Page 65 of High Value Target

“She liked you, too. She doesn’t get much company.”

“We made a plan for next week while you were in the kitchen.”

“A plan? What kind of plan?”

“I’m going to take her to my favorite salon and get her hair done. Then maybe we’ll go to lunch or shop. It’ll be fun.”

“Thanks, but you don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.”

“You want to? Why do I find that hard to believe?”

“I don’t know. Why do you?”

“Never mind.” He took her hand and kissed the back. “Thanks for all the help today. Ma was thrilled with the attention. I could tell.”

“You’re welcome.”

When they got to the estate, Grady left her in the entryway.

“I’m going to go make some calls. See if Tri Star found anything yet.” He disappeared through the French doors off the kitchen, heading out to the patio.

Tinsley moved to the stairs, but hesitated, staring toward her father’s study. She could hear him on the phone with someone.

Tinsley knew in her heart she couldn’t keep pretending everything was fine. Right then and there, she decided she had to break it off with Palmer. She moved to her father’s study to tell him, but stopped with her hand on the doorknob when she heard him arguing with someone. She put her ear to the wooden panel. She recognized Mr. Pace’s voice, Palmer’s father, and then she remembered the note she’d found earlier.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does,” she heard her father reply. “I’ve been doing some soul searching lately. It should be her choice.”

“Fuck your soul searching. This was all settled. My son’s going to Washington, and someday the White House. And nothing is going to derail that plan. This is good for all of us. Unless you want the Securities and Exchange Commission to find out about that little stock tip you used to make your fortune.”

“Now you listen to me, you son-of-a-bitch. That’s blackmail. Is there nothing you won’t stoop to?”

“I’ll destroy you, JD, and you’ll go to prison. Think about that. Either Tinsley marries Palmer and plays the good little politician’s wife, or we can do it your way and you go to prison. You decide.”

The call disconnected. Tinsley peeked through the crack in the door and saw her father with his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking.

She covered her mouth and pressed her back to the wall, one thought running through her head.My father is being blackmailed. She couldn’t stop the tears that welled up and ran down her cheeks.

She dashed out to the stable and to Pharaoh, finding him and clutching his halter, leaning her forehead to his forelock. “Oh, Pharaoh. How can I choose my own happiness over my father’s destruction?” She burst into tears. Amid sobs and soon hiccups, she whispered to the horse all the things she couldn’t say to anyone. “Does Grady even want me? Could we have a life together? Is this insane?”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The next morning, Tinsley met Grady in the foyer for their run. They headed down the drive toward the road. They ran two miles and came back. Then showered and changed, meeting again in the dining room for breakfast.

By that time, her parents joined them.

“Good morning, dear.” Her father kissed her on the head, then took his seat at the head of the table. Maria brought him coffee. “Thank you.”

Loretta made a plate from the food laid out on the buffet and sat. “Is Palmer due back today?”

Tinsley met Grady’s eyes briefly. “Yes, I believe so.”

“Will you be seeing him?”

“I, ah, suppose so.”

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