Jackson couldn’t tell if Reed was being sarcastic, but didn’t want to get into it now.He glanced at his watch. “I have to get uptown.”
“All right. If I have time, I’ll see if I can dig up anything interesting on your man. Maybe I’ll even call Gavin and see what’s what.”
Jackson stood and slid his notes into his briefcase. “You do that.”
“Don’t kiss our clients anymore.”
“God, no. Never again.” For his own sanity, he had to build higher walls.
Reed smirked andstood. “Good luck, Jack. I’ll see you later.”
* * *
The campaign staff decided on doing a press conference after all. By the time Jackson arrived at the hotel, Dan had already outfitted one of the conference rooms with a podium and rows of chairs.
Park watched Jackson read over the final draft of the statement. Jackson pulled a pen from his pocket, scribbled something on the printout,and handed it back to Dan. “It’s fine, but there’s a typo in the penultimate paragraph.”
“I’ll fix it before I put it on the teleprompter,” said Dan.
“Why is the typo a big deal?” Park asked.
“You would have been soggy instead of sorry.”
Park laughed softly despite feeling horrified that he had to do this press conference. At least Jackson was here, even if he’d been icy and distantsince he arrived.
“Here’s how this is going to go,” Dan said. “Park will be at the podium. Ray, Jackson, and myself will stand behind him. Park, you will not answer questions. If someone asks something, I’ll answer it or I’ll kick it to Jackson.” Dan looked around the room. “Let’s get Martha in here, too. Where the hell is she?”
“Conferring with security,” said Park.
“Someone get her.You!” He pointed at an intern. “Go get Martha.”
The poor kid looked terrified, but then nodded and walked out of the room.
Promptly at noon, members of the press were allowed into the room. Park watched from the doorway of the adjacent room as they took seats. His stomach churned.
“I don’t want to do this.”
Jackson put a hand on his shoulder. “You’ll be fine.”
“That’s not reallythe issue.” Park had faith in his own public speaking skills. He’d given dozens of speeches in his time as a politician and was unfazed by talking to crowds. But he could see all of his ambitions disappearing in a puff of smoke. Giving this press conference felt like admitting the campaign was over.
“I know,” Jackson said softly.
Jackson probably did know. Park was hyperaware of that handon his shoulder. He tried to draw comfort from it, but there was no easing his nerves.
Once Dan finished orchestrating the setup, he motioned for Park to walk out. Park felt more than saw the pop of a dozen flashbulbs, something that usually gave him a giddy thrill before he made a speech, but now he only felt dread.
Sam had the teleprompter set up and nodded when Park took his place atthe podium. Dan, Ray, Jackson, and Martha filed in behind Park and stood there like statues as Park cleared his throat and looked out at those assembled. He might have imagined their disdain—or their rabid curiosity—but he felt like he’d already been convicted.
Jackson reached over and tapped his shoulder, the sign that he was supposed to start talking.
Park took a deep breath and began.
“Thank you all for coming.” He paused, hoping the churning in his stomach would abate. It didn’t. He pressed forward. All he had to do was read the words on the teleprompter. “I’d like to read a statement. Please hold your questions until the end. As you all know by now, the body of twenty-three-year-old Zoe Haufman was found in an Upper West Side apartment Sunday night. Yes, I owned that apartment,and it is my primary residence. Ms. Haufman’s death was horrific, and my heart goes out to her family. I wish I could tell you what happened or how Zoe came to be in my apartment, but the truth is I have no idea. I have complete faith that the NYPD will discover what really happened and will apprehend her killer. There’s nothing I can do or say that will make up for the loss of such a younglife, but I intend to cooperate fully so that swift justice can be brought to her killer.”
Park took a deep breath, thinking idly that there was a lot more Dan than Sam in this speech, but it didn’t matter now that he was reading it. “Out of deference to Ms. Haufman’s family and so that politics do not interfere with the investigation, I will be suspending my senatorial campaign until furthernotice. It is my hope that the criminal in this case can be brought to justice in short order and that our campaign can resume in time for the November election, because it has long been a dream of mine to serve the people of New York on the national stage. But justice is the greater goal here. I am so deeply sorry for the loss of Ms. Haufman, and I want her family to have peace.”
Park chokedon the wordpeace, and maybe it was selfish, but in that moment, all he could think about was that everything he’d worked for—and everything he’d given up—had just been flushed away. He glanced back at Jackson, who met his gaze and nodded slightly. Park turned back to the podium. “My legal team will do their best to answer any questions you have.”
