"Yeah, " he sighed. He looked depressed. "Me too. But there's some lawyer in town who's real happy about it."

"Oh, no. You're getting sued? " He nodded. "For gross negligence.

The daughter in San Diego who couldn't get free to come look after her mother for a few days managed to find a lawyer as soon as she got to town. Probably called I-8:00-SUE-DOCS or whatever number the ambulance chasers are using today.

Never miss an opportunity to cash in, right? " Gin could understand his bitterness. "Why doesn't she sue the PRO? " "Don't you know?

Physician Review Organizations are immune from malpractice suits. That leaves me." Gin felt awkward and angry. Not knowing what else to do, she put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. You'll win."

"Sure, " he said. His smile was humorless. "Bet you just can't wait to get into practice. He walked out.

ON THE HILL you're GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO PLAY THE GAME, Hugh."

Gin slowed as she pa.s.sed the closed door to Senator Marsden's office.

Her mind had been far away, wondering what the a.n.a.lysis of Oliver's secret sauce was showing. She'd die if there was anything incriminating in it.

, - The waiting was consuming her. She could barely concentrate on anything else. But the condescension in the voice slipping through thesenator's transom pulled her up short.

She knew Senator Kramer had arrived for a meeting. Their voices weren't raised but even out here she could sense the tension.

Senator Marsden's voice sounded tight. "When I start thinking of the Senate as a game, I'll know it's past time to quit." Kramer chuckled.

"I was pretty self-righteous too when I was a freshman. But I learned.

And if you want to get things done in this town, you'll learn too.

You don't, you get left out in the cold." '"I'm not in favor of loosening up on offsh.o.r.e drilling at the moment.

I don't think we need it now."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Hugh.

Because it's important to my people."

"Do I take it that my position on easing offsh.o.r.e drilling restrictions will affect your vote on the Guidelines bill? " '>Oh, I wouldn't put it that way. Let's just say I'm reserving my judgment until your bill gets out of committee." I see."

"It's horse trading, son, " Kramer said, getting folksy all of a sudden.

"It's what makes the wheels turn. I'm obliged to keep the home folks happy and prosperous. Remember, One person's pork-barrel project is another. person's wise investment in the local infrastructure."

"How about simply casting a vote for something because it's the right thing to do? " Gin heard a chair sc.r.a.pe against the floor.

"Because what's right for you isn't necessarily right for me. We'll talk again sometime, Hugh." Not wanting to get caught with her ear to the door, Gin hurried off.

She related the conversation to Alicia on their way to the Senate cafeteria in the bas.e.m.e.nt of the Dirksen Building. The Hart and Dirksen buildings were attached, but the walls down here were brick, the doors a dark oak, in sharp contrast to the antiseptic decor of the newer Hart.

They pa.s.sed the Senate Post Office, then turned into the of."I'm not surprised, " Alicia said. She picked out a tuna salad and a diet Pepsi. "A lot of the people on the Hill don't think he's for real.

And the ones that do are leery of him." Gin took a turkey on rye and a Mountain Dew.

"Care to explain that?"

Alicia scanned the tables. "Let's see if we can get off by ourselves and I'll give you the true facts."

"True facts? You mean as opposed to the other kind? " "Exactly."

They found an isolated corner table. Alicia sat with her back to the wall and watched the room as she spoke.

"First off, you should know that Senator Marsden ruffled a lot of feathers right off by coming to town with a selfimposed term limit. He said depending on how much he accomplished, he might serve only one term, and absolutely positively no more than two. That was a no-no. "

"What's wrong with that? " "Because term limits is a very touchy subject around here. The members like to think of themselves as elected for life."

" How can they? Congressmen have to run every two years."

"Well, as I heard one member say to another back in the eighties, You have to be a real bozo to lose this job. Inc.u.mbents average a ninety-five-percent reelection rate."

"Wow." - "I tell you, Gin, n.o.body wants to leave this place once they get here. And can you blame them? You're part of the most powerful government in the world. And the most expensive. Salary, perks, and privileges come to more than two million bucks per member per year. No other government even comes close. And the few bozos who somehow fail to get reelected don't go homethey hire out as lobbyists. It's called Potomac fever.

I understand it's incurable."

"Do you think Senator Marsden will catch it? " "Maybe, " she said.

"You never know. I think he's sincere when he says he doesn't intend to stay here more than two terms. But I'm in the minority, Just about everyone else on the Hill thinks it's a pose. A holier-than-thou act that he'll use to squeeze the PACs for big bucks later. They're all watching, waiting to see if it works."

