast.
By noon, Harmon Cashman was feeling pretty good. So good, he ignored the knock on his door.
"Harmon. You in there?"
"Go 'way."
"It's Remo. Chiun and I are looking for Esperanza."
"He's gone to Napa Valley. Doesn't want to be disturbed. Doesn't need us. The election's in the bag."
"You sound drunk," Remo said suspiciously.
"I feel great," Harmon shot back.
After a minute they went away, and Harmon returned to building a cone of white creme filling on the breakfast nook table. He wondered if he should save some to sweeten his coffee. Regular sugar just didn't have the kick it used to.
After some thought, he decided to add a splash of coffee to the pile of creme filling. Coffee had lost its luster, too.
By three o'clock Harmon was feeling so confident of his prospects, he decided to share it with a certain someone. He put in a long distance call to Washington, D.C.
The President of the United States, after some thought, decided to take the call from his old campaign aide.
"Harmon, my boy! How're you doing?"
"Great, jus' great," Harmon Cashman said slurringly.
"Are you all right?"
"I am great. Jus' great. And after next week I'm gonna be greater. Gonna be on top of the world."
"Happy to hear it," said the President. "After that little chief of staff flap, we kinda fell off one another's Christmas card list. I was afraid you had hard feelings."
"Well, I do. And I'm gonna pay you back. As soon as we're in office."
"Harmon, do you know what you're saying, fella?"