Mark Coleman maneuvered the T-Bird with remarkable skill considering the fact that he'd been guzzling scotch and sodas rampantly throughout the eight-hour round of golf. One nice thing about the Rio Lado Country Club, he grinned to himself, were the phones to the bar installed on every tee. They'd served their purpose well this day. Good Commissioner Faro had been stoned when he left him in the locker-room, but his mission had been accomplished. At least, he felt pretty damned certain it was. Anyway, he'd know in a few hours… if the Commissioner called him and invited them to dine at their table this evening… the old double entendre.
He continued to grin as he thought about that. Cripes, Dianne would flip if she even dreamed what might possibly be in store for her. Well, he'd leave that end of it to A.C. Faro; the lecherous bastard had certainly had enough experience at seduction in his time. The main issue was his securing Judge Reed and his powerful machine's backing, and no one ever got to first-base with old Julian without going through his top lieutenant, the Police and Fire Commissioner.
Yes, sir, he'd handled it all according to the prescribed channels of power. They were old passageways in Rio Lado County, but still vigorously in use, and not to be idly short-cut by any ambitious politician. He'd seen too many die along the way to become a rebel. Even his own father might have been governor had he not bucked the Judge and followed along the narrow, but ordained paths. He doubted that he'd ever believe that the old-man's brakes had just suddenly given away. Perhaps he might have bought it had it not been right in the midst of the state highway expose… but to hell with that. It was another era… past and dead. His father had been a fool… he only wished his mother hadn't been in the car with the senator…
This was another time, another age, another generation of Colemans. A shrewder breed, he thought to himself as he wheeled toward Coleman Hill. He had contrived with well-planned stratagem, even to his marriage with Dianne. God, if there'd been anything he never wanted to do, it was take a wife. He'd had no right… He'd even delayed the launching of his political career more than five years in his frustrated effort to avoid the binding tie. Anyway, the swinging-bachelor routine had pleased him… satisfied him. He'd chosen his women to sate his lust, nothing more… uninhibited, salacious females who performed for a price and laid no claim, all of them at least as far away as Los Angeles from Rio Lado. In his own town he remained a professional gentleman, and a hell of a catch, he knew.
Dianne had just nicely fit his needs. She was a lovely, voluptuous creature, and a natural vote-getter… a bit naive but a long way from being a fool… beautiful, warm, passionate… just a natural, once Doe Everett had secured things for him, putting his mind at ease. But he had his doubts that she would ever fall into a place with the "set." Those damnable New England prudish morals of hers were too pronounced, too deeply imbedded. Still, that was the Commissioner's problem, wasn't it? Not his. Anyway, he'd long ago decided he could shed her if she became too much of a problem, once she'd served her purpose… and her luster had worn thin. But right now she was there whenever he wanted her… and Christ, what a fuck she was!
He found himself trembling somewhat nervously at the anticipation of A.C. Faro's call. He leaned against the door with his arm crooked out the window, one single finger guiding the wheel around the ascending curve up Coleman Hill. Someway, he felt certain, Faro would manipulate the Judge on his side… he was that hungry for a taste of Dianne.
Mark snickered aloud to himself. He wasn't exactly adverse to a tumble with Tonya Faro. She was at least ten years younger than the forty-four or five-year-old Commissioner, an exciting looking bitch, and he'd heard enough about her from a few of the swappers at the club to put starch in his prick. She had given him the eye more than once, but on those occasions she hadn't yet fitted into his plans. She didn't now, come to think about it, but once the Colemans accepted the Faro's offer to dinner it was an unwritten and unencroachable law of the "set"… and that had been a major stipulation in A.C. Faro's consideration… that Dianne be made available for his use.
What the hell, he thought suddenly, his mouth pinching into a cold thin line as the T-Bird climbed the hill, Dianne had no complaints. So, he'd stretched a point with the love drivel. She'd been ready or she wouldn't have bought it. Anyway, he'd made more than a fair exchange. She had no Goddamned complaints… more luxury than she ever dreamed of… And you didn't dance without paying the piper a little bit… did you?
Satisfied, he smiled to himself as he swung into the long circle drive. Many, nice things could happen to him tonight, he thought… including fucking Tonya Faro.