Weakness or Strength

Inside the executive offices of the President.

President Small leaned back in his executive chair, the blue phone was glued to his ears while he listened.

"Yes, yes Sir, we will leave no stones in the investigations. Yes, I agree the murder of a journalist is an attack on freedom and democracy Chairman."

There was a long pause while Small listened. He watched himself in the mirror pouting his mouth as he the Chairman of the International Federation of Journalists droned on and on. Finally, he was asked to respond. He cleared his throat. He knew that he had to make his most convincing argument.

"Chairman, St Barts is not like other countries in the region, crime is low and homicides are quite rare, so I understand your anxiety that the journalist that was investigating political concerns was murdered under my watch. However, Chairman the police has assured me that they are about to make a breakthrough in the case. Rest assured Chairman, the perpetrator will be brought to justice and yes even though I can't tell our Judiciary how to treat the case, but an attack on a journalist ought to be treated as a capital crime."

Small sighed and moved the receiver away from his ears.

Small shook his head and started to shuffle a few pieces of paper on his desk, trying to drown out the man on the other end of the line.

Crap I thought it was good thing to insinuate the death penalty. Small thought. He gathered his thoughts and tried again.

"Anyway Chairman, The police commissioner is here for a meeting and unfortunately I have to go. I will keep you updated as soon as I am made aware of any changes Chairman, Have a good day."

Small hung up the phone abruptly.

He knew he lied. There was no one waiting to see him, but he needed a break from the incessant talking.

"Who is this darn journalist, the Chairman was talking about?" Small asked aloud.

However, before he reached for his telephone to acquire an answer, he was distracted by a photograph of a Caucasian looking woman, a warm feeling moved through his body as he looked on the woman's face.

"Thank youSpecial Branch for your pictures."

Small mouthed. His eyes were glued.

The knock on the door startled Small and a bolt of electricity ran down his spine and it brought back memories of his past.

Small looked up.

"Ahh Rex you startled me. I thought we agreed that you were supposed to call first before showing up unannounced."

A half smile attempted to curl the corners of Rex Morgan's handsome face.

"Colin, you are a politician and therefore I don't take all the words from your mouth serious."

Small cleared his throat.

"What is it Rex? I was busy. Remember I am the President, so please watch your tone," Small replied sternly.

"Heh, you forget that you are talking to the man that carries your secrets Colin Small. Yes, you are the President, but who has the power, If I feel slighted all this could come crashing down around you Mr President," Rex replied almost above a whisper and through his teeth.

The air in the room got thick and could be carved like a turkey on thanksgiving.

"Anyway," Rex said after a pause.

"The special branch had placed the dossier on your desk. Regarding a potential investor from Jantique, she appears to be legitimate and runs one of the largest hotel chains in Jantique. After the last encounter with Quan Wu. I did not want you to be wrong- footed. I apologize, but if we can land a deal with Ms Alexander, the trend in the polls could be reversed and we could be in here for another four years Colin."

"Rex, not everything is about politics. I want to see St. Barts become the Singapore of the Caribbean. I will meet Ms Alexander alone, first. Then if things are positive then I will summon you and a select few to iron out the details. Hopefully I will be able to make an announcement in the very short future," Colin Small responded in an almost conciliatory tone.

He knew that Rex knew too much about the under belly of the politics and rued the day he allowed his wife to convince him that Rex Morgan was the right man for the job of campaign manager. Some things he learned not to question his wife about, but he hated the feeling of having the sword of Damocles hung over his head.

Small took a deep breath.

"Rex, what do you know about a journalist that was killed recently?" Colin asked while watching Rex's mannerisms.

Rex, had a puzzled look on his face. Then shook his head.

"I wasn't aware of a journalist being killed on St Barts," Rex replied.

Collin had studied Psychology at University in Jantique could not detect any obvious signs of deception in Rex's voice or body language.

"Well, I got screamed at earlier by the Chairman of the International Federation of Journalists saying that a local man was shot and killed after he started to look into allegations of corruption within my administration," Colin said, still searching Rex's eyes.

"New to me boss," Rex replied nonchalantly.

"Anyway, my real reason for President Small. The Party has decided a strategic retreat is needed this weekend. we need to move into an election mode," Rex said bluntly.

"What! Am I not the head of the Party? I should be the one deciding when and if we needed a retreat."

"You are the President Colin Small, but your wife runs the party. You are our face card. You can always run off back to Jantique and set up private practice, but we are the one invested in this country Colin. So, we met last night and decided that it's time to start strategizing how we are going to win the next election," Rex replied.

Colin wanted to swear, but he bit his tongue. It would not be a sign of strength to show Rex any sign of emotions.

"Oh yes, I almost forgot we discussed it day before yesterday at home Rex, but I wanted to have a meeting with a few overseas investors first before approaching the Party hierarchy." Colin Small seethed inside. He wanted to scream, but he did not want to appear to be weak. Lesley had to know who wore the pants.

Colin Small grabbed the dossier that he was reading earlier and ignored Rex Morgan.

"More and more I am convinced that Rex is too deep in the running of this place including my home," Colin thought as he walked to his car.

Colin looked at the plain silver wedding band on his left hand and then looked back at the picture in the dossier. He wondered why the special branch had included some of the pictures in the file, because they revealed sides of Ms Alexander that made Colin think and remember when he was Nine years old. He wondered if he could have ever gotten over the crush he felt from then.