"That's sick, " Gin said. "Why do you put up with it?

Why've you been at it for so long? " Alicia shrugged. Her smile wa.s.shy. "Potomac fever. We staffers aren't immune either. Who knows?

Maybe you'll catch it too. Maybe you already have." Not me, Gin thought. I'm immune to that sort of thing. She felt a twinge of uneasiness. At least I hope I am.

Gin was straightening up her work area, preparing to call it a day as a legislative aide and change into her doctor hat. Another frustrating round of writing reports on referral and utilization patterns and wondering if anyone would read them. She was also sneaking in time on a freelance report, using the Harriet Thompson case as a paradigm of how treatment guideiines can backfire. She hoped the story's poignancy might raise a little consciousness as to the human COSt of well-meaning guidelines when they were mechanically implemented.

Maybe in the process she could help Dr. Conway.

Alicia bustled by then.

"Got a maybe from Senator Hirsch, " she said as she pa.s.sed.

" Gust a maybe? " That surprised Gin. Hirsch always seemed to have something to say about health-care policy. "I thought he'd jump at the chance." Alicia slowed but kept moving. "It's a joint committee, not a permanenr thing. Too ad hoc. It might screw up his ranking position on his other committees, ones that guarantee serious, long-term PAC attention." Gin couldn't hide her annoyance. "Is everything about money, dammit? " "Senator Mark Hanna said something you should keep in mind when you're working on The Hill, There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money . . . and I l can't remember what the other one is. That's from the horse's mouth.

But what this place is really about is influence. And influence brings in campaign donations. And campaign donations help you come back for another term."

"So you can increase your influence, " Gin said without enthusiasm .

Alicia laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. "Now you're getting it! "

"I'm afraid I am, " Gin muttered as Alicia disappeared down the hall.

Then her phone with the seal of the Senate rang. It was Gerry.

"The report's back." Gin lowered herself into her chair. "I thought you said not until tomorrow."

"Your list helped. Much easier to identify compounds when you know what you're looking for. And besides, I told them it was for someone very important. So they rushed it." Gin couldn't help smiling as a warm rush washed through her. She liked this man more each day.

"And? " "And the a.n.a.lysis matches the list perfectly. Nothing in there that isn't supposed to be there." Gin sagged in her chair.

She felt weak all over. She was so d.a.m.n glad she could have cried right then.

"Gin? You still there? " "Yes, " she said softly. "Thank you, Gerry.

You don't know how good that is to hear."

"How about dinner tonight?

That sound good? " "Tonight's a Lynnwood night, I'm afraid." A thought struck her. "But I've got a great idea. Come with me to my folks' house on Thursday night. It's Columbus Day and my father always makes a big deal of it.

It's crazy. You'll love it. And bring Martha. There'll be plenty of pasta with no meat."

"You're on.

A few minutes later Gin was on her way out of Senator Marsden's office, feeling as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. Duncan and Oliver were in the clear.

One less thing to worry about.

COLUMBUS DAY GERRY AND MARTHA WERE WARMLY RECEIVED INTO THE folds of the Panzella dan's Columbus Day celebration. Gin knew the welcome might have been a bit more guarded had her folks realized that Gerry was more than just an old high school friend she'd run into again.

Gin had already explained to her folks about Gerry's being a widower.

It probably wasn't necessary, but you never knew. Papa had a tendency to verbalize whatever was on his mind, especially after he'd been celebrating for a while. She could just hear him asking Gerry where Martha's mother was. Papa was looking forward to meeting him. He vaguely remembered his name from the Washington-Lee football team, and was intrigued by the fact that he was an FBI agent. Mama wanted to know all the details of his widowerhood, ducking and tsking and Madroneing as Gina told her.

What she hadn't explained was how she felt about him, the growing need, the building heat between them.

It went swimmingly. Papa and Gerry hit it off immediately, and UncleFiore used to be a cop so he wanted to talk shop with the Fibby. And Martha . . . well, Martha charmed the women immediately and before Gin knew it, the little five-year-old was in the kitchen, draped in an ap.r.o.n almost as big as she was, standing on a chair at the counter helping Mama and Aunt Maria roll meatb.a.l.l.s and stuff sh.e.l.ls.

Gin pa.s.sed her Aunt Terry and her Aunt Anna in whispered conversation.

'. . . killed in a car accident. A terrible tragedy."

"And I understand he's raising that little girl all by himself." '"And doing a good job, I'd say. Isn't she darling? " Gin moved on, smiling.

