“Yes. I flew there Friday. We got there around dinnertime, maybe at six? Didn’t really do anything interesting that night. Watched TV in my hotel room. Got up at seven the next morning. I gave a speech at SUNY Buffaloaround ten, and immediately after, we had lunch at a deli nearby as a photo op more than anything else. Then I met with the mayor and a few other people whose endorsements I’m courting. Saturday night we had a fund-raising dinner at the Hyatt. My campaign manager, Martha, can get you all these details. Every moment of my day from when I got to LaGuardia Friday until I got home Sunday afternoon isdocumented.”
“Martha? You had a marketing person at Ving you really liked named Martha.” Ving was the name of Park’s content-streaming venture.
Park was surprised he remembered. As far as he could recall, Jackson had never met Martha. “It’s the same Martha. After you and I broke up, Martha and I got to be friends. I trust her with my life. She’s been a fantastic campaign manager.” At Jackson’sskeptical look, Park added, “She worked for Hillary Clinton before she came to work for me. I didn’t pick her just because I liked her.”
“All right. I’ll get your schedule from her later. What time did you get home Sunday?”
“Maybe three? A little after, more likely. I was only home about forty-five minutes. I dropped my luggage in my room—didn’t even unpack—then I showered and changedinto a tux. The limo to the dinner I went to Sunday night picked me up around four. My driver keeps logs, so all this is verifiable, by the way.”
“Okay. And nothing was out of place when you got home from Buffalo?”
“No. Nothing. And the girl, she...they found her in my bedroom, just outside the bathroom. So I would have seen her if she’d been there when I got home. She wasn’t there.”
“And the fund-raiser was at the St. Regis. When did you get home from that?”
“Eleven, I think. My apartment was already swarming with cops.”
Jackson sat up. “Who called it in?”
“An intern. I’d left something back at my apartment, so we sent him to pick it up. He found the body and called the police.”
Jackson wrote a bunch of things down on his pad of paper. “Okay. So the girl.You said you don’t know her.”
“When they questioned me, the cops said her name is Zoe something, but no, I don’t know her. They showed me a photo, but I didn’t recognize her.”
“Are you sure? She was a socialite of some sort. She might have come to a campaign event.”
“I guess that’s possible, but I don’t remember her.”
“Okay.” Jackson wrote notes for a moment. “My contact at thepolice department is trying to link you to the crime. He’s saying it was likely a crime of passion, that you lashed out at one of your lovers. I dismissed that immediately, because it’s you, but I have to ask...is there a beard or someone else I should know about?”
Fair question, but Park was not proud of his answer. He leaned back on the couch. “You remember Audrey O’Keefe?”
“From college?”
“Yeah. Well, she and I have kept in touch over the years. She’s got a boyfriend and lives on the East Side now, but in the past, when I’ve needed a date for things, she’s stepped in.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. I pay for everything, usually. Clothes, food, whatever is necessary. She does it in exchange for designer dresses. Whenever I need a date for something, I call her, and then she and Ihave coffee and go to Barneys.”
Jackson stared. “I can’t believe you have a beard.”
“She knows what the deal is. And I haven’t taken her anywhere in a while. Martha thinks it’s better to be single than to have a woman on my arm I’ll never marry. But my advisors say I need to assert my heterosexuality.”
“Your fictional heterosexuality.” Jackson shook his head. “Youpicked out thosedresses at Barneys, didn’t you?”
“Liking fashion is not the exclusive realm of the gays. But yes, if you must know. I did quite enjoy dressing Audrey. She looks fantastic in Lanvin.”
Jackson rolled his eyes. “You are ridiculous.”
“It’s not like Iwantedto have a beard. It greases the wheels to have a good-looking woman on my arm sometimes, though. Means to an end. I want to effectreal change, which I can only do if I get elected.”
Jackson pressed his lips together.
“I’m not just in this for money and power,” Park reiterated. “I’m a damned good legislator and I have fresh ideas. I know you think I’m on the side of racism and homophobia and whatever else, but I’m not. I want the Republican Party to move past all that and focus on conservative economic ideals, thefree market economy, and compassionate policy that benefits Main Street and Wall Street alike.”
“Are you giving me your stump speech?”
