Campaign of Desire (CSA Case Files 4) by Kennedy Layne Read Free Book Online

apparently people who do not care for my opinion on the matter.”
    “I don’t understand.” Phoebe was trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together but coming up one short. “We give a press conference tomorrow in regards to your candidacy. Why would you receive threats beforehand?”
    “Speculation is everything. Who knows? Maybe whoever it is thinks that intimidation will keep me from making the announcement.”
    “They don’t know you very well,” Phoebe muttered, tucking her hair back behind her ears. Solutions to the problem ran through her mind and the only one that kept taking the lead was what her father had already done. She thought some more. “How bad are the threats? I mean, are they threatening not to vote for you or something worse?”
    “I know where you’re headed with this, Phoebe,” Stan said, a reassuring smile playing on the corner of his lips. “This person has sent emails and letters that contain death threats. I’m not treating that lightly and I’ve taken certain steps that ensure our safety. All of us.”
    “By hiring CSA,” Phoebe stated, finishing his sentence and then blowing at her bangs in frustration. She pulled the string that Paul had left dangling for her. “Is there a reason we can’t go with a firm that’s less expensive? Paul has a point.”
    “I’m not using the campaign’s funds.” Stan stood up and removed his jacket, hanging it on the back of his chair. He went about rolling up his sleeves and she knew that he intended to work well into the night. “I will pay for this privately until the Secret Service takes over. As for CSA, that is not up for debate. You get what you pay for. CSA is the best and I am not going to settle for less. I taught you that early on.”
    “Dad, I know that you have trust in Lach McKinnon, especially after Africa.” Phoebe could be just as cautious with words as her father and delicately framed her sentences. “I also agree with you that he is highly qualified, which is why he should be the one to watch over Kimmie. The man who followed her out the door seems a little young and—”
    “Ethan Chambers is only a year younger than you, Phoebe.” Stan took his seat and leaned forward so that his elbows were on the desk. She didn’t have to be his daughter to admit that he was handsome and had a charisma that would charm the American people. Added to that was his belief that he could make this a better country and the citizens got the entire package. She was one of the few people in the world that saw his flaws. Unfortunately, society wouldn’t classify being overprotective a weakness. “Crest agrees that Ethan will blend in more on campus than McKinnon. Let’s face it, the man is a Titan.”
    Phoebe wrestled with herself over telling her father what had happened in Iraq or keeping it personal. It wasn’t any of his business yet she needed some excuse not to have Lach back in her life. He’d made it abundantly clear that the sex they’d had was a one-time thing, and when pushed to clarify he answered exactly as she’d thought he would. He’d given her little choice and she’d gone on the defensive. She hated being on that side of the playing field.
    Needing something to do in order to stall for time, Phoebe stood up and walked over to the small side table where her father kept a coffee machine. He worked hard and put in long hours, so it only made sense for him to have his own. It came in handy as she took a Styrofoam cup off of the stack and poured herself some.
    “Is this where you tell me you had sex with him? That’s something I’d expect from Kimmie, but not you.”
    Coffee sloshed over Phoebe’s hand and she cursed as she set both the pot and cup back down on the table. She’d always kept her personal life private, knowing her father would have had any man she was seeing investigated before their date had ended and lecturing her on how her behavior reflected on his public persona. She could only imagine his