Scandalous by Donna Hill Read Free Book Online Page B

Simone popped up and trotted off to her room with Jean close on her heels. Simone reached up to the top shelf of the closet and took down a well-worn shoebox.
    Sitting on the edge of her bed, Simone and Jean sifted through the myriad papers, old love letters, and news clippings.
    â€œHere it is,” Simone said jubilantly, holding up the cream-colored card.
    â€œGreat. Give him a call,” Jean urged, nudging Simone.
    â€œToday’s Saturday, silly.”
    â€œOh, yeah, right.” Her bright idea momentarily dimmed. “Well,” Jean said, “that gives you two days to prepare a knock-’em-dead internship-of-the-year presentation speech.”
    Simone grinned. “That’s just what I’m gonna do. By the time I finish my pitch to Mr. Montgomery, he’ll be begging me to join his staff!” She turned toward her friend, her black eyes sparking with fire and her soft but firm voice growing serious. “I have a real strong feeling about this, Jean.” She clutched the card in her hand. “I really believe that this internship is going to be the turning point in my life.”
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    Lucus Stone tossed his copy of the Washington Post across the glass table in disgust. The grainy black-and-white photo of Vaughn Hamilton stared back at him, beautiful, smiling, and confident, a combination that would not be ignored by the voters.
    So, the daughter of Elliott Hamilton was truly running against him. The whole notion was almost funny, that this woman thought she had what it took to run against him and win. His deep blue eyes darkened. He’d held his congressional seat for over a decade, virtually unopposed, and he had no intention of losing. Especially to a woman. Especially this woman. He didn’t give a damn who her father was. Vaughn Hamilton was no match for him.
    He stood up and ran his hand across his smooth chin, then through the shock of glistening gray hair that gave him an air of confidence and maturity that his constituency loved. However, he mused, there was no point in taking chances. The political tides changed rapidly, and Lucus Stone was never one to be caught adrift. And he was never one to leave anything to chance. He crossed the room in smooth strides and reached for the phone. Punching in the numbers, he waited.
    â€œHello?” answered a sleepy male voice.
    â€œDavid, it’s me.”
    David Cain slowly sat up in bed, forcing himself awake. Lucus Stone never called him at home unless it was urgent. His thoughts scrambled for organization. “Good morning, Mr. Stone. What can I do for you?”
    â€œIt’s afternoon,” Lucus corrected tersely. “Did you see today’s paper?” he asked, demanding to know but also realizing that this miscreant hadn’t even gotten out of bed for the day.
    â€œUh, no.” David rubbed the last of the sleep out of his light brown eyes.
    â€œWell, get it and read it. Meet me at my office in an hour. I have a job for you.” Lucus broke the connection.
    David stared at the receiver. What could be so important that Stone would want to see him at his office on aSaturday? He tossed the twisted sheets off his muscular body and got out of bed. Knowing Stone, he’d better have every line of the newspaper committed to memory by the time they met. He stalked across the lush bedroom and into the adjacent bath.
    David turned on the faucets full blast. He’d worked for Stone before on a variety of projects over the years. Everything ranging from local deliveries to intimate investigations of very influential people. Lucus Stone had over the years compiled a dossier on anyone of importance in government office. He was the modern-day J. Edgar Hoover. He was feared but respected. However, Stone’s methods for combating his opponents remained questionable in Cain’s mind. Little did Stone know that Cain, too, had been compiling a dossier—just for insurance, of course. That secret