Page 5 of Shadowed Agenda

“We have a few hours before taping the late-night show,” Regan said. “I’m going for a run in Central Park when we return to the hotel. I’ll order room service after.” She walked past Isla toward the Green Room.

Pavlo admired her confidence. He should respect her decision to deal with the book signing alone, but she’d never dealt with people like the Senator’s militant supporters. He had.

Pavlo followed Regan to the Green Room to collect their stuff before returning to the hotel. It looked like he was going for a run.

Chapter three

Reganhadoptedtostretch for her run in her hotel suite and take the stairs instead of warming up on the crowded downtown New York City streets. At least the hotel was close to Central Park. She and Pavlo were keynote speakers at the huge four-day book convention being held at the hotel. Tomorrow would be a hectic day as the convention kicked off.

Regan hesitated and looked at her watch. They’d had to leave the hotel too early in the morning for her to call and talk to Emmeline.

It was just past eleven. Mackenzie wouldn’t welcome the interruption. Her sister was probably coaxing the kids indoors for lunch and a nap after spending the morning at the beach.

Her sister spent most of the summer at the lakefront cottage her husband had inherited from his parents. More of a mansion than a cottage, the home sat at the end of a grassy slope leading down to a beautiful sandy beach at the edge of Oak Lake.

Regan had felt guilty when she’d dropped off her daughter. Mackenzie’s three toddlers plus Emmeline had to be a handful, even for her supermom sister. It would be more challenging since she wouldn’t have an extra hand. Her husband was guest lecturing at a university in Boston for the week.

Regan’s parents usually looked after Emmeline, but they were on a cruise, a thirty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration. Her mother had insisted this was the perfect opportunity for her two daughters to work on their relationship. Any attempt to get closer to Mackenzie would be a lost cause, but Regan had eventually caved because she loved her mother.

Five years older than her, Mackenzie had always been more interested in her friends than Regan. Nothing had changed over the years. The last time Regan had asked Mackenzie to look after Emmeline, her sister had made it clear it was an imposition.

Mackenzie had texted during the drive back to the hotel, wanting to know the details of the private book signing Char had hinted about on the show. Regan had explained the situation and then sent a second text for Emmeline—her daughter’s favorite Barney animated GIF.

She ached to talk to Emmeline, but it would have to wait until after lunch. She didn’t want to add a pissed-off Mackenzie to an already stressful morning.

Decision made, Regan grabbed her cell and headed to the door.

She swung the door open and collided with Isla.

“I was about to knock,” Isla said as she picked up her handbag from the floor. “We need to talk about the book signing with Mrs. Aster.”

Isla wasn’t going to let it drop. Regan wasn’t surprised. When Isla wanted something, she was as annoying as a mosquito buzzing in your ear while trying to sleep at night.

Regan crossed her arms and said nothing.

Isla huffed and stepped around her into the hotel suite. “There’s no need to be rude. We can discuss this like adults.”

“There’s nothing to discuss, Isla. It’s not happening,” Regan said, holding back screams of frustration. She rolled the red scrunchie that matched her running outfit off her wrist and pulled her hair up in a ponytail. “If you thought leaking the signing to the morning show would force me to agree, you’re wrong.”

“How could you even think I’d share that information with Char?” Isla said, the pitch of her voice rising. She crossed her arms.

Regan tapped her cell and thrust it in front of Isla.

“This is your fault.Youarranged the private book signing without my consent. NowIhave to contend with the Senator’s crazy followers.” Regan’s anger spilled out, and her voice grew louder. “You fix this. I’m not meeting with Mrs. Aster.”

“If you weren’t so pigheaded, you’d have agreed to the book signing. Then you wouldn’t have to worry about nasty texts,” Isla spat, pushing the cell phone out of her personal space.

Regan clenched her teeth, and her chest heaved with rage. She couldn’t believe her friend’s ignorant response.

“Close the door behind you,” Regan said, turning on her heel.

She jogged down the hallway. Fueled by adrenaline, she took the stairs at a punishing pace, pounding out her frustration with Isla.

She dashed out of the hotel and ran down the sidewalk, darting around pedestrians. Her anger slowly subsided. By the time she’d reached Central Park, she was running at her normal pace.

The hustle and bustle of the city melted away as she entered the park. Regan breathed in the scent of trees and freshly cut grass. Birds chirped against the background hum of traffic.

Regan stopped and glanced down at her cell phone. An author friend who had lived in New York had sent her a map of the running paths in Central Park. She’d highlighted the running route she’d created to reduce the stress of a long workday. Meandering through less popular paths that showcased the beauty of the park was just what Regan needed. She glanced at the map once more and turned right.

---