Political Science 101

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"ARE YOU watching this?" Ray said frantically into the phone, not even giving Mitch a chance to say Hello when he answered.

"I am," Mitch replied somberly. The professor of political science was certainly saddened by the death of a politician, especially one from his home state.

Both men flipped between CNN, MSNBC, and (as much as they both despised it) Fox News. Coverage of the assassination of a United States Congressman warranted complete 'round-the-clock coverage of the man, the murder, and the investigation.

"Congressman Arnold Jenkins," the CNN news anchor said with heaviness in her voice, "was pronounced dead at the scene in front of his Washington D.C. apartment building." The screen flashed scenes of an ambulance, police cars, and crime scene tape in front of a large orange door. "Police have not released the official cause of death. However, sources close to the investigation tell CNN that the congressman was killed by a single gunshot wound to the chest." The reporter paused, looking down at the disheveled papers in her hands. "Again," she continued, "this is not confirmed, but we do know it was just over an hour ago when a passerby called 9-1-1 and reported a man on the ground, bleeding, with no pulse on the sidewalk."

Mitch watched with horror.

"Unbelievable," Ray said, clearly shaking, and his voice over the phone reflected it.

"They'll catch who did it," Mitch said in a sober tone-of-voice. "Political assassins never get away with it."

"Well," Ray said, "no one saw him get shot, so how will—"

"Sniper," Mitch said, interrupting Ray. "Long-range rifle." He paused, as if to contemplate the implications of what he'd just said. "They said no on heard a gunshot either, so it had to be far enough away to not attract attention. The pop would just wash into the sounds of the city." Mitch paused again. "This was done for a reason."

"Well of course it was done for a reason," Ray said, trying to calm himself. "It certainly wasn't an accident."

"No," Mitch said with staccato, "I mean there is someone out there who will benefit from this. It was too well-done to be some psycho with a grudge."

"For sure," Ray said.

"And actually," Mitch said, thinking aloud, "the shooter doesn't even matter."

"Wait, what?" Ray said, confused.

"Why," Mitch said. "Well, that's the real question, isn't it? Why? The 'How' and the 'Who' is just scenery for the public."

Both men stood silently on the phone, reflecting on what Mitch just said — a quote from one of his favorite films, JFK. The two men remained silently on the phone as they continued to flip between news reports on cable news, network news, and the Internet.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Ray said.

"Just a damn minute," Mitch said, "I quote JFK and you quote Star Wars? Is that the best you've got?" The two men laughed for a moment, both needing a moment to relax in the tense moments following the murder of a man both of them met a few years earlier while Ray was campaigning for his own election to the Missouri House of Representatives.

"Well," Mitch said, "I know exactly where they should start their investigation."

"Me too," Ray said.