The Means Read online

  Melissa leans back and thinks, Shit. The most important rule in improv and stand-up comedy is never to shut anything down. When the dialogue passes to you, you don’t drop it, you take it and do something with it. No is not an answer. “You’ll still see Alan. He’s still there for you.”

  “Good. At least he’s someone familiar, even if he does scare the dickens out of me when he appears out of nowhere. It’s gotten so every time I come out of the Starbucks into the parking lot, I hope he’ll show up. Tell him to come more often.”

  Melissa smiles. “I’ll pass that along. I’ll be here for you too. Connor wants to make sure you’re getting what you need.”

  “What I need is for this mess to go away. I’m barely sleeping.” Monica is relaxing and venting and showing some anger. “What do you do for Connor? Have you known him long?”

  Be vague, be vague. “It’s better that you don’t know. I’m sorry to be secretive, but it’s better for you and it’s better for me.”

  Shutting down the question diminishes the trust that has been developing. Melissa and Samantha had role-played this interview the way they would rehearse lines for a show, trying out different emotions and emphases. They had anticipated this question and giving a nonanswer seemed the realistic response for the fictional character Carol Shaw that Melissa is playing. But Melissa sees the damage this answer causes because she and Samantha didn’t anticipate the effects of the isolation and paranoia on Monica Morris. Melissa changes course.

  Playing Carol Shaw, Melissa smiles. “I’ve known Connor for years. We’ve worked together a long time. I’m a field person, not his accountant.” She smiles wider. “No harm in you knowing that.”

  Monica takes this as a gift and she’s happy.

  * * *

  “Nicely done,” says Samantha from the adjoining room in the DoubleTree.

  She’s watching two screens in black-and-white. One is from a camera in Melissa’s lapel pin that gives a close-up of Monica, and the other is from a camera in a clock on the wall that shows a side view of the two women talking. The sound quality is good.

  They had considered miking up Melissa’s ear so they could speak with her but decided it would be too risky and possibly distracting to Melissa anyway. Melissa’s on her own but she’s rehearsed and she’s a pro.

  “Keep your routine with Alan the same as it has been. Nothing changes there, but Connor wanted to give you someone you could talk to more easily.”

  The information on Alan has given her something credible to run with and sets things up for where she wants to go.

  “She’s doing great. Calm, even. Sympathetic body language.” Samantha’s directing a movie except she can’t yell cut. They just roll tape.

  “She’s good.” Tim Hart is a freelance audio tech that Samantha has met in her work with UBS. Hart had wired the room for the meeting. He sits next to Samantha, leaning over the two laptop screens that receive the camera signals and record them.

  They’re at the DoubleTree Hotel on the corner of PGA Boulevard and Military Trail. Melissa had called Monica the day before, saying her name is Carol Shaw and that she works for Connor Marks. Only a handful of people know of her connection to Connor and Monica believed her. Melissa told her to drive to Palm Beach International in the morning, park, get a taxi at the airport, and get to the DoubleTree at eleven a.m. That would lose any media vans. Don’t speak to anyone until then.

  Samantha and Melissa don’t care if Monica’s phones are tapped by law enforcement. They’re on the side of law enforcement. And they know Connor wouldn’t risk putting a tap on the line and getting found out. They knew there was a chance that Connor had set up a code word with Monica to verify anyone contacting her, but they had to hope that the name Connor Marks would satisfy as verification.

  “Well, I appreciate you meeting me. This has been a worse hell than I thought it would be. I just want it all to stop. I’m angry and I’m scared for my son.”

  The comment surprises Melissa and instead of nodding her understanding she says, “Why?”

  “Alan was very clear. These are powerful people. If anything goes wrong, if I do anything wrong, it’ll be bad for Sean.”

  “Well, nothing’s going to go wrong, Monica.” Melissa has recovered. “I’m here to help make sure of that.”

  Samantha and Melissa think at the same time that there could be collateral damage in releasing the tape of this interview, but in the case of Sean Morris, the tape making national news will be the best outcome for his safety.

  Monica covers her face with her hands and presses back the emotion. “I’m just so angry,” she says. There is a single cry that is muffled and when she pulls her hands down, there are tears and saliva and a runny nose mixed together.

  Melissa leans forward and reaches a hand to Monica’s knee and thinks, Maybe you shouldn’t have lied to the FBI. This is one of the openings she and Samantha had rehearsed.

  “Here it is, Melissa. Gentle,” says Samantha to the laptop.

  “Monica, I have a background as a therapist. Healthy, successful people talk things out with a psychologist all the time, in addition to friends and family, and they do this when they’re under one-tenth the pressure you are. I know your friend was a psychologist. You haven’t had anyone to talk with. You’re under enormous strain. Let’s just talk a bit. It might make you feel better.”

  “I know, I know. Connor thinks I’m turning into some basket case that’s going to crack. You need to come here and manage me or it’s going to mess up your whole disgusting plan.” She twirls her fingers by her ears in the crazy motion when she says the word “manage.”

  Melissa sees the woman is already unhinged and not remorseful. “We know you’re under a lot of stress, as would anyone be in your position. I’m here to help. I’ve helped people in tight spots before.”

