The Heritage Paper

Chapter 70



They were led into the suite. It was crowded with a who’s-who of supporters, many of them familiar faces. The first person that Veronica noticed was the vice-presidential candidate, Senator Langor from Florida, who was hard to miss with his tanned skin and snow-white hair.

The crowd was too glued to a massive television screen to notice their arrival. Not that anyone would know who they were, anyway. The background noise of the television declared another state—Missouri—and shaded the color-coded map blue for Kingston.

The cheering brought Kingston out of a connecting room. Sterling was by his side, in his wheelchair. According to Youkelstein, Sterling’s legs were capable of running a half-marathon.

Sterling acted as if he’d caught a surprise glimpse of Veronica across the crowded room and wheeled toward them. Kingston followed, his patented smile plastered on his face. All eyes went to him. He shook Zach’s hand like they were old buddies, before kissing Veronica on the cheek.

Maggie struggled away from any attempt at affection, but Jamie moved in for a hug as if Kingston were his new favorite uncle. Maggie grabbed her brother by the jacket and yanked him away, a not-so-subtle lesson about loyalty.

Veronica remained still. She didn’t know what to say, and felt the eyes of the room on her. She uttered the first thing that came to mind, “You stole my daughter’s phone, and we’ve come to get it back.”

Kingston smiled and put his hands up like he was surrendering. “I’m sorry, Veronica—we don’t want another Watergate here,” he replied with a confident grin. “Why don’t you come to my room so I can give Maggie her phone back?”

Veronica thought for a second. Should they be alone with him? But with all these witnesses in the next room, it was likely the safest place on the planet. She traded glances with Zach, and they agreed to follow.

On the way, Kingston pointed out JFK’s rocking chair and General Douglas MacArthur’s writing desk. The suite was steeped in history. Zach looked impressed.

Kingston’s private room was filled with televisions, a wet bar, and a bathroom with a marble tub that Veronica wanted to take home with her. She expected Kingston to morph into some fire-breathing creature behind closed doors, but he kept his campaign cool.

“I made the wrong choice not to include you,” he began. “It was wrong for my family to not be with me on this historical occasion. It felt wrong without all of you here.”

Maggie screeched, “We’re not your family, you scum-sucking Nazi!”

Kingston remained eerily calm. It was like he wasn’t human. “Your energy is boundless, Maggie. I thought you would’ve been worn out after that theatrical display you put on at my house, but you remain an inspiration.” His smile sobered. “The same display that got your friend Lieutenant Peterson killed.”

Maggie looked like she wanted to go straight for his throat. Veronica could see it now, infamous assassins of US presidents—John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, and Maggie Elizabeth Peterson.

“Eddie gave his life to stop you—he’s a hero!” Maggie shouted.

“To stop me from what?” Kingston asked, feigning surprise. And not fearing that any of this conversation would leak through the soundproof walls of the suite.

“Now that we’ve escaped, we’re going to tell the world what you are planning to do and you’ll never get away with it. Oma chose me to stop it—so now I’m the chosen one!”

“Okay, Maggie, I’ll play along. How would you stop me?”

“Oma hid her memoir, and only I know where it is. It tells all the secrets about the Apostles. If you don’t resign your candidacy for president, we’re going to publish it and then the whole world will know!”

Veronica could tell that her daughter was out on a limb with a bluff. At least she thought so. Things seemed to be changing by the second the last couple days.

Kingston looked smug. “Isn’t there only one copy of that?”

“Yes …” her voice trailed off.

Veronica grew worried—Kingston had something up his sleeve.

A buzzing sound interrupted them. Kingston pushed a button on the phone and a female voice came over the speakerphone. “Senator Kingston, I have a Flavia Conte for you.”

Veronica cringed—she’s one of them. Kingston’s half sister. She should have never trusted her.