Page 16 of Small Sacrifices

Mr. Swayne winces. "Well, we can't really expend government funds on something we haven't confirmed yet. We'll have to wait for the test result on those samples."

"Do you expect that those will match the results published by theTimes?"Reid asks.

There's a brief hesitation. Everett grins so widely that almost all of his too-white teeth are showing. "Personally, I do. But that is my opinion as a private citizen and not as a member of staff in the State Capitol. The governor isn't expecting any particular results, we're just awaiting the results in general and will proceed with the proper steps once they arrive."

Reid casts his eyes around the room to avoid saying the obvious. It's got a lot more character than most of the offices he's seen since he arrived. There are framed cartoons fromThe New Yorker,several beautifully maintained plants and even a few personal pictures. In one of them, it looks like Mr. Swayne has whiskers drawn on his face. But maybe that's just the distance playing a trick on Reid's eyes.

"And when do you expect the test results to arrive?" he asks.

"The lab said they should be done overnight."

Reid tries his best not to sigh. "And should those tests turn out positive for pesticides or other toxins, do you know what the plan is?"

He doesn't even need to listen to Mr. Swayne's answer. It's written plainly on his face before he opens his mouth to say, "That's the problem here. For us, I mean. This would be under the purview of the Environmental Protection Agency in any case, but with the way the governor is implicated, we need to be doubly careful. So we'll just have to leave it up to CalEPA and play the waiting game."

Damn, he'd been afraid of that. Frustration swells up in Reid so rapidly that he has to close his eyes and breathe through it. This won't be enough for the parents—he tells Mr. Swayne as much. The pained look on the man's face shows him that this isn't exactly a revelation.

"We're painfully aware of that. But especially in this situation, Governor Mackenzie can’t afford to free up funds that could end up being unjustified." The look on Everett's face makes it clear he’s just as dissatisfied as Reid, but they both keep their mouths shut. Mr. Swayne continues. "What he can do is put public pressure on the parties involved, which he’s already doing. And the visit next week will also show how much he wants to help these families."

Everett tilts his head back to look at Mr. Swayne. "Are you sure it doesn't just prove his dedication to keep his image as clean as possible? I mean, why else drag the parents of suffering children in front of a camera?" He turns his head to look at Reid, considering. "Or maybe even the children themselves? That's such a shitty thing to do. They shouldn't feel like they need to jump through hoops to get their children the help they need."

Reid sits up in his chair. "That isnotwhat is happening." How dare he? How dare Everett suggest Reid would ever be involved in something like that? And why on earth would he even think ofsaying such a thing about his father? If someone overheard him, the consequences would be dire.

Everett leans back on his hands and looks down at Reid. "You sure? Because from where I'm standing, the most you should do is offer a meeting under exclusion of the press. But you're not. You're asking them to take part in a publicity stunt before their children have gotten the help that they need."

Cold prickles all over Reid's body and makes his hair stand on end. He can't say thatheisn't asking anyone to do anything. The governor is. And he also can't say that he somewhat agrees because he's in front of the governor's son and a senior colleague he's just met. It's ridiculous that he even wants to, really. Everett is already looking down on him, both figuratively and literally. That won't change just because he agrees with him once. If anything, it'll make him think he's won, which might make him even more insufferable.

Still, it hurts to open his mouth and say, "No one will be made to do anything. I just want to give them as much information as I can to help them make the best decision."

"The best decision foryou,you mean," Everett drawls. Reid folds his hands in his lap so that he doesn't ball them into fists.

"I mean the decision that they think is best. I don’t speak for them." He's looking at the photo on the wall behind Mr. Swayne's head. No, those might actually be whiskers on his face. Why is a picture like that up in his office?

Everett snorts again, but then there's a sound of fabric being touched, and he squeaks. When Reid looks back at him in surprise, he's got a scowl on his face. Mr. Swayne, behind him, is smiling apologetically. "Everett likes to play devil's advocate. Don't mind him, he means well. Do you have any other questions? I'm sorry I can't tell you more."

He runs a hand over his face, rasping over his three o'clock shadow. "That's the thing that I've said the most since Sunday.This situation is so frustrating. If we were still in Chesterton, we'd probably have it halfway resolved by now."

Stillin Chesterton? What does that mean?

Everett explains before Reid has even asked the question. "Elijah here has been with my father from the very beginning. And he's also an incorrigible optimist. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my coursework." And with that, he pushes himself off from the desk and leaves in a gust of smugness and what Reid assumes is either expensive aftershave or his shower gel. Which is probably also expensive. Either way, it's way too nice a smell for the type of person he is.

Mr. Swayne only answers his questioning look with a shrug and a "Don't ask me. He's always been like that."

On his way back to his desk, Reid wonders what could have made Everett so jaded. The guy is living a very privileged life. From all accounts, he's grown up in a loving, financially secure environment. Why is he so dead set on assuming the worst? Not just of the system, but of his father, too. And of Reid as well, presumably by extension.

Reid gnaws on his lip. Aren't they supposed to be on the same side in this? This is about Everett'sfather,his father's career and the general perception the public has of him. Whether Everett wants it to, it will affect him as well. Does hewantpeople to believe he's the son of a sellout who—either knowingly or negligently—poisoned elementary school children?

Especially because it clearly isn't true. Everett knows his father, so he should know best of all that Governor Mackenzie is a man of principle. All his policies are based on humanistic values. He would never have wanted this to happen. But for all Reid's admiration, he's still just a person, and people make mistakes.

So, while public interviews might not be in the parents' best interest right now, they're necessary to help preserve thepolitical career of a man who has much good left to do. And Reid won't lie to them. He won't try to persuade them based on false assurances. But with the information he has, he can't convince anyone of anything, especially if he's not willing to lie.

That means he has no choice but to go to Mr. Wright, after all. Damn it. If there is nothing happening that would convince these parents to cooperate, then they need tomakesomething happen.

Marisol, when he asks her about this in a hushed voice, agrees. "It's not your fault that the circumstances are so dire right now. He needs to give you something to work with. You can't just pull something out of thin air."

Well, no. He can't. Except… "That's exactly what he told me to do. He said to tell them what I need to, what they need to hear."

She scrunches up her nose. "He's smart enough to know that isn’t a long-term strategy. Does he want those people to freak out on camera when they find out they've been lied to? No. Does he want them to go on tirades on social media about how they think the governor is a liar? Methinks not. He just needs to understand that they're notstupid."

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