T. Rex Calhoun, however, had learned from the brightest stars in his party that it was best to talk poor, even if by comparison your personal wealth made the income of your opponent look like that of an unsuccessful paperboy.
"I'm glad I could do you a little favor," Calhoun said with the idiotic giggle his handlers had been unable to quash. "It sort of makes me feel like I'm pulling my weight."
"Quite," Kaspar said flatly. He glanced over at Esther Clear-Seer, who stood silently in the shadows near the door tapestry. "You have spoken to your friend on my behalf?" he said quietly to Calhoun.
"Absotively," T. Rex said in a feeble attempt at jocularity.
Kaspar's features remained bland.
Calhoun sobered slightly. "He'll be expecting you in Washington a week from Wednesday," he said,
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clearing his throat. "They start at nine, but they'll want you there at least an hour before."
"Excellent."
The Pythia let out a sudden yelp, flinging her head up and staring wildly around the chamber, then her chin settled back down to her chest. It was a movement that Kaspar had witnessed in all of the Pythias at one time or another—a not uncommon aftereffect of the sulphur smoke's power.
Calhoun watched the girl shudder a few times, as if chilled. All at once the tension seemed to drain from her body and she was still, save the occasional labored intake of air. Her rhythmic breathing sounded like a softly squeaking door.
"Is she okay?" Calhoun asked Kaspar.
"She is too young," Kaspar said loudly.
He seemed to direct that last comment at the woman over by the door. There was an edge to his voice, and T. Rex Calhoun realized that he must have stumbled into a private argument.
Calhoun squinted up at the tiny figure on the tripod. "That's not the same girl that was here the other day," he said.
"The Pythia periodically demands a new vessel," Kaspar explained.
"Ah," Calhoun said, nodding even though he did not understand what the strange little man was saying. "She looks kind of familiar," he added.
"Doubtless you read about her in the papers," Kaspar said with a tiny smile.
And T. Rex Calhoun realized with a sudden flash of horror that he did indeed recognize the girl. She and three others had had their pictures plastered across
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the front pages of papers from Cody to Cheyenne. He knew with a feeling of dread that the girl who had prophesied for him a few short days before had been another of Thermopolis's kidnapping victims. This girl—who looked drugged out of her mind and sounded like an eighty-year-old emphysema sufferer—was the latest victim. He even remembered her name. Allison Forrester. It was her disappearance, as well as the death of another girl named Clay, that had brought the kidnapping spree to the attention of the national media.
When he was finally able to tear his eyes away from the girl, Calhoun was unable to mask his look of abject fear from Kaspar.
"In case you were considering contacting the authorities for some reason," Kaspar said smugly, waving his staff in Allison Forrester's direction, "I would find it difficult to remain silent about your unusual... appetites."
Calhoun puffed up his chest. "What do you mean?" he bluffed.
Kaspar drew his tongue lazily across his teeth, making a peculiar sucking noise. "I have heard from an unimpeachable source that you have certain animal cravings," he said with an evil smile. "Tell me, how young must the boys be? Twelve? Thirteen? Younger? Your father-in-law is a powerful man indeed, to hide something so explosive from the public."
In the most pragmatic part of his near dormant brain, T. Rex Calhoun did some rapid calculations.
Kaspar, through the Pythia, knew everything and was threatening to spill the beans if Calhoun opened his mouth.
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If the news got out, his father-in-law would go ape-shit; his wife would divorce him; he probably couldn't, if his life depended on it, get his partnership back at the law firm where he'd met the soon-to-be-former Mrs. Calhoun; and he'd be flat, dead busted broke.
On the other hand, he could screw his lips up tighter than a Mafia clam and land in Washington come January.
So what if this man was responsible for the disappearance or death of at least four young girls? So what if T. Rex Calhoun could blow the case wide open? And so what if T. Rex Calhoun was responsible for brokering a deal that was going to get this vile kidnapper national attention?
In a matter of seconds T. Rex Calhoun reached a decision that was more firmly set in stone than any in the history of politics. And that decision was: different strokes for different folks.
"So you kidnap a little," Calhoun said with a magnanimous shrug. "It's not like you're killing anyone." He thought of Candy Clay. "It's not like you're killing all of them," he added with oily smoothness. "I knew you'd see it my way." Calhoun glanced up at the Pythia. The dead eyes of the girl were aimed down at him, boring into the blackest depths of his soul. He felt an icy frisson race
up his spine.
"I bet you did," T. Rex Calhoun said. And he
meant it.
"If it eases your conscience, you will be pleased to know that they are serving a much higher purpose,"
Kaspar said.
"Doesn't interest me," Calhoun said. "Look, I've
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got to go." He started for the tapestry door but stopped suddenly. "Oh, I forgot to give you this." He dug deep in his pants pocket and removed a sweaty scrap of paper, handing it over to Kaspar. "That's the private Washington number. They want you to call this week for the preinterview."
"Thank you," Kaspar said with a graciousness that was all condescension. "You are most kind."
"Don't mention it," Calhoun said. "Please." He headed for the door.
Esther Clear-Seer hefted aside the tapestry at his approach.
"I'll see my own way out," Calhoun growled.
The candidate passed beneath the tapestry, and Esther let it slip from her fingers. The heavy cloth flapped dully against the cinder block door frame.
With a blank glance at Esther Clear-Seer, Kaspar proceeded to follow Calhoun. She barred his way.
"What's your game, Kaspar?" Esther asked.
He paused impatiently. "Do not concern yourself with the affairs of gods you do not acknowledge," he said to her.