  Monica makes a big exhale. She has the bratty way of a person who always thinks the world has singled her out for unfair treatment. “Okay.” Monica is gathering herself. This seems like an idea worth trying.

  “What emotions are you feeling, besides anger and fear?”

  “Oh, my gosh, Carol.” Monica rolls her head back. “I couldn’t possibly say. All of them at once, I guess, but mostly anger and fear. And exhaustion, if that counts as emotion.”

  “Exhaustion is a real thing. It’s a major force on us. Rest is the most recuperative thing our bodies can do, and you need it. You should think about a sleep aid.”

  “I’m all over that.”

  “Any other emotions? Guilt?”

  Monica nods sideways to acknowledge a maybe but says nothing.

  “Guilt is a powerful emotion.”

  “Yes.”

  “You need to address that. For yourself. Or it doesn’t go away, believe me, I know.”

  Monica nods.

  “You need to talk it through, Monica. Do you feel guilty that this damaged a man or stirred up the election?”

  “Mitchell Mason is not a good man.”

  “Maybe, maybe not. But this is about you, not him.” Melissa needs to get back on Monica’s side. “I’m here to help you through this, Monica. That’s why Connor had me come here.”

  “I know.”

  Now feels like the time to take a shot. “It’s too late to change anything that’s happened. I’m sure Connor and Alan have made that clear. But it’s not too late to deal with what you’re feeling. Are you feeling guilt or remorse that you invented the hit-and-run?”

  “I suppose I am. He’s a bad person but I wish now it didn’t come to all that.”

  “Are you angry with him?”

  Monica thinks about this, considering a question she hasn’t asked herself in a while. “No, not anymore. I really loved him. He treated me like trash, but I loved him.”

  “Monica, this is strictly between us. Are you angry with Connor Marks?”
/>   Monica is surprised by the question and takes a moment to check with herself for the true answer. “No, I’m not angry with Connor. He didn’t do anything wrong, and he explained everything to me. I was just naïve, and it’s a lot of money. And Mason is such a prick.”

  This is her true answer though she’s also a little afraid of Connor and thinks Carol will share the answer.

  “Okay, good.” Melissa is close to the end and wants to run out the door. “Connor has a lot of years in with the Miami Police Department. He’ll know how to take care of you. Over the long haul as well.” This is a comment scripted by Samantha. If it gets this far, she wants to make sure there is no doubt about which Connor Marks on the planet they’re talking about.

  “I know. Connor has been a friend.”

  “We got it,” says Samantha from the next room.

  61

  Samantha finds a few photos of Connor Marks from his time with Miami PD. She chooses the one that has his neck the thickest and his face the most thuggish. She prepares the forty-five-minute package and mentions Pauley once to say he had no connection with Connor Marks. She mentions Mason once to say she is convinced of his innocence. The rest highlights Monica Morris and Connor Marks the Fixer and it plays the video of Carol Shaw and Monica Morris in full.

  Samantha introduces the forty-five-minute piece on Candace Park’s nine p.m. show on UBS-24. “You may not know the name Connor Marks, but it is a name the world will come to know. The allegation of hit-and-run against President Mason was false. It was a fraud created by Connor Marks.” The piece runs then the camera cuts back to Samantha and Candace.

  Candace makes a dramatic pause on camera, looking at Samantha. “Where is Connor Marks today?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Will charges be brought against him?”

  “I expect conspiracy as a start. Maybe more once they’ve investigated everything.”

  “Reese Kinard?”

  “At this time that is still classified as a suicide but the police are re­examining the case.”

  “And Monica Morris?”

  “She’s in custody and I understand is cooperating.”

  The broadcast moves to a split screen to include the photo of Connor Marks. Samantha says, “He is out there and I suppose others like him are out there. People who are focused on an objective and who will leverage any perversion, use whatever means to achieve it.”

  62

  The day after Samantha Davis’s report, the headline of the New York Times is “Monica Morris a Fraud, Changes Election.”

  The New York Daily News: “The Fixer Is In.”

  The Washington Post: “Morris Scandal Upends Washington.”

  The New York Post: “The Lady Is a Tramp . . . and a Liar.”

  There are seventy million Democrats who will never forget the faces of Monica Morris and Connor Marks, though the national outrage over the scandal is nonpartisan. While no one suggests that Pauley had any hand in the manipulation, his administration is taking incoming from all sides. His victory is legally unchallenged but is relegated to practical illegitimacy.

  “I can’t govern this way, Peter.”

  “You can’t resign and we’re not going to do the election over again. You’re the president of the United States. This’ll pass.”

  “This is a stain that won’t go away. The country’s just going to wait out a four-year clock to take away something it thinks I should never have had. And anytime I try to push a policy agenda, the people are going to ask me by what right.”

  “It’ll pass.”

  “No, we need to do something.”

  “There’s nothing to do, Tom. We can’t have copresidents.”

  “Maybe a team-of-rivals gesture.”

  “No. You want to make him secretary of state? That’d be an insult.”

  “Of course not, but we need to change the media conversation.”

