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"He won't," McDermott said. "Transfer the money on Monday and this will all be behind us." His tone was soothing. |
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"You keep saying 'us' but I keep hearing me,'" Julius said. |
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"Julius, we're in this together." |
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"One for all and all for one, right?" |
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McDermott got up and came over to him. "Yes." |
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"But on my two million dollars." |
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"I'm afraid so, Julius. But it could be worse." |
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Julius turned from the window to face him. "You'd have to prove that to me." |
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While McDermott and DeVoe went out for dinner, Julius made the necessary arrangements with his lawyer to transfer money on Monday morning when the instructions came through. |
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Two hours later DeVoe and McDermott returned to Julius's office. They drove him to the airport, where Claire had cabbed in from the house they had bought in Vienna. For the remainder of the weekend they were taking the Lear to their place near Argyle-on-the-Hudson, where Julius would continue reviewing the pending legislation for the president. |
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They loaded the suitcases into the storage area of the jet and secured it closed. |
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"It'll be behind us by the middle of the week," McDermott said. "I guarantee it." |
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Julius acknowledged with a nod. |
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They shook Julius's hand and each gave Claire a hug. |
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A few minutes later they watched the Lear streak into the violet afterglow of the sun. |
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At ten-seventeen the jet cut northeast toward the New Jersey coast. At a point some eleven miles southwest of Newark, the pilot noticed the fuel gauge begin to drop. At first he thought the readout was faulty. But the auxiliary gauge gave the same indication that fuel was pouring out of the tanks. A moment later an emergency warning light went on, with an accompanying buzz. They were losing fuel and fast. Given their position and altitude, they could, the |
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