She had hoped that as the evening wore on it would become apparent to anyone who saw them together that she and Gerry were more than just friends. She knew she had succeeded when she overheard Mama in serious conversation with Gerry.

"And now your name. I'm not sure how you spell it. Is that with an i'

at the end? " '"No. With an e-y. C-a-n-n-e-y. It's Irish."

"Is it now? At's a-nice." Gin almost laughed aloud at Mama's sudden reversion to an Italian accent. She was born in Baltimore.

But Gerry earned a place in Mama's heart by eating everything she put in front of himfrom stuffed calamari to stuffed sh.e.l.lsand coming back for more. How could she stay cool toward anyone with a big appet.i.te who loved her cooking? And Martha . . . Martha actually ate a meatball, a little one she'd made herself.

Gin was careful what she ate. Pasta had awakened inside her and was urging her to fill her plate, but Gin turned a deaf ear. She stayed on the move, sampling and nibbling, and made sure to leave something on each plate she used.

After dessert Gin spotted Gerry in a corner doing shots with Papa, Uncle Fiore, and Uncle dorn. Gerry caught her eye, lifted his gla.s.s of pale liquid, and winked at her. G.o.d, he looked great. And she loved the way he seemed to fit right in, going with the flow of the party, not standing on the side watching, but jumping right into the heart of the festivities. She realized right then how much she wanted him.

She wondered if she should warn him about what he was drinking. If that was what she thought it was, he was going to be sorry. But why be a wet blanket? Let him have his fun.

i The dishes were washed and racked and the festivities were waning when Gin, Gerry, and Martha made their way toward his car. Mama, Papa,and a couple of the aunts and uncles were standing on the front stoop waving goodbye.

"I think you two were a hit, " Gin said. "Did you have fun? " "I think I had too much fun, " Gerry said. He held out the keys. "Do you mind? " He seemed fine, steady on his feet, his voice clear, but Gin took them, glad he could admit when he'd had too much.

"Not at all." '"Mama said I could come back and help her cook anytime, " Martha said.

Gin had to smile. Her mother must have really taken to Martha if she told her to call her Mama.

"And I know she meant it, " Gin told her. "It's been a long time since she had a little girl around to help her cook." She remembered with a pang all the holidays she'd stood on a chair at the very same counter and helped her mother prepare the feasts. She wondered if Mama felt abandoned by the daughter who went off to become a doctor.

Without sons there'd be no daughter-in-law to take under her wing.

I wonder if she knows how much I love her? Gin thought. But when was the last time I told her?

She couldn't remember. That shook her. She took it for granted Mama knew, but everyone needed to hear it once in a while. Gin vowed to start doing just that on a regular basis.

Why not start now?

She ran back to the front steps and threw her arms around her mother.

"I love you, Mama. You're the best." She kissed the stunned woman and then hurried to the car. A glance over her shoulder showed Papa beaming and Mama smiling and wiping her eyes.

After strapping Martha into the backseat, Gerry slumped into the pa.s.senger seat.

'"What was that your father was pouring at the end? " "Grappa, " Gin said.

'"I was fine up till then. I mean, I'm Irish. We can drink just about anything that won't kill us. But that stuff. . . ' -- "Grappa won't kill you, " Gin said with a smile. "But if you're not used to it, it can make you wish it had." Martha's bedtime was long past but she was wired, talking at light speed about filling cannolis and grating cheese and how ugly the calamari were before Mama cleaned them. Gin was glad it hadn't been Easter. How would Martha have reacted to aapozella? Ifshe and Gerry were still seeing each other next springand she hoped they would beGina would have to prepare Martha for the sight of a sheep's head in the kitchen.

Martha talked nonstop right into the parking lot by their apartment, but was sound asleep in her father's arms by the time they reached the front door. Gin went upstairs and helped put her to bed, Downstairs, Gerry put his arms around her. She snuggled against him.

"Thanks, Gin, " he whispered. "This has to be the best Columbus Day of my life." '"It's not over yet, " she said, and kissed him.

He leaned back and looked at her for a second, then they kissed again, long and pa.s.sionately. Gin didn't want this night to end yet.

They tumbled to the couch and before long were fumbling with each other's b.u.t.tons, shucking off their clothes like old skins until there was nothing between the new skins. And they didn't need much foreplay because he was ready and G.o.d knew she'd been ready all night.

She didn't want to ask, but she forced herself to say it. "I don't have to worry about you, do I? ' "What? Oh, you mean . . . no.

Well, two women, both very straight.