Brotherhood Beyond the Yard (The Simon Trilogy) Page 15

  Noble and Paolo gave each other a solid hug and made plans to meet again, and soon.

  —

  Aside from his sister, Natalie, and his dinners with Hamilton, Noble didn’t normally delight in, or miss, other companionship. However, he found his time with Paolo unusually pleasurable. It obviously was mutual because Noble and Paolo, after their first reunion, met on many occasions, as a rule, at their favorite saloon for a beer and a lot of chatter.

  As might be expected, many of their conversations focused on their Harvard experience, especially their classmates. Previously, Paolo had described the positions their fellow classmates held working for Senator Baari. But Noble, struck by the fact that they converged to work together, thought it seemed like an odd coincidence.

  On one occasion, he asked Paolo, “How did it happen that four of you ended up working for the senator?”

  “We’ve all remained in touch throughout the years,” he replied. “One day I received a call from Hank while I was working on a reelection campaign for the governor of Arkansas. He asked me if I’d join him on the campaign trail for a friend who was running for the U.S. Senate. It sounded challenging so I agreed.”

  “So Hank and the senator were friends?” Noble asked.

  “Yes. Abner Baari worked for Hank at the Chestnut Foundation for years, and after law school, he was hired as its legal counsel.”

  “So they’ve known each other for a long time?”

  “I believe he started working with Hank from the beginning, back in 1998, when Hank established the foundation. Anyway, shortly thereafter, Hank asked me if I knew how to contact Seymour, which I did, so I passed the information on to him.” Paolo continued to explain that Hank enlisted both Chase, with whom he had kept in contact, and Seymour, based on the information he had given him. “That’s how we found ourselves working on the campaign together,” he explained. “It was a fortunate combination of circumstances.”

  Naturally, Paolo made no mention of the fact that they planned to continue working for Senator Baari—on his presidential campaign.

  Nonetheless, Noble was extremely interested in what Paolo knew about the senator, because through happenstance, Senator Baari was one of the first people he had planned to vet.

  —

  Several months passed, and both Noble and Paolo were enjoying their time together immensely.

  At Harvard, Noble had admired Paolo more than the others members of the group. It seemed he in particular was always on top of the world, and he was genuinely kind. Noble believed that Paolo, being oblivious to his own handsomeness, helped to contribute to his aura, causing him to be more congenial than daunting. But something was different.

  While reconnecting with Paolo after several years, Noble sensed a touch of loneliness amid his braggadocio statements. Over the months they spent together, he came across as being even more charming than Noble remembered, and he was less inclined to dominate the conversation. He was more relaxed and even a bit more self-effacing. On the occasions at Harvard when Noble had joined the group at Jake’s, he had not seen this side of Paolo, a side that Noble came to admire.

  —

  A few weeks before Christmas, Noble finally invited Paolo to his home for dinner. He lured him with the promise that there was someone he wanted Paolo to meet. It was a rare occurrence for Noble to entertain a guest, and unthinkable that he would have ulterior motives.

  Paolo, being the proper gentleman, arrived at the appointed hour.

  When the door opened, a tall, slender, attractive redhead greeted him.

  “Welcome, I’m Natalie, Noble’s sister.”

  From the look on Paolo’s face, he was visibly stunned.

  “I see I’ve taken you by surprise. Excuse me, but the temperamental chef is in the kitchen. He promised to join us shortly.”

  Regaining his composure, he managed to utter, “Obviously you know I am Paolo, a former classmate of your brother’s?”

  Natalie smiled.

  As Paolo’s heart was melting, she offered him a glass of wine. After the customary toast, the conversation flowed without letup, and with warmth usually reserved for a longtime friend.

  From the kitchen, Noble was eavesdropping on their conversation, and as he had hoped, they seemed to have an affinity for each other. His plan seemed to be working, so he decided to busy himself a while longer.

  Paolo, encouraged by Natalie, spoke about how he began his career as a political speechwriter, naming many of the candidates he’d helped win elections. “Now I am currently working for Senator Baari.”

  She was fascinated by his career, and mesmerized by the unmistakable trace of an Italian accent.

  Paolo was entranced long before she began to speak about herself.

  “I’m afraid my career is a lot less glamorous. After graduating from Georgetown University, I was hired by the law firm of Bracewell and Giuliani.”

  Paolo was familiar with the firm, known for defending the rights of lobbyists that permeate the Washington scene.

  Natalie explained that after making partner, she developed a true distaste for that branch of the law and decided she was better suited for teaching, rather than practicing law. “So I returned to Georgetown University to teach trial law,” she expressed, without a trace of regret.

  The entire evening went perfectly. The wine, food, and conversation flowed between Natalie and Paolo. Actually, the wine and food were almost inconsequential.

  After Paolo bid Natalie a good night, with an extra-long cheek-to-cheek kiss, Noble escorted him to the door.

  “I remembered you had a sister, but why didn’t you ever tell me she was a knockout?” Paolo whispered. “As well as being extremely intelligent to boot. Obviously a family trait,” he said, all the while grinning.

  “You weren’t ready for her at the time!” Then returning the grin, Noble whispered back, “Good night my friend.”

