"Quite possible. It's all a matter of how you look at things that are supposedly a coincidence. Anyway, even if you are paranoid, and I'm not suggesting Peggy is."
"Glad to hear it,"
"Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean there aren't a pile of bad bastards out there looking to do you in. People who are out to do unto you before you can do unto them."
"Which, of course, might just put you in the spotlight," Moran suggested.
"Don't judge every other bastard by your own standards, Brian," Ballantyne responded. "But even a ruthless factional warrior such as yourself would probably think twice about doing down someone who was a reasonably close personal acquaintance."
"I'll take that was a compliment," was the response. "But you should be in the clear if you didn't know she had the hat in the ring for the Senate nomination."
"I'd heard she had, but it hadn't been confirmed. Anyway, she'd apparently heard I was in the running and decided to withdraw. Heard from your mate The Secretary today? He should have the letter today or tomorrow. She posted it on Monday."
"Sounds almost too convenient."