Page 362 of Edge of Eternity (The Century 3)

George was beginning to worry about the convention. How could he make sure that Bobby's popularity was reflected in the votes of delegates from states where there were no primaries? "Humphrey is working hard on states such as Illinois, where Mayor Daley controls the delegate votes."

"Yeah," said Bobby. "But in the end men like Daley can't ignore popular feeling. They want to win. Hubert can't beat Dick Nixon, and I can."

"It's true, but do the Democratic power brokers know that?"

"They will by August."

George shared Bobby's sense that they were riding a wave, but he saw the dangers ahead all too clearly. "We need McCarthy to withdraw so that we can concentrate on beating Humphrey. We have to make a deal with McCarthy."

Bobby shook his head. "I can't offer him the vice presidency. He's a Catholic. Protestants might vote for one Catholic, but not two."

"You could offer him the top job in cabinet."

"Secretary of state?"

"If he pulls out now."

Bobby frowned. "It's hard to imagine working with him in the White House."

"If you don't win, you won't be in the White House. Should I put out feelers?"

"Let me think about it some more."

"Of course."

"You know something else, George?" Bobby said. "For the first time I don't feel I'm here as Jack's brother."

George smiled. That was a big step.

George went into the main room to talk to reporters, but he did not get a drink. When he was with Bobby he preferred to stay sharp. Bobby himself liked bourbon. But incompetence on his team infuriated him, and he could lacerate someone who let him down. George felt comfortable drinking alcohol only when Bobby was far away.

He was still stone-cold sober a few minutes before midnight when he accompanied Bobby down to the ballroom to give his victory speech. Bobby's wife, Ethel, looked groovy in an orange-and-white minidress with white tights, despite being pregnant with their eleventh child.

The crowd went wild, as always. The boys all wore Kennedy straw hats. The girls had a uniform: blue skirt, white blouse, and red Kennedy sash. A band blared a campaign song. Powerful television lights added to the heat in the room. Led by bodyguard Bill Barry, Bobby and Ethel pushed through the crowd, their young supporters reaching out to touch them and pull their clothes, until they reached a small platform. Jostling photographers added to the chaos.

The crowd hysteria was a problem for George and others, but it was Bobby's strength. His ability to get this emotional reaction from people was going to take him to the White House.

Bobby stood behind a bouquet of microphones. He had not asked for a written speech, just some notes. His performance was lackluster, but no one cared. "We are a great country, an unselfish country, and a compassionate country," he said. "I intend to make that my basis for running." These were not inspiring words, but the crowd adored him too much to care.

George decided he would not go with Bobby to the Factory discotheque afterward. Seeing couples dance would only remind him that he was alone. He would get a good night's sleep before flying to New York in the morning to launch the campaign there. Work was the cure for his heartache.

"I thank all of you who made this possible this evening," Bobby said. He flashed the Churchillian V-for-victory sign, and around the room hundreds of young people repeated the gesture. He reached down from the platform to shake some of the outstretched hands.

Then there was a glitch. His next appointment was with the press in a nearby room. The plan was for him to pass through the crowd as he left, but George could see that Bill Barry was unable to clear a path between the hysterical teenage girls shouting: "We want Bobby! We want Bobby!"

A hotel employee in the uniform of a maitre d'hotel solved the problem, pointing Bobby to a pair of swinging doors that evidently led through staff quarters to the press room. Bobby and Ethel followed the man into a dim corridor, and George and Bill Barry and the rest of the entourage hurried after them.

George was wondering how soon he could again raise with Bobby the need to make a deal with Gene McCarthy. It was the strategic priority, in George's opinion. But personal relationships were so important to the Kennedys. If Bobby could have made a friend of Lyndon Johnson everything would have been different.

The corridor led to a brightly lit pantry zone with gleaming stainless-steel steam tables and a huge ice maker. A radio reporter was interviewing Bobby as they walked, saying: "Senator, how are you going to counter Mr. Humphrey?" Bobby shook hands with smiling staff on his way through. A young kitchen worker turned from a tray stacker as if to greet Bobby.

Then, in a lightning flash of terror, George saw a gun in the young man's hand.

It was a small black revolver with a short barrel.

The man pointed the gun at Bobby's head.

George opened his mouth to yell but the shot came first.

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