Atropos by William L. Deandrea Read Free Book Online

birth had to do with lies and plots and treachery and death, and while Mother had ultimately redeemed herself, it still made Regina uncomfortable to think about it. Somehow, having a baby of her own, because she loved a man and wanted to love a baby, would break the cycle and make things right again.
    “I just—”
    “You just want one. All right. That answers my question. Two things.”
    “Yes?”
    “We’ve been going at this kind of hit-and-miss. Unless you’re pregnant already.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “Well, assuming we’re both fully equipped, if we do it every day for a month, we ought to connect.”
    “Allan, do you mean—?”
    “Yes,” he said. “I mean. I’m scared to death, but I mean. You have become indispensable, and I want you happy.”
    She threw her arms around him and hugged.
    “One other thing.”
    “Uh-huh,” Regina said, nodding seriously.
    “If we’re going to do this, we might as well get married. I’ve got nothing against bastards, but why add complications to a kid’s life?”
    “That easy, huh? I’m probably going to wake up in a few minutes and find out I dreamed this.”
    “No dream. I’d better get moving if I’m going to make the plane. We’ll talk about details when I get back. I love you, Bash.”

Chapter Five
Washington, D.C.
    A INLEY MASTERS WATCHED THE door of his apartment close behind Stephen Abweg. Congressman Abweg’s staff had spirited him out of an Iowa Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge, and had flown him to D.C. for a meeting with Senator Van Horn. Since all concerned wanted to keep the press from any premature drooling over the matter, it had been arranged that the meeting would take place at Ainley’s Washington digs. The theory was that while reporters certainly had Abweg staked out, and possibly had Senator Van Horn’s office and home covered, the home of the Senator’s top aide just might be safe.
    That was the theory in the Abweg camp, anyway. Ainley had made it clear, in setting up this business, that the onus of security was on them. If there was any premature word of a possible endorsement from the Senator, that endorsement would not come. It was the same agreement he had with the Babington camp—that meeting was scheduled for a few weeks from now.
    So Abweg and his people had come and gone, and Ainley Masters was confused. He did not like to be confused. He looked at Hank Van Horn in open wonderment.
    “If I gave a damn,” Ainley said, “I’d feel cheated on.”
    Hank was sitting quietly, drinking a brandy, looking pleased with himself. “What do you mean, Ainley?”
    “Why do you ask me for advice, Senator? I said to be noncommittal, that we’ve still got to talk with the other people, and not to say too much.”
    “Well, I didn’t, did I?”
    “Yes, you did. ‘I think I can see my way clear to backing you’ sounds pretty committal to me.”
    “I can see my way clear to the bathroom, Ainley.” He indicated the way with the snifter. “That doesn’t mean I’m going there.”
    “Oh, good,” Ainley said. “Someone’s taught you sophistry. Listen, Senator. What you did today wasn’t a mistake because it was dishonest.”
    “You’d hardly be the one to complain about that.”
    Ainley caught his breath, then let it out through a smile. “You know, Senator, you haven’t come to an apartment of mine since you showed up at the one I keep back home all those years ago. The night of the fire, you remember.”
    Then the Senator set the snifter down hard. Brandy spilled on his hand; he didn’t seem to notice. “I don’t like to talk about the fire, Ainley.” His voice was deadly.
    Ainley wasn’t worried. He knew too much about the Van Horns, and too much of what he knew was written down in places that would come to light if anything happened to him. The worst the Senator could do was fire him, and then only if Ainley wanted to go. Not that being fired would hurt him. Ainley got richer every year. He had a joke among his