Page 51 of Resisting His Target
“When I first met Doug, we were both representatives in the House, and he was still grieving the tragic death of his first wife, Jacqueline. But over time, as we worked together to improve the lives of the citizens of the great state of California, we fell in love. We believed in the same things, both in politics and in life, and I quickly realized I’d found a man who would do great things for this country—and for the lucky woman who got to stand by his side.”The crowd cheered.
Jackie stood. One Mrs. McGrath interrupting the other held a certain Hollywood appeal. She nodded pointedly to one of the television staff who knew why she was there, and headed in the direction of the stage.
The convention center was one large oval like a football field, with a wide hallway on the outermost ring for moving around the building, and she walked as if in a trance, the second Mrs. McGrath’s musings echoing through the concrete structure like music in a dream.“When Doug first told me he had aspirations of reaching the White House, I couldn’t have been more excited. He and I had often talked about what we can do to make this country a better place. Now he will have that chance, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
The hallway grew thicker with people as she neared the stage, but she paid them no mind as she took off her glasses and tossed them into a nearby trash can.
“Oh my God, is that…” a woman exclaimed.
Jackie kept walking.
“It was all of you who made it possible for Doug to succeed in politics, every member of Congress who fought for the tremendous strides we’ve already made in education, tax reform, and economic growth for our great nation.”
The crowd’s applause grew louder as she neared the focal point of everyone’s attention, the crowd in the hallway becoming even more dense. She slipped between people without a word, flitting through the horde like a ghost through a party.
“Jacqueline!” a woman exclaimed, but Jackie kept walking, a hush now spreading through the hallway. The crowd parted, the second Mrs. McGrath’s voice now the only sound around her as she approached the security checkpoint.
A woman in a bright blue suit sat at a low table lavishly decorated with patriotic bunting. Behind her, two men in suits and sunglasses were framed by police officers. Jackie smiled cooly. “I’m here for my speech.”
The woman stared wide-eyed from Jackie to the crowd behind her. “Of course.” She consulted a list in front of her. “And you are?”
“Jacqueline Desjardins…McGrath.”
The woman looked slowly to the men behind her, who ignored her silent plea. She turned back around, pointing to the paper with a shaking pen. “You’re not on the list.”
A deep male voice bellowed from the crowd, “Let her in.”
“Yeah,” called a woman. “What are you hiding?”
More voices joined in. “She’s his dead wife!”
“I want to hear what she has to say.”
“We need to know where she’s been.”
“Let her in!”
The woman was clearly flustered, talking to the men behind her before addressing the crowd. “She doesn’t have clearance. I don’t have the authority to let her onstage.”
A woman spoke from directly behind Jackie. “But I do.”
Jackie turned, grateful eyes flashing when she saw Jenna Bennett, the former senator from California she’d met when Doug was in the House. Jackie had followed the other woman’s career since then with great enthusiasm and respect for her abilities. “Madame Secretary.”
Her gray eyes crinkled at the corners as she took Jackie’s hands. “I’m glad to see you looking so well, Jacqueline. I was concerned for your health.” She addressed the frazzled woman behind the table. “It was an oversight on my part that she was left off the list. She follows Mrs. McGrath.”
Jackie eyed her warily. There would be consequences for what she was doing, the likely end of her career, but the woman only smiled. “Did I mention I’ve recently become a grandmother of twins? I’m retiring at the end of my term to spend more time with family. Maybe sooner. Who knows?” She squeezed Jackie’s hands, giving her a conspiratorial look.
One of the suit-clad guards stepped aside and opened the door, and Jackie stepped through the doorway like Dorothy through the gates of Oz—and straight into the outstretched arms of Levi Ludlow.
31
Levi’s cheeks were just as red as Jackie remembered them being, his face now heavily lined and covered in a spider-like network of gossamer red veins. His yellow hair had turned white, and his eyes protruded from their sockets noticeably more than they had before.
“Jackie! It’s so good to see you.”
She wished she could escape his embrace, the scent of his body odor mixing with his cologne as he spoke into her ear. “My men have Selena.”
Shock and fear stopped her diaphragm from moving, as the noise and environment all fell away. She jerked back and he released her, the tense smile plastered to his face revealing teeth too white and too perfect to be his own.
