Chapter 24: Call Me Madam

Speaker Martha Gates and Judge Barnett entered the house without knocking. The speaker said without preamble, "Sorry to interrupt your privacy, but we have to make plans for your grand entry into the Capital Monday morning. His honor and I and one member of the each from both parties will escort you into your office and introduce you to your staff."

Judge Barnett added, "We believe there may be persons on the governor's staff in the pay of others. There is no belief to it; we know it for certain. It would not be a good move politically to terminate their employment right at the present."

Amanda interrupted, "I have the answer to that. Call in the FBI and ask to use their polygraph expert. I show up Monday and get acquainted. We say nothing to anyone about our plans except to inform them all, the whole office staff and I shall meet privately to become better acquainted with each other. On Tuesday morning I announce we are all going to undergo lie detector tests, starting with me.

"I will explain the tests are voluntary, but to remain on my staff they must pass with flying colors. All who refuse to take the polygraph will be transferred to other offices forthwith or given their final pay."

"I don't know, this could backfire drastically," Martha Gates said. "The political fallout could hurt more than it could help."

"You may not legally demand they take a polygraph," Judge Barnett added to their thoughts. "But inasmuch as you are not taking their jobs from them and you are not interfering with their livelihood, you would be on almost firm legal ground."

"It's either that or I fire everyone and watch the state unable to do business while a new crew is brought in." Amanda was adamant as she added, "There are already too many weapons drawn and aimed my back."

Martha Gates shook her head. "I see some more trying times ahead of us." She smiled and added almost as an afterthought, "You are scheduled to meet with the leadership of both parties. Neither party is too thrilled to have you replace that idiot. You are an unknown quantity. Politicians hate unknowns. Predictable is good in politics."

"Very well," Amanda told her, "I'll give you a good predictability gauge that will predict all my responses. Is it honest? Is it legal? Is it in the interests of the people of California? If it passes all three of those questions, then I am for it. I pride myself that I have never felt it necessary to take unfair advantage of anyone. I won't change my principles now."

"You might also care to note I intend to take a very active part in my wife's job. We will win together or slink away together." Mark said. He turned to Amanda and said, "Oh how I love calling you my wife." He hugged her.

"I look forward to our Monday morning meeting. A helicopter will be here about seven in the AM to bring you to the Capital." Judge Bartlett smiled, shook hands and escorted the Speaker of the House out to their own transportation.

The newlyweds sat back onto the couch. As she settled onto his lap, Mark sighed, "Alone, let's make it last."

Billy was quick to shoo all the guests and the press out of the yard, closed the big inner gates and decided to stay away from the house. Two of his men cleared the outer yard of die hard guests who wanted to remain.

Monday's meeting with the leaders of both parties was long and stormy. Amanda left her diplomacy manual back at the hotel. She listened to both sides as they tried to jockey for advantage. Finally she said, "Horse shit. You people are wasting my time and your own. I am a centrist by definition. If you want to play word games, I'll send out for a Scrabble set. I have no time for all of this meaningless crap. I'm going back to my husband."

She turned and walked out of the room, leaving a dozen confused lawmakers and one amused Speaker behind him. "See? I told you," she said.

The polygraph demand came as a bombshell. A half dozen staff members refused outright to take the test. "Your final paychecks will be mailed to you at home or I shall set an office up in San Ysidro for you to transfer to. Your new jobs will be to count cigarette butts on the beach and determine which ones came from Mexico. Or, you may draw unemployment while you seek new jobs. I don't want anyone on my staff I cannot trust. Beat it." Mike acted as sergeant of arms while Dirk worked the camera.

Amanda told the remaining capital employees, "After you have taken the polygraph, you may return to work. I believe we just got rid of most of those whose loyalties did not lie with the people of California. You do your jobs and I'll do mine. I will take the test first. No questions will be asked of a personal nature. I do not care about your sex life. I have enough problems with my own.

"Have you ever taken a bribe or passed information either orally, by computer or by paper to any special interest group? If you have and we catch you, you will go to prison, I promise. On the other hand, this is free pass day. If you have in the past and leave right now, you will be reassigned away from the capital. Or you can quit and that's the end of it." Four clerks silently got out of their seats. Their eyes were averted as they left the room. The "flutter" began.

Two hours later Governor Amanda Lust strode into the large conference room to meet with her personal office aides and assistants, as well as the heads of the various state agencies. "Sorry I could not be here to meet you as you arrived. Before we get started I would like to say there will be no minutes taken of this meeting. This is a getting to know you kind of meeting." She looked around at the faces.