Red After Dark (Blackwood Security #13) - Elise Noble Page 0,8
Democrats, and four independents after Carnes’s retirement, there are times when she could be the deciding vote.”
“Playing devil’s advocate, isn’t that a good thing? She claims her wealth will allow her to listen to the people rather than corporate lobbyists.”
“That’s bullshit. She’s not a politician, she’s a party girl trading on her family name. Look at her history. Everything Kyla Devane does is to benefit Kyla Devane, nobody else, and she doesn’t understand that if she’s making decisions on a national scale, millions of real people are going to be impacted. Hell, she promised to hold Twitter surveys to help her decide how to vote.”
“Or perhaps she does understand the impact of her decisions,” Black suggested. “When her grandfather held that seat, he voted against the minimum wage, against the equality act, against tax breaks for lower earners. Yet he pushed forward legislation that reduced estate tax and increased the lifetime exemption.” Black’s lips flickered in a poor imitation of a smile. “I should have sent him a crate of champagne. The asshole saved me a fucking fortune.” He quickly turned serious again. “But no matter. Kyla claims she’s running in his memory, doesn’t she?”
“Yes,” Harrison agreed.
“And since she personally benefited from her grandfather’s decisions, it stands to reason that she understands the influence she’d wield.”
“That’s worse than the alternative.”
“It is. And she’s not as clueless as you think. Power-hungry, yes. Narcissistic, yes. Devoid of empathy, yes. But not stupid.”
James sighed long and hard and reached for a glass of wine. “She’s running a smart campaign. Where her policies are unpalatable, she’s using her gender to appeal to women and her looks to appeal to men.”
Emmy burst out laughing. “Dude, look in the mirror. Do you have any idea how many women decided to vote for you after those shirtless pictures got splashed across the tabloids?”
“Why do you think I went surfing the weekend before the election? I froze my damn nuts off.”
Another smirk from Black. “Which was why I advised you not to wear Speedos.”
Why didn’t it surprise Alaric to find out Black had been involved in that plan? Running a presidential campaign cost a fortune, and although Harrison had a lot of grassroots support, Alaric suspected some of Black’s estate tax savings had also been funnelled in his old friend’s direction. The men might have fought over Emmy, but they still shared certain goals. And Black understood the nuances of power better than anybody.
“Can we stay on topic?” Emmy asked. “I don’t need to think about Speedos or shrivelled nuts tonight. Irvine Carnes?”
“We spoke most weeks,” James said. “He was Ranking Member on the Foreign Relations Committee, and I valued his advice. But he’s sick. Cancer. That’s why he stepped down. I wonder whether medication could be impairing his judgement, because I don’t have any other explanation for why he’s backing Devane over Biggs. I also hear he’s made a number of poor investment decisions lately.”
“What kind of cancer? Not a brain tumour?”
“It started in his lungs, but it’s spreading. They caught it late. He thought it was bronchitis and put off going to the hospital, then boom. I doubt he has long left. When you ask about this painting, tread carefully. Whatever misjudgements Carnes might have made recently, he’s still served this country well for over three decades.”
Could things get any more complicated?
“I’ll be polite,” Emmy said, and James groaned. “Okay, maybe I’ll let Alaric do the talking,” she conceded.
Gee, thanks.
“I think that would be best. And I know I shouldn’t ask, but if there’s anything you can dig up on Devane…”
“I’ll take my spade.”
“Always comes in handy for burying the bodies,” Black muttered.
James reached forward. “I didn’t hear that. I’m going now.”
The screen went dark.
CHAPTER 4 - EMMY
“WE’RE NOT TAKING the Corvette?” Daniela di Grassi dumped her bag next to my brand-new Range Rover and made a face. “What sort of a road trip is this?”
Originally, Dan had booked this week off to go on vacation with her family, but then Ethan, her significant other, got asked to produce a charity single to raise money for a recent earthquake in Haiti, and he didn’t want to say no. And Caleb, their son, had been more excited about hanging out at the studio with a bunch of pop-star-rock-stars than taking a jaunt to Italy anyway, so they’d postponed the trip until summer. Caleb’s principal would be happy—she hated when Dan snuck him out of school, never mind that seeing the world was more of an education than