  From the kitchen, Noble could hear pots clanging and the water running as Natalie prepared to clean up after their dinner. It was obvious to Noble that Paolo was smitten big time, and when he returned to the kitchen, he found out quickly that his sister was too. Paolo and Natalie already had a date scheduled for the next night, to meet at the Kennedy Center for a concert.

  —

  Over the next ten months, there would be countless dates and numerous dinners, many in Noble’s home. On several of those occasions, Noble would invite Hamilton to join them, which he wholeheartedly accepted, avoiding his solitary dinners at home.

  The director, divorced and estranged from his children, built his life around his work. Interestingly, his work life mirrored Noble’s. In fact, Noble and Natalie provided the only real companionship he enjoyed. In many ways, he treated Noble like a son and they were becoming his family. Any invitation he received from them, he accepted with pleasure.

  Hamilton met Paolo at one of those dinners.

  At first, he sensed Paolo was uncomfortable in his presence, and it was obvious that Paolo made every attempt not to show it. Over time, however, Paolo appeared to relax and enjoy the conversations that ensued between them. Eventually they developed a friendly relationship, but always within the context of dinners with Noble.

  Ultimately, Noble, Natalie, Paolo, and Hamilton became quite accustomed to spending time together.

  —

  Paolo managed to save most of the money he had earned during his participation in a couple of brutal gubernatorial campaigns and for his efforts to get Abner elected senator. As it was, he had little time left in which to spend his earnings. At the same time, a major change was taking over his life outside the demands of the campaign.

  He was now devoted to Natalie.

  Paolo lavished her with gifts, and wined and dined her at some of the most chic restaurants. Attending the opera became part of their dating routine. Naturally, he favored Italian opera, and before long, Natalie became a devotee.

  Paolo was so in love with Natalie and deeply engrossed in their relationship that
he cleared his mind of thoughts—of La Fratellanza—and Noble’s potentially menacing career progression.

  Finally, he couldn’t resist any longer. He faced reality and proposed.

  When he told his La Fratellanza brothers, they were happy that he had finally found the woman of his dreams and wanted to settle down. They were ecstatic that he scheduled a date for a wedding, and while they were disappointed not to be invited, they understood that the couple had decided on a small private ceremony.

  Paolo, in a bittersweet moment, smiled as he remembered Seymour’s offer, “That doesn’t preclude us from throwing you a bachelor party.” At the same time, he was saddened because he knew it would be impossible to invite his brothers to the wedding, especially because of the guest list.

  Many months would pass before Paolo would finally tell La Fratellanza about his encounter with Noble Bishop. He knew his brothers would never understand how he allowed his relationship to flourish with Lordy, especially considering his chosen profession. Even for Paolo, the relationship went beyond his expectations from the first encounter.

  He obviously chose to withhold information about his personal relationship with Hamilton Scott, director of the SIA. Paolo reasoned that if “nervous Nellie” Chase was aware of how close he had become to Noble, Chase would opt to walk away from the whole plan, at a time when they were so close to accomplishing their goal.

  They still had to complete the final phase, the phase that would place Abner Baari in the Oval Office. Once achieved, they would be free of all commitments to La Fratellanza and free to go their separate ways. Alternatively, they could choose to continue in their current roles and enjoy the notoriety they attained.

  Paolo was holding on for that moment.

  —

  After a hasty courtship, Natalie and Paolo were married. Noble was proud to walk his sister down the aisle on that beautiful June day in 2006. It was a simple but lovely ceremony. There were no bridesmaids or groomsmen.

  “Actually, it was a strange conglomerate of bedfellows. The director of the SIA, a national security analyst, a law professor, and a member of La Fratellanza all in attendance,” Hamilton would later recall.

  17

  MANIPULATORS IN CHIEF

  Throughout the senatorial race, both Paolo and Seymour worked assiduously to obtain a United States Senate seat for an obscure candidate, which they did successfully. Their contributions became well known, and they enjoyed the political limelight. They were now prepared to apply their skills to the presidential campaign.

  Chase’s feelings toward his role never changed. He had little interest in politics, although he reluctantly felt obliged to continue as financial director. Unlike the others, his dream position was CFO of a major bank in New York, and not in the political swamp of Washington. Much to his dismay, he wasn’t willing to back out, as he had become too entrenched in the “game.” He unenthusiastically took another temporary leave of absence to work on Senator Baari’s campaign for the presidency. Given the prominence he had achieved, his superiors offered no resistance.

  On the other hand, Hank happily continued as the senator’s aide-de-camp. He was perpetually at the senator’s side. First, to help Abner recruit his staff, and to ensure the applicants would not be a threat to La Fratellanza’s ultimate goal. Second, to organize various speaking engagements at several nationally recognized organizations, such as the National Labor Union and the AFL-CIO, both of which proved to be huge supporters; they energized their membership to campaign vigorously—not to overlook the gigantic campaign contributions their dues machine generated.

  Senator Baari happily retained the four staffers to manage the campaign, and while their roles were well known, their clandestine relationship to each other was not.

