Girl of Rage by Charles Sheehan-Miles Read Free Book Online

made no sense. She knew nothing of what he did.
    “Meredith. My job is to protect the security of the United States. You know that.”
    She grimaced. “What does that have to do with Richard and Adelina, or their daughter?”
    “Well, it seems that there has been more going on there than we realized. In fact, Richard has been involved in some very shady dealings. Treasonous dealings.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    “I can’t explain it all, Meredith. He’s involved in some kind of serious drug money laundering, and his daughter, the oldest one, has been assisting him with moving the cash around. Her husband’s a rock musician, you know.”
    Meredith felt her heart slowing down. Of course. There was an explanation, and it was even one that made some sort of sense. Except she couldn’t imagine Richard Thompson being involved in anything so sordid. “It all seems so … greedy.”
    “That’s what happens when people have power, Meredith. They get greedy. I’ve uncovered some very disturbing history about Richard recently, unfortunately. I had to meet with the Justice Department to turn over a lot of it.”
    She shuddered. Poor Adelina. She must be heartbroken.
    “Why didn’t you tell me?”
    Leslie raised an eyebrow. “You know the answer to that. It’s all classified. You should never have heard what you did hear.”
    “Explain that, please. Classified or not. I heard you saying … saying…” She couldn’t finish the words. She literally, physically could not finish the sentence. That she’d heard her husband ordering the killing of a teenage girl.
    Leslie shook his head. “What did you hear, Meredith?”
    She swallowed. And whispered, “Andrea Thompson. That … that…”
    “That she was to be killed.”
    Meredith shuddered.
    “Meredith, Andrea Thompson is not what she seems.”
    “She seems like a sixteen-year-old girl who was kidnapped.”
    “The news didn’t report that the kidnappers were known, vicious killers. Both of them heavily involved in the drug trade and terrorism. The news didn’t report that she killed both of them with her bare hands. She may be sixteen, but it’s likely she’s psychotic. Didn’t you ever wonder why the Thompson family never brought her around? As best as we can figure, this was some kind of deal gone bad. These are not nice people we’re dealing with.”
    “But what about a trial? Bringing her into custody? Why would you—?”
    Leslie shook his head. “Sometimes, we can’t do things all nice and clean and neat. That’s what it means to be in a position of power. You have to make decisions that are the best for all. You know that. Your father knew it too. But the thing is … I can’t sit around and wring my fingers and worry. I have to take action. Richard knows I’m on to him now, and I fully expect he’s going to do everything he can to take me down. And—Meredith—he’s the acting Secretary of Defense. He has resources at his disposal I can’t even dream of.”
    “Are you in some kind of danger?” She didn’t like the way her voice rose at the end of the sentence. It spoke of fear and anxiety and dependency.
    He sipped his coffee, and from the set of his lips and eyebrow, she knew he was taking the question seriously. Finally, he nodded and said, “Yes. I’d say I’m in danger. Both professionally and personally. And it’s essential I deal with that danger.”
    “I don’t see—”
    He held up a hand, cutting her off. “Meredith, Richard Thompson is a dangerous, ruthless man. He’s at the top of his career, and he won’t put up with any threats. He’s right next to the President of the United States. If I don’t deal with this, it’s not just me in danger, dear. It’s the country. It’s the President. Now you tell me. What would your father say if he was still alive?”
    She swallowed. Of course he was right. She knew Richard. She’d seen, at a few dinner parties over the years, how dominant he was. How occasionally he would