Jennifer went to the registration desk, signed in and entered the large hall. It was packed. In the crowd she spotted dozens of friends and acquaintances. Nearly all of them had changed from conservative business suits and dresses to brightly colored sport shirts and pants. It was as though everyone was on vacation. There is a good reason There is a good reason, Jennifer thought, for holding the convention in a place like Acapulco instead of in Chicago or Detroit. for holding the convention in a place like Acapulco instead of in Chicago or Detroit. They could take off their stiff collars and somber ties and let themselves go under a tropical sun. They could take off their stiff collars and somber ties and let themselves go under a tropical sun.

Jennifer had been given a program at the door but, deep in conversation with some friends, had paid no attention to it.

A deep voice boomed over the loudspeaker, "Attention, please! Would you all please take your seats? Attention, please! We would like to get the meeting started. Would you sit down, please!"

Reluctantly the small groups began to break up as people started to find seats. Jennifer looked up to see that half a dozen men had mounted the dais.

In the center was Adam Warner.

Jennifer stood there, frozen, as Adam walked to the chair next to the microphone and took a seat. She felt her heart begin to pound. The last time she had seen Adam had been when they had had lunch at the little Italian restaurant, the day he had told her that Mary Beth was pregnant.

Jennifer's immediate impulse was to flee. She had had no idea Adam would be there and she could not bear the thought of facing him. Adam and his son being in the same city filled her with panic. Jennifer knew she had to get out of there quickly.

She turned to leave as the chairman announced over the loudspeaker, "If the rest of you ladies and gentlemen will take your seats, we will begin."

As people around her began sitting down, Jennifer found herself conspicuous by standing. Jennifer slid into a seat, determined to slip away at the first opportunity.

The chairman said, "We are honored this morning to have as our guest speaker a nominee for the presidency of the United States. He is a member of the New York Bar a.s.sociation and one of the most distinguished members of the United States Senate. It is with great pride that I introduce Senator Adam Warner. Senator Adam Warner."

Jennifer watched as Adam rose, accepting the warm applause. He stepped to the microphone and looked out across the room. "Thank you, Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen."

Adam's voice was rich and resonant, and he had an air of authority that was mesmerizing. The silence in the room was total.

"There are many reasons why we are gathered here today." He paused. "Some of us like to swim and some of us like to snorkel..." There was a swell of appreciative laughter. "But the main reason we are here is to exchange ideas and knowledge and discuss new concepts. Today, lawyers are under greater attack than at any time in my memory. Even the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has been sharply critical of our profession."

Jennifer loved the way he used our our, making him one with the rest of them. She let his words wash over her, content just to look at him, to watch the way he moved, to hear his voice. At one point he stopped to run his fingers through his hair, and it gave Jennifer a sharp pang. It was a gesture of Joshua's. Adam's son was only a few miles away and Adam would never know.

Adam's voice grew stronger, more forceful. "Some of you in this room are criminal lawyers. I must admit I have always considered that to be the most exciting branch of our profession. Criminal lawyers often deal in life and death. It is a very honorable profession and one of which we can all be proud. However"-his voice grew hard-"there are some of them"-and now Jennifer noticed that Adam was disa.s.sociating himself by his choice of the p.r.o.noun-"who are a disgrace to the oath they have taken. The American system of jurisprudence is based on the inalienable right of every citizen to have a fair trial. But when the law is made a mockery of, when lawyers spend their time and energy, imagination and skill, finding ways to defy that law, finding ways to subvert justice, then I think it is time something must be done." Every eye in the room was fastened on Adam as he stood there, eyes blazing. "I am speaking, ladies and gentlemen, out of personal experience and a deep anger for some of the things I see happening. I am currently heading a Senate committee conducting an investigation of organized crime in the United States. My committee has found itself thwarted and frustrated time after time by men who hold themselves to be more powerful than the highest enforcement agencies of our nation. I have seen judges suborned, the families of witnesses threatened, key witnesses disappear. Organized crime in our country is like a deadly python that is squeezing our economy, swallowing up our courts, threatening our very lives. The great majority of lawyers are honorable men and women doing honorable jobs, but I want to give warning to that small minority who think their law is above our law: You're making a grave mistake and you're going to pay for that mistake. Thank you."

