Page 53 of Shadowed Agenda
Finlay leaned over the table so Pavlo and Regan could hear her. Drake had his arm around her, pulling her close to him. To anyone watching, it would look like they were two people on a date. In reality, he was minimizing their chances of being overheard.
“My social media posts and follow-up article were a message to the Senator’s supporters. Regan is meeting with Mrs. Aster. So, what would they gain by releasing the photos of Emmeline? Nothing,” Finlay said. No one challenged her statement. “We need to rethink this. Why would someone go to extreme lengths to make sure Regan wouldn’t back out of her meeting with Mrs. Aster?”
“Maybe the pitch session with the Senator and the seed money they gave Isla hinges on me doing the private book signing? If I back out, she loses everything.” Regan suggested.
“Regan, don’t take this the wrong way,” Finlay said.
Oh, no. Pavlo shook his head, warning Finlay off. She ignored him.
“In the world of politics, you’re just not important enough for anyone to make this big of a fuss over. There’s more to this, and we’ve missed it.”
“Pavlo said the same thing.” Regan glanced at him and then returned her focus to Finlay. “Alright. We’ve been focused onwho. We need to ask a different question if I’m insignificant in the grand scheme of things.Howare they using me to get what they want? If we can answer that, it should be easier to figure outwho.”
“Let’s strip the book signing out of the equation. We have an insignificant person in the political sphere being forced to meet with someone considered significant in the political world,” Pavlo said. Regan was right. She was an end to a means. “Why would they choose Regan to meet with Mrs. Aster? Why her?”
“Because she is insignificant and not a threat,” Finlay said, and Drake nodded in agreement.
“She’s a harmless author everyone loves. She’s not a security risk.” Pavlo hoped one of them could come up with a better theory than the one rolling around in his head.
“There’s another piece of information our contact in DC passed on to Javier this morning. They’re keeping a lid on it,” Drake said, tapping the table twice with his finger. He used the unconscious gesture when his stress level was on the rise. His friend was also worried they’d missed something. “The Senator has received several threats. He’s increased his security.”
“Do they know who’s behind them?” Pavlo asked, raising an eyebrow—a subtle message to Drake.
“Not one clue.” Drake gave a barely perceptible nod.
Javier was trying to find something that connected the threats to Senator Aster to Wyndham’s associates.
“The increased security won’t matter,” Finlay said, shaking her head. She saw the direction Pavlo was going in. “The probability of Aster’s security team checking Regan’s bags is low. Romance author? Not a threat. If they have a wife or girlfriend who reads Regan’s books, they’ll be more interested in scoring a signed book.” She looked at Regan. “You always take a couple in that big cross-body bag you lug around for that reason. Right?”
Regan nodded bleakly.
“Do we know if the Senator will be there?” Pavlo asked.
“According to the schedule Javier was given, Senator Aster will be gone the entire day. Javier forwarded me his itinerary,” Drake said as he pulled out his cell phone. “He leaves for his meeting at eight in the morning, and he’s not scheduled to return until five. Isla is meeting with him at six. Regan is meeting with Mrs. Aster at ten in the morning.”
“They’re using me to get to Mrs. Aster,” Regan said and shook her head, disbelief coloring her face. “They’re going to use her as a bargaining chip so the Senator will agree to their demands. None of this has to do with my books.”
Pavlo pulled her chair around so it touched his. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. Her body trembled with rage. He bent his head and kissed the top of her hair.
Regan was right. They were using her. This whole affair had nothing to do with her.
“When they have what they want,” Regan said, “I’ll have served my purpose. And they’ll kill me.”
Chapter twenty-five
Regan’shandsshookasshe pushed the key card into the slot. Pavlo’s body brushed against hers as he leaned forward to grab the doorknob and open the door. He tugged the key card out of her hand and waited for her to enter her hotel suite.
She was numb, barely aware of moving to the couch and sitting down. She reached out for a throw pillow and hugged it tight.
Regan knew she was in shock. It wasn’t every day you found out you were part of a plan that would end with you being killed.
Everyone had fallen silent after they’d pieced everything together. Whatever the people threatening the Senator intended to do wasn’t good, and they wouldn’t leave witnesses. She may be their key to getting to Mrs. Aster, but she’d be labeled a witness along with anyone else unfortunate enough to be in Mrs. Aster’s hotel suite at the time.
None of this would have happened if Isla hadn’t jumped at the shortcut to establishing her own publicity company. She’d accepted the Senator’s request without clearing it with Regan first because Isla knew she would refuse. Regan was paying for Isla’s greed.
If Regan backed out of the book signing, they would harm Emmeline. The photographs on the Internet were taken a week ago.A week ago. This whole charade had been carefully planned.
Pavlo wrapped his arm around her shoulder and tucked her into his side.