better,” he replied heartily and then changed gears. “I’m sure Dara is planning on calling you. Sally asked about this ‘Bishop’ business. I don’t know who that is, son. The only recollection I have of that name was a case when I was the attorney general that came up in the last few months of my term. I think it was Younger Investments. The case dealt with a Hedge Fund Manager, which was Younger, and redemptions and how the Hedge Fund had redemptions well in excess of its assets.”
“I kind of remember this,” Mac replied, he routinely followed the market. “Maybe not that specific case, but wasn’t there a bunch of cases of market timing?”
“That’s right,” the Judge replied. “There was a market timing element of this as well and an international component, buying on the Japanese Exchange based on the closing price on the US Exchange. In any event, I recall there being this mystery man called ‘the Bishop’ in that case. This Bishop was an unidentified investor who benefited from the scheme. However, before we could really figure out what was going on, the Hedge Fund manager was dead and by the time we left office, we never identified who this Bishop was.”
“The key witness was dead before you could get to him. That sounds awfully familiar,” Mac deadpanned.
“I hear you, son,” Dixon replied. “I think that case died on the vine with my successor. That’s three AGs ago now, well before Gates’s time. I mentioned that to Dara not fifteen minutes ago. Perhaps Gates could look into that case and that might get you on the road to figuring out who this Bishop is. It might not even be the same guy, probably isn’t, but it’s the only reference to Bishop or the Bishop that I ever ran across or at least remember running across.”
Mac heard another roar in the background. “Thanks, Judge. I’ll mention that to Gates and Mitchell and we’ll see where it leads.”
“Very well,” the Judge answered. “Listen, Mac. After Tuesday, you and I need to sit down and have a few drinks when this is over. Sally too.”
Mac wasn’t sure where that was headed and didn’t really want to think about it at the moment but you don’t say no to someone like Judge Dixon. “Yes, sir.”
“Good, here’s Sally.”
“Where to next, Sal?” Mac asked.
“I just got the itinerary. We made some changes based on the sudden polling swings. We’re going for it. From here we’re going to Tampa, then back to St. Louis and believe it or not, we’re going west, we’re hitting Phoenix late tonight.”
Sally was like a kid at Christmas. The euphoria was clear in her voice. Three months ago she was a damn good county prosecutor who took a leave to help a close friend on the campaign for president. In the last two weeks she’d found her way into the inner circle and she had the political bug now. Mac suspected she would not be returning to Ramsey County. Things were going to change, but that was for later. For now, she needed to enjoy the moment, “Sally, have fun, enjoy yourself, take lots of cell phone pictures.”
“Mac, this is amazing. I can’t believe I’m a part of this. Tomorrow is going to be awesome. You better be back by then.”
“I hope to be.”
“Good,” she replied, and then her voice went a little quieter. “Because I have a big welcome home planned for you.”
* * *
Connolly stood on his balcony, overlooking the courtyard and out to the Potomac River, the gold, rust and yellow of the leaves of Virginia glistening against the sun in the distance. He could even make out a rower pushing to the north on the river, getting in an early Monday morning workout.
In his hand he held the burner cell phone.
* * *
The Bishop answered on the second ring. “How are you my friend?” he asked with concern.
“I am doing okay this morning,” He could hear the relief in Connolly’s voice. “Fine, in fact, all things considered. And you? Obviously things are not going to go the way we’d hoped tomorrow.”
The Bishop sipped his coffee, sitting deep in the dark condo, looking out to see Connolly standing on his balcony, a cup of coffee in his hand. Having spent the past two hours watching the political shows, he knew the election was over, Thomson would be president. After all, when FOX News said it was over, the Bishop knew it was. “No, my friend. They