Dobbs laughed but Karp went on, deadpan. "I'm serious. I don't want to mess things up and destroy lives and careers. I want to kiss ass, and go along to get along, and be one of the boys. I just… can't… do it. It's my personal tragedy, like being one of Jerry's kids. And now you know my shame."

Dobbs wiped his eyes with his napkin. "Thank you for sharing. Actually, I think you're just what we need. Look, in all seriousness, here's the picture on Flores. Like the rest of us, he's got more committee assignments than he knows what to do with. Two things interest him, Hispanic affairs and migrants-to his credit he's sincere about helping out his people-and energy, because he's in the oil patch down there and that's how he stays elected. His interest in the Kennedy thing is twofold: first, if you do come up with something rich, it'll get him on TV in Dallas, and two… that's a bit more complex." Dobbs took a sip of water and continued.

"One assumption some people have is that the mystery behind JFK is a Dallas mystery. Oswald's life there. Ruby and the cops. What really happened in the half hour or so after the first shots. George is connected to the people who run Dallas, and to the extent that the investigation might affect them, especially in a negative way, George has got to be on top of it. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does. But the question is, if it turns out that one of his associates needs to be leaned on, will he balk?"

Dobbs grinned. "Oh, yeah. He might balk. He might do worse than that. Which is why you have me."

Karp thought about this for a moment, and then, looking into the blue eyes, asked, "And why do we have you, Mr. Dobbs? Are the people of Connecticut burning to find out if old Earl Warren went into the tank on this one? Or what…?"

The waiter came and they ordered. When the man left, Dobbs said, "That's the right question, all right. What's in it for Dobbs. I like you, Mr. Karp, or, if I may, Butch. I'm Hank. You get right to the point, which is sometimes like a dose of oxygen around here, although I should warn you it's a violation of the Federal Anti-Confrontation and Bullshitters' Protection Act of 1973, As Amended." He smiled at the small joke and Karp smiled too.