“Just a few more days,” Mac added, “and maybe we can get back to normal.” Then Mac got things on track. “So where are we meeting, the conference room?” He pointed to the ornate conference room with black leather chairs, dark paneled walls and the majestic view out over the Mississippi River.
“No, we’re going to a back conference room,” Sally said as she laced her fingers through Mac’s and led them back. “One that people can’t see into.”
As they scrambled in the kitchen this morning, Mac told Sally what he knew about Stroudt. She didn’t know who Stroudt was but thought Sebastian McCormick or Kate Shelby might know him or have some idea as to why he would be in town. That had been Mac’s hope in planting the seed with Sally. He figured she could get him in to ask questions quicker than if he contacted the campaign on his own and had to wade through fifteen layers of bureaucracy to get to the top.
Sally opened the door into the conference room and led them in. Kate Shelby was standing just inside the door. “Hey Mac,” she said as she gave him a quick hug.
“Kate, this is my partner Richard Lich,” Shelby extended her hand to Lich. Sally was an attractive woman but Shelby looked like a lingerie model. Mac smirked as Lich tried not to drool.
Sally guided Mac to the other side of the conference table, “Mac, this is Sebastian McCormick, our deputy campaign manager,” Mac recognized him from television, having seen him on Meet the Press two weeks ago. The two men shook hands. Then a deep voice came booming out of the telephone on the conference table.
“Michael MacKenzie McRyan, is that you, son?” Judge Dixon’s unmistakable voice came over the conference call phone in the middle of the table.
Mac went on alert. He didn’t expect Judge Dixon. “Judge, where are you calling in from?”
“Ohio, my boy. The only place to be during election season.”
“How are you, sir? It’s been a long time.”
“I’m fine, young man, and you’re right, it has been a while.” The Judge and Mac chatted for a minute or two about friends and acquaintances with the Judge finishing by asking about Mac’s mom and talking up Sally. “Thank you for loaning us Sally these last three months,” Dixon said. “She’s really doing a phenomenal job for us, just phenomenal, a real natural.” Mac looked over to Sally who beamed.
“I’m not sure I was left much of a choice, Judge,” Mac replied smiling back at her. “But my better half is scary smart, isn’t she?”
“Indeed, son, indeed.” Mac and Lich took a seat on one side of the large table, and Shelby and McCormick on the other. Sally sat on the end to Mac’s right. “So what can we do for the St. Paul Police Department?” Dixon asked.
“Judge, I’m working a murder that happened yesterday at The Snelling and I’m wondering if you or the campaign can help me. The reason I’m asking you about it is the victim was Jason Stroudt.” Mac spent a minute giving the ten-thousand-foot version of what they knew about Stroudt and his trip to the Twin Cities. “So do any of you know Mr. Stroudt?” Mac looked to Shelby first.
“I know of him but I don’t know him, Mac,” Kate replied. “I’ve read some of his articles but other than that, I don’t know him.”
“I know Jason, or should I say I knew him,” McCormick volunteered. “I went to law school with him.”
Mac’s eyebrow shot up. He didn’t know McCormick well and hadn’t done any research on him, although he had on Stroudt. “So you went to the University of Virginia Law School then?”
“Yes.”
“How well did you know him, Mr. McCormick? Was he in your class? Your law school section? Did you graduate together?”
“All of those.”
“Really? Was he a friend?”
“I would say he was. Not a real close one but we certainly knew each other and ran in similar circles.”
“Did you stay close after law school?”
“No, we really didn’t,” McCormick answered, shaking his head. “I moved back here and got into state politics and he stayed out east, moving up to DC.”
“When was the last time you saw him?”
“It was a couple of years ago. It was at a UVA law school reunion back in Charlottesville. I saw him then, chatted for a bit, talked some politics and that was that.” Mac noted the matter-of-fact nature of the response from McCormick, as if he had