Chapter 168

Jason left a few minutes earlier than everyone else. Jenny was dragging her feet this morning and it was obvious. I didn't say anything, but I was sure that she would spill the beans soon. Not only that, Jenny was decked out to the nines in a new business outfit she had bought the other day.

I didn't need to, Lisa Coles walked through the door saying, "I'm sorry I am late, I wanted to make sure Jason was well on his way. They are having the party at eleven. We need to be there at 10 for the meeting. The governor wanted to make sure we were there and is going to hold the start of the meeting for 30 minutes."

We were there in plenty of time; Jenny drove at her usual break neck speed. Lisa was going to leave hand grip marks in the upholstery in Jason's new Suburban. I prayed that Marcy had put plenty of insurance on our executive fleet vehicles. The trip normally took 40 minutes when I drove. Jenny was sitting in her parking spot in 25.

Lisa and I were seated in the visitor and guest's section of the governor's administrative building to watch an abbreviated criminal taskforce business meeting. It was a few minutes before the governor and the task members took their seats. Apparently there were a few things going on before the meeting. This public meeting was just for show; there was no real business carried out.

I knew this because Jenny had given me blow by blow accounts of some of the meetings. The important business was done behind closed doors. Sometimes she had come home so frustrated she just had to unload on someone. I always let her unload on me. Then afterwards we would either work ourselves into the ground in the gym or have a marathon sex session. We always liked those best.

At 10:45 the VIPs started to come in. Senators, Delegates, and some I knew to be QA County past and current commissioners. Lisa went to be with Jason. Then began the speeches; it was all the normal retirement starting with an overview of Jason's life as a public servant and the like. There was a list of all the jobs he had held and all the committees he had served on.

Then there was the list of all the community groups and associations he belonged to and the long list of all the positions he had held in those groups.

Somewhere along the way they started telling all those quirky and embarrassing stories of things that happened to you along the way that you hoped everyone had forgotten about.

There were several about hunting trips that had Lisa squirming in her seat. I was sure Jason would have some explaining to do. Judge Slaughter had the best ones and everyone was in stitches the whole time he was speaking. Jason turned three shades of red at some of them.

They finally started passing out the wall plaques and desk ornaments that most politicians give at these affairs. These were accompanied by more quick speeches.

At 11 the Governor, accompanied by Lisa and Jenny, stood with Jason as he turned in his gavel - the symbol of the chairmanship of the Governors task force. The governor made a great show of reluctantly accepting it and then gave a lengthy speech.