Dinner with the Senator (1)
Morgan Ellis picked up May perfectly on time. He stopped in front of the university with an ordinary-looking car, and the girl sat on the passenger seat and fastened the seat belt before Morgan could even consider getting off to open the door of the rear seat for her.
«How are you feeling?» he asked as soon as she was on.
«Fine!»
«You didn't catch a cold, luckily. Did Leo Thorne scold you badly?»
«Not really,» May chuckled. «On the contrary, he ordered me to seduce your boss.»
«We expected this much.»
«We? You and Chris Lindt?»
«Exactly.»
«Are you those behind the scandal with Lorelei's pictures?»
«We... We might be...»
«Is it because Chris Lindt lost the elections? Did he mess up Lorelei's reputation out of spite?»
«I believe spite was part of the reason, but the elections definitely aren't,» Morgan said. «I mean, Senator Lindt is a rational man. He wouldn't lose control over his feelings over an election he knew from the start he had no hope of winning.»
«Ah, I can't understand politicians! Why now, then?»
Morgan stopped replying and focused on the drive. The traffic was heavy at that time, in part explaining May's preference for the subway. She would have already arrived if she took it instead of that ride.
After a few minutes of silence, her curiosity took over. She returned questioning her old-time friend.
«Why are you working for him?»
«I want to learn from Senator Lindt everything I can. Business, politics, strategy... And I want to help him.»
«Is he that good?»
«The best. He's your grandfather's main opponent, gaining a lot of consent by the way. Nearly a third of the Senate is under his command, and it will only grow after the next elections. He may enter the State Council soon. Not personally, of course. One of his people.»
«He may be the next governor of White Capital, in five years, right?»
«I think he would have high chances to win. But he'll be doing something else in five years. Also, you're assuming that your uncle will last for the whole mandate.»
«You sound informed, Morgan. How can you know better than me what my uncle will do?»
«Information is key to success in our world. And it's part of my job.»
«Speaking of jobs: what do you need me for?»
«I have no clue.»
«Wasn't your job to be informed?»
«Informed about the rest of the people, not my boss. I can't guess what he's thinking, right now. I'm not very convinced it's about work either. He likely just wanted to spend some time with you.»
«You don't know or you don't want to tell me?» she rebuked, annoyed. He was pretending not to know, telling her his boss had hidden purposes just to avoid answering.
«Good luck, May,» he said while the gates of the Pearl Palace were opening. A few minutes later, he stopped in front of Chris Lindt's residence. «I stop here. Not coming inside.»
«Why?»
«I'm not required, apparently,» Morgan commented.
When he saw May getting off and strolling to the door, he sighed in his heart. How could she be so defenceless? She was running into a single man's home without any second thought, and he felt guilty for driving her there. He was an accomplice in his boss's trap against his friend.
But there was no way Chris Lindt hurt May. Morgan had seen it in his eyes when Chris didn't notice he was being observed. He was more protective than anyone else in May's life, already. Maybe even more than Richard, her brother.
May rang the bell and waited for Chris to reach the door.
«You're finally here!» he exclaimed a few seconds later. He was already close to the door when she rang, apparently.
«There was traffic,» she said, looking at the clock. It was half past six, nearly dinner time. She hadn't considered the time to reach the Pearl Palace when planning her evening.
She thought she would be out of there before dinner, with a task to perform but for which she didn't need to be in Chris's residence.
At that moment, she realised that refusing to have dinner with him would have been difficult. Was it a trap set for her?
«What do you want to talk about?» she asked while stepping in. She cut the conversation short.
«Dinner will be ready soon. Do you want some wine before?» he offered instead of answering.
«I want an answer.»
«I have some data to show you. It's on my computer, but it's been a long day. Right now, I'm trying to relax - even just a bit.»
«You had plenty of time to relax this morning, instead of visiting the university.»
«I managed to fit that visit into my tight schedule, and I'm proud of it.»
May rolled her eyes; how could he be proud of something like that?
«Also,» he added. «I'd like to ask you something more private. But I'm afraid you'll be angry if I do.»
«It's probably better to forget a question that can make people angry,» May pointed out.
She sat on the armchair in the living room without much concern, as if she was used to doing so. She reached out to the basket with fruits on the lower table and picked an apple.
She was going to bite it when Chris stopped her. He seized the fruit from her palm and put it back in its place.
«Don't spoil your appetite,» he said.
«Sure, uncle Chris,» she sighed, rolling her eyes again.
She felt a little guilty when she saw him wince and sagging his shoulders. He seemed so sensitive about his age - as if he was old. In part, it was fun. But it didn't mean she had to remind him often and more often about it.
«Did you want to ask me about the Prime Minister?» she said, her guilt pushing her to reply to his queries.
«Yes, I did,» he said. «What did Leo Thorne ask you to do?»
«You know it already, don't you?» she asked, chuckling.
«I know Leonard Thorne enough to guess what he would do in this situation.
May avoided his gaze, considering how much to confess. She didn't have the face to say those words to Chris's face. They both knew what her grandfather wanted, but admitting it out loud was still too difficult for her.
How would Chris react when she told him, either way? How could he forget or laugh about it? There was a ploy against him, and May was acting like an accomplice - apparently.
She didn't want to trouble Chris with her presence and all the consequences it would bring, but avoiding him would have alerted the Prime Minister. She was planning to meet Chris Lindt a few times and then tell her grandfather that their plan couldn't work because he wasn't the least interested in her.
However, she feared admitting everything because she didn't want Chris Lindt to look at her with contempt. She knew what she was supposed to be doing was wrong, dirty.
Seeing her silence, Chris felt a sudden surge of rage.
«What does he want from you?» he spat out, hurt by May's panic.
What did Leonard Thorne ask of her to make her tremble like a leaf? Her accelerated breathing and evading eyes told him more than her silence. His eyes turned dark as he ordered her to «Answer.»
On the armchair, May felt loads of cold sweat run down her back. She clenched the armrests, regretting every single decision bringing her into that situation.