  During one of his first meetings with the new U.S. senator, Hank highlighted two major concerns in the state of Illinois, which Abner could seemingly support.

  “The governor’s initiative ‘Keep Warm, Illinois’ campaign is designed to prepare the state residents for record-cold temperatures and high-heating costs. It is a cause you need to rally around, and it will give you more exposure,” Hank advised.

  “I’m sure its support the governor will welcome openly”—Abner smiled—“especially since he turned the other cheek during the campaign when we criticized him.”

  “That brings me to the second concern, which will appease your constituents greatly—political reform,” Hank said, waiting for the backlash.

  “So you want me to ingratiate the Illinois governor, and then you want me to tick off him and the Chicago mayor at the same time,” Abner complained.

  “They won’t like it, but they will tolerate it. Trust me, it will make you look strong, and you’ll be standing up for the people.”

  Senator Baari followed his recommendations and continued to heed Hank’s advice when given. All the while, Hank was sure Abner had no idea that he was still grooming him, and this time for the ultimate political leap.

  —

  After the senator’s swearing in, there was a period of relative calm.

  Then, in the second year in office, the gang of four started to become antsy about their futures, including Hank. Ignoring Simon’s overzealous statement that the presidential campaign was just a repeat of the successful campaign they just ran, they were beginning to consider the consequences—and of greater importance—the risks.

  Fortunately, for Seymour, he was free to travel between Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington during Baari’s first two years in the U.S. Senate. While on the campaign trail and in Washington, he captured many photos and film clips. He was able to use them to produce a mini-documentary titled Rising Star, Abner Baari. It portrayed—or more accurately, inflated—Baari’s accomplishments in the Illinois State Senate and then in the U.S. Senate. Seymour took generous liberties with the material but was confident that the vignettes of the powerful speeches given by the gifted senator would overshadow any inaccuracies, which would fade away in the minds of the electorate, known for their short-term memories.

  He was most happy to be able to work from his studio in L.A., although oftentimes he would need more material, requiring additional visits. He was always fully aware he would still have to produce some of the future political ads, as needed, for the inevitable run for the presidency. Fortunately, La Fratellanza was not as demanding during the interlude between elections, which pleased Seymour immensely. More time allowed him to manage some of the smaller projects of his company, MediaLynx.

  Paolo naturally continued to write the speeches for the senator for all occasions, while simultaneously constructing new material in preparation for the upcoming presidential election. Despite the demands of his job, he was always able to be with Natalie. After a year and a half of marriage, they still behaved like newlyweds, never seeming to tire of each other.

  It was also a dark time for Paolo as he began to question his career choices, wondering whether he made the right decision. He knew that even more of his time would be in demand once Senator Baari reached the White House. His interest in politics began to wane as he became increasingly critical of the senator. Often Paolo would be upset when the senator strayed from the prepared remarks, and even more so when the senator would spontaneously change the thrust of the message completely.

  Natalie never complained, but Paolo knew she was starting to detect a change in his behavior.

  During this same period, Chase was wrapping up the accounting from the senatorial campaign and filing the myriad of forms required by the FEC and the IRS. Luckily, he could complete most of those tasks in New York. Although he was temporarily on a leave of absence, he still maintained his bank office, a place where he felt the most at ease.

  In the course of those first two years, Hank spent most of his time observing his protégé, the junior senator. Totally out of character, he, of all people, began to feel queasy about some of the events that had occurred—it was a drama, in which he played a leading character.


  All the members of La Fratellanza struggled with their multiple roles. One face was for their brothers, another for the public, and yet one more for their families. Coping with the façade maintained for their families was particularly wrenching.

  On an entirely different plateau, Abner was quite at ease with his identity, as if he had abandoned his prior self. He intellectually and emotionally had transformed into Abner Baari, a United States senator from the state of Illinois.

  At times, Hank would attempt to trick him, as he had in the past. On one occasion, he fired off facts from Abner’s previous life, only to have him pass the test with flying colors and return an all-knowing look that conveyed, “Keep trying.”

  Shortly after the senator was sworn in, Hank with some trepidation, sat down to inform him that his political and financial backers expected him to gear up for a try at the 2008 presidential race. Hank was speechless when Abner replied, “Of course, that’s what this has all been about, me becoming president. I’ve been picking up the signals from my team for a long time.”

  Equally alarming was Abner’s apparent lack of curiosity as to the identity of his “backers.” In the beginning, he would continuously prod Hank, always receiving the same response, “They wish to remain anonymous.” As time passed, he no longer asked, projecting the notion that it didn’t actually matter. Worse yet was a certain arrogance, suggesting that not only did he not care, he didn’t really need them.

  Does this include me as well? Hank began to wonder.

  Hank’s apprehension amplified considerably when he noticed Abner breaking the first three cardinal rules he had initiated. When he first approached him to run for the Senate, Abner agreed to do whatever his “backers,” by way of Hank, instructed him to do. He wanted the prize and was happy to follow orders.

  Shortly after, he broke the first rule. “Never veer from the words on the teleprompter. Always stay on message,” Hank stressed repeatedly, thumping the desk occasionally.