Adam sat down to a tumultuous burst of applause that became a standing ovation. Jennifer found herself on her feet applauding with the others, but her thoughts were on Adam's last words. It was as though he had been speaking directly to her. Jennifer turned and headed toward the exit, pushing her way through the crowd.

As Jennifer approached the door she was hailed by a Mexican lawyer with whom she had worked a year earlier.

He kissed her hand gallantly and said, "What an honor to have you in our country again, Jennifer. I insist you have dinner with me this evening."

Jennifer and Joshua had planned to go to The Maria Elena that night to watch the native dancers. "I'm sorry, Luis. I have an engagement."

His large, liquid eyes showed his disappointment. "Tomorrow then?"

Before Jennifer could answer, an a.s.sistant district attorney from New York was at her side.

"h.e.l.lo, there," he said. "What are you doing slumming with the common folk? How about having dinner with me tonight? There's a Mexican disco called Nepentha, where they have a gla.s.s floor lit from underneath and a mirror overhead."

"It sounds fascinating, thanks, but I'm busy tonight."

A few moments later Jennifer found herself surrounded by lawyers she had worked for and against all over the country. She was a celebrity and they all wanted to talk to her. It was half an hour before Jennifer could break free. She hurried toward the lobby, and as she moved to the exit, Adam was walking toward her, surrounded by the press and secret service men. Jennifer tried to retreat, but it was too late. Adam had seen her.

"Jennifer!"

For an instant she thought of pretending she had not heard him, but she could not embarra.s.s him in front of the others. She would say h.e.l.lo quickly and be on her way.

She watched as Adam moved toward her, saying to the press, "I have no more statements to make now, ladies and gentlemen."

A moment later Adam was touching her hand, looking into her eyes, and it was as though they had never been apart. They stood there in the lobby, surrounded by people, and yet they might have been completely alone. Jennifer had no idea how long they stood there looking at each other.

Finally, Adam said, "I-I think we'd better have a drink."

"It would be wiser if we didn't." She had to get out of this place.

Adam shook his head. "Overruled."

He took her arm and led her into the crowded bar. They found a table at the rear of the room.

"I've called you and I've written to you," Adam said. "You never called me back and my letters were returned."

He was watching her, his eyes filled with questions. "There isn't a day that's gone by that I haven't thought about you. Why did you disappear?"

"It's part of my magic act," Jennifer said lightly.

A waiter came to take their order. Adam turned to Jennifer. "What would you like?"

"Nothing. I really have to leave, Adam."

"You can't go now. This is a celebration. The anniversary of the revolution."

"Theirs or ours?"

"What's the difference?" He turned to the waiter. "Two margaritas."

"No. I-" All right All right, she thought, one drink. one drink. "Make mine a double," Jennifer said recklessly. "Make mine a double," Jennifer said recklessly.

The waiter nodded and left.

"I read about you all the time," Jennifer said. "I'm very proud of you, Adam."

"Thank you." Adam hesitated. "I've been reading about you, too."

She responded to the tone in his voice. "But you're not proud of me."

"You seem to have a lot of Syndicate clients."

Jennifer found her defenses going up. "I thought your lecture was over."

"This isn't a lecture, Jennifer. I'm concerned about you. My committee is after Mike Moretti, and we're going to get him."

Jennifer looked around the bar filled with lawyers. "For G.o.d's sake, Adam, we shouldn't be having this discussion, especially in here."

"Where, then?"

"Nowhere. Michael Moretti is my client. I can't discuss him with you."

"I want to talk to you. Where?"

She shook her head. "I told you I-"

"I have to talk about us."

"There is no us." Jennifer started to rise.

Adam put his hand on her arm. "Please, don't go. I can't let you go. Not yet."

Reluctantly, Jennifer sat down.

Adam's eyes were fastened on her face. "Do you ever think of me?"

Jennifer looked up at him and did not know whether to laugh or cry. Did she ever think of him! He lived in her house. She kissed him good morning every day, made his breakfast, went sailing with him, loved him. "Yes," Jennifer said finally, "I think of you."

"I'm glad. Are you happy?"

