“I told the senator that he was pushing too hard. $5000 was enough for that job. But the greedy bastard wanted every last penny he could get before he’d put the permit through. When I had to tell them $10,000 or no deal, I could see that they didn’t like it one bit. I think that’s when they called in the feds.
“Now the senator wants me to be “a stand-up guy” and take the heat. Tell everyone that I was taking the bribes on my own, promising things I couldn’t deliver. That moron. Everybody knows I may be a crook, but I’m an honest crook. If I say something will happen, I mean it. I don’t have a vote to sell. My word is the only thing I have, so if I’m not sure I can back up my deals, I don’t make ’em.
“Even if I wanted to take the fall, the feds won’t let me. They know who I work for. They don’t want me, they want the senator. Well, they’re going to get him. I just have to figure out what’s the best deal I can get for me first.”