  “I’ll call Mason’s people. Maybe he’ll make some statement of support for you. The fact that you’re president isn’t going to change in the next four years, so getting you past this is the right thing for the country. He may decide it’s a gesture that’ll make him look good.”

  * * *

  Tom sits behind the desk of his upstairs study in the private residence of the White House. It’s past midnight. Alison is asleep. His belongings are unpacked and arranged except for two cardboard boxes of old personal items that Tom has now opened up.

  Tom is looking through some old photos then stops on one and puts it down on the desk.

  His elbows are down on the desk and he leans forward and rubs deep into his eyes with the end digits of his fingers. He’s president now, but at a price. Everything that had to happen to get him to the goal now hangs around his neck like a weight too great to carry. He’s impotent because of the process. The price was too high.

  He stands to go to bed and leaves the pictures where they are. Nobody goes in here but Tom.

  The picture on top is faded with age. It’s a group photo from the Camp Arrowhead summer camp for boys. Six boys, ten years old, are in the photo. Four standing and holding fishing rods. Two are kneeling. The last sentence of the caption reads, Kneeling: Tom Pauley, Connor Marks.

  In the actions of all men, and especially of princes,

  where there is no court to appeal to, one looks to the end.

  For that reason, let the prince win and maintain his state:

  the means will always be judged honorable,

  and he will be praised by everyone.

  Niccolò Machiavelli, 1469–1527

  Acknowledgments

  Two people who deserve a special thanks are Dana Perino and Chris Stirewalt. Not only did they meet with me on several occasions to help with this book, but they introduced me to people well-placed to continue aspects of the research. They also read an early draft of the novel and provided great feedback. I ignored some of the corrections they offered in order to preserve pieces of the story I want to tell. If you find something you’d like to change, they probably found it too.

  Many others were generous with their time and expertise, including: Joe Trippi, Charlie Hurt, Terry Holt, Marc Lampkin, John Murray, Melissa Francis, Arthur Aidala, Jared Weinstein, Tom Rooney, Pat Brosnan.

  My agents, Lane Zachary and Todd Shuster, once again helped me through the process and had thoughtful suggestions for the book. I’m grateful for their hard work and friendship.

  Stacy Creamer has been an early believer in my writing and has had great advice for both of my books. It has been a pleasure working with Sally Kim, a great editor and advisor. Also at Touchstone, Meredith Vilarello, Melissa Vipperman-Cohen, Courtney Brach, Jessica Roth, and Lisa Healy.

  My wife Megyn is my most trusted reader, and her feedback means the most. She is kind, brilliant, funny, and strong. I know a few people who are so talented they can do anything they want, but she is the only one who can do anything she wants with excellence. I’m lucky that she’s my love story. Together we’ve done amazing things, and the best of these we call Yates, Yardley, and our new baby Thatcher. Now everyone is here.

  Touchstone Reading Group Guide

  * * *

  The Means

  Douglas Brunt

  Introduction

  The Means tells the story of three individuals who have one thing in common: ambition. Samantha Davis is a lawyer-turned-journalist who wants to report honest news that really matters. Tom Pauley is a successful attorney in North Carolina who gets tapped by the GOP to run for governor, and Mitchell Mason is the president of the United States, a Democrat, and a good politician with his own set of morals. When Tom Pauley decides to run against Mitchell Mason in the presidential election, the three characters become entangled in a news story that changes the outcome of the election and the future of America. The Means explores the face of contemporary politics and raises the question of wh
ether the ends do justify the means.

  For Discussion

  1. “The production reminds her of the image of a duck on water. On the surface, calm and beautiful, while beneath the surface the bony, orange legs are thrashing like mad” (12). Discuss this introduction to Samantha Davis and her new career as a high-profile news reporter. How would you characterize her? How does this image foreshadow events in the story? Do you think the duck working hard but retaining a certain kind of decorum is a metaphor for the job of the president of the United States?

  2. On page 23, Samantha notes, “when meeting other female on-air talent, she always gets an up-and-down from them the way she would from a drunk guy in a bar.” Comment on the male/female dynamics in the novel, paying particular attention to Samantha’s interactions. Do the women treat Samantha more harshly than her male counterparts? Does her femininity inform her reporting style? Consider Samantha’s relationship with Connor Marks.

  3. Discuss the ways in which conservative and liberal ideas are represented. Is Tom Pauley the archetype of a Republican? Is Mitchell Mason a typical Democrat?

  4. On page 65, Pauley recounts a childhood memory of his Uncle Neil telling him from behind the glass partition in jail: “when each of us is born we’re all given a big shit pie. And every once in a while we have to cut off a slice and eat it.” Do you think Tom agrees with his uncle’s idea about life and fairness? Would you characterize Tom as a fair man? Why or why not?

  5. Revisit the scene, beginning on page 107, when Samantha runs into the police officer who first introduced her to Connor Marks. What do you think he means when he says “it’s called journalism . . . with a big J” (108)? Does this scene act as a hinge for Samantha and her career? Is it because of this brief conversation that Samantha has a revelation about Connor Marks?