"Of course." She knew she had said it too quickly. She made her voice more casual. "I have a successful practice, I'm well off financially, I travel a great deal, I see a lot of attractive men. How is your wife?"

"She's fine." His voice was low.

"And your daughter?"

He nodded, and there was pride in his face. "Samantha's wonderful. She's just growing up too fast."

She would be Joshua's age.

"You've never married?"

"No."

There was a long moment, and then Jennifer tried to continue, but she had hesitated too long. It was too late. Adam had looked into her eyes and he had known instantly.

He clasped her hand in his. "Oh, Jennifer. Oh, my darling!"

Jennifer could feel the blood rushing to her face. She had known all along that this would be a terrible mistake.

"I have to go, Adam. I have an appointment."

"Break it," he urged.

"I'm sorry. I can't." All she wanted to do was get out of there, to get her son away from there, to flee back home.

Adam was saying, "I'm supposed to fly back to Washington on an afternoon plane. I can arrange to stay over if you'll see me tonight."

"No. No!"

"Jennifer, I can't let you go again. Not like this. We have to talk. Just have dinner with me."

He was pressing her hand tighter. She looked at him and fought with all her strength and found herself weakening.

"Please, Adam," she begged. "We shouldn't be seen together. If you're after Michael Moretti-"

"This has nothing to do with Moretti. A friend of mine has offered me the use of his boat. It's called the Paloma Blanca. Paloma Blanca. It's docked at the Yacht Club. Eight o'clock." It's docked at the Yacht Club. Eight o'clock."

"I won't be there."

"I will. I'll be waiting for you."

Across the room, at the crowded bar, Nick Vito was sitting with two Mexican puttanas puttanas a friend had delivered to him. Both were pretty and coa.r.s.e and underage, the way Nick Vito liked them. His friend had promised they would be special, and he had been right. They were rubbing up against him, whispering exciting promises in his ear, but Nick Vito was not listening. He was staring across the room at the booth where Jennifer Parker and Adam Warner were seated. a friend had delivered to him. Both were pretty and coa.r.s.e and underage, the way Nick Vito liked them. His friend had promised they would be special, and he had been right. They were rubbing up against him, whispering exciting promises in his ear, but Nick Vito was not listening. He was staring across the room at the booth where Jennifer Parker and Adam Warner were seated.

"Why don't we go up to your room now, querido querido?" one of the girls suggested to Nick.

Nick Vito was tempted to walk over to Jennifer and the stranger she was with and say h.e.l.lo, but both girls had their hands between his legs and were stroking him. He was going to make one h.e.l.l of a sandwich.

"Yeah, let's go upstairs," Nick Vito said.

45.

The Paloma Blanca Paloma Blanca was a motor sailer and it shone proud and white and gleaming in the moonlight. Jennifer approached it slowly, looking around to make sure that no one had observed her. Adam had told her he would elude the secret service men and apparently he had succeeded. After Jennifer had seated Joshua and Mrs. Mackey at Maria Elena, she had taken a taxi and had had the driver drop her off two blocks before the pier. was a motor sailer and it shone proud and white and gleaming in the moonlight. Jennifer approached it slowly, looking around to make sure that no one had observed her. Adam had told her he would elude the secret service men and apparently he had succeeded. After Jennifer had seated Joshua and Mrs. Mackey at Maria Elena, she had taken a taxi and had had the driver drop her off two blocks before the pier.

Jennifer had picked up the phone half a dozen times to call Adam to say she would not meet him. She had started to write a note, then had torn it up. From the moment she had left Adam at the bar, Jennifer had been in an agony of indecision. She thought of all the reasons why she should not see Adam. Nothing good could possibly come of it, and it could lead to a tremendous amount of harm. Adam's career could be at stake. He was riding on a crest of public popularity, an idealist in a time of cynicism, the country's hope for the future. He was the darling of the media, but the same press that had helped to create him would be out there waiting to push him into the abyss if he betrayed their image of him.

And so Jennifer had made up her mind not to see him. She was another woman, living a different life, and she belonged to Michael now...

Adam was waiting for her at the top of the gangplank.

"I was so afraid you weren't coming," he said.

And she was in his arms and they were kissing.

"What about the crew, Adam?" Jennifer finally asked.