Dancing with Deception (20 page)

Joelle wasn’t sure
how Tobi managed to do it, but she’d talked her into doing a “dress rehearsal” for the press conference, found her a change of clothes…all in the time it had taken Joelle to tame her hair and touch up her makeup. But damn if the little dynamo didn’t give new meaning to the phrase
being steamrolled.
Within seconds of stepping in front of the small group of people who’d been rounded up for this impromptu question and answer practice session, Joelle found herself completely immersed in telling the story. It was cathartic to share the joy she’d been forced to hide for an entire year.

The questions she fielded were thoughtful and she could feel the excitement building in the room. She’d noticed several people taking videos and assumed it was to help give her feedback later. Joelle appreciated their effort, she’d often practiced her presentations to the Phillips Board of Directors using video feedback when she’d first taken over her own department in the research facility. As excited as she was to share the information, it was the looks of hope on the faces of the patients who had drifted into the garden to listen that made the past year’s fear fade to insignificance. The looks of pride on Brandt’s and Ryan’s faces filled her with joy…looks like those were what decades of love were built on, but Joelle wasn’t naïve enough to believe they’d want her forever.

The realization of how much her life had changed in the past year hit Joelle like a tsunami. Staring in Brandt and Ryan’s direction, she felt the enormity of what she’d just done wash over her. Those videos weren’t for feedback…they’d be on the internet within minutes if they weren’t already live streamed. She’d just announced her findings to the entire world. Her knees started to buckle out from under her but strong arms wrapped around her. With her nose pressed into his chest, Joelle recognized Brandt by the outdoorsy scent of his soap. She had no idea how he’d reached her so quickly, but she was grateful he hadn’t let her crumple to the ground like a fallen leaf.

“I’ve got you, minx. I’ve got you.” She appreciated the fact he quickly stepped them both aside and she heard Ryan speaking to the group, but his words faded into the background. “Let’s get you out of here before the hounds of hell descend. Hell, that’s coming soon enough anyway.” Grateful he hadn’t carried her out of the room, Joelle lowered herself into a chair but didn’t let go of his hand.

Before she could ask him any questions, Tobi and Gracie surrounded her. “Holy hand grenades, sister! You’re going to blow up the internet…damn, Lilly is going to be jealous…she only blew up a boat.”

“Yes, but the boat had two men in it, so you have to give her points for that since they were bad guys.”

“There is that.” Tobi’s mock consideration was too much and Joelle felt a giggle bubbling up from deep inside. Before she knew it all the stress she’d been feeling a few moments earlier turned to an unpleasant memory. Tobi bumped against her arm bringing her back to the moment. “You rocked that, girl. I hope you don’t mind we left out some of the details about the
rehearsal
.” When Joelle looked over at her, she could see the worry in Tobi’s eyes. “We all just want you to be safe, and this seemed like the best way to do it. You’ll still have your big press moment in Houston, I promise. But this takes the pressure off and now they can round up that hussy former senator.” She leaned closer and whispered, “I’ll be in hot water if I tell you what I really think about her, let’s just say it has to do with lady parts and waffles.”

She must had looked confused because Gracie giggled. “We’ll save the explanation for a girls’ night margarita party. That way Tobi can explain and blame her language lapse on the tequila. It’s one of the perks she gets for being a cute little blonde bundle of trouble, her hubbies are suckers for her when she’s tipsy. We’ll leave the discussion about the social implications of that for another day.”

“Good Lord, Gracie. You can really get a stick up your butt sometimes. Like your men don’t fall all over themselves every time you bat those killer eyelashes at them. Besides, now that we’ve signed the contract with Nate, we’ll be in Joelle’s neck of the woods in a few months so we’ll be able to spend time together after this hurricane blows over.”

Joelle couldn’t hold it in any longer, she burst out laughing pulling them both close. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you both. You’ve saved my sanity…and reminded me how important friends can be.”

“Hey! What am I, chopped liver?” The sound of Coral’s voice made Joelle jump to her feet. With a startled shriek, she threw herself into her friend’s open arms. “Damn, I leave town for a few weeks and look at all the mischief you get yourself into. Good thing Tobi and Gracie have been looking out for you.”

Joelle heard Sage’s low chuckle behind her. “Well, my love, it seems you were right—I’m glad we made this little detour. But, I’m warning you, we aren’t going home until this honeymoon is officially over. We’ll just have to find some way to amuse ourselves at the Prairie Winds Club for a few days.”

Coral whispered in Joelle’s ear, the amusement easy to hear in her voice, “I swear the man is on a mission to knock me up before we get back to Montana.” Joelle laughed at Coral’s lame attempt at indignation. Honestly, she couldn’t think of anyone who would be a better mother than her sweet friend.

Pulling back, Joelle looked at the people surrounding her and realized how wonderful it felt to be surrounded by people who actually cared about her. “Can we get out of here? I know there’s a media firestorm coming and I’d like to be able to spend some quality time with the people I care about before all hell breaks loose.”

“Amen to that, let’s get the hell….ooooh, hi honey…out of here.” Tobi batted her eyes at Kyle as he rolled his at her antics.

“Come on, kitten. Let’s go before you get in any deeper.” As they made their way to the exit, two vans pulled into the medical center’s parking lot. Joelle heard curses muttered all around her, and found her view immediately blocked as the men surrounded her.

One by one, Coral, Tobi, and Gracie were ushered into the protective circle as they waited for their cars to be brought up. “Well, that didn’t take long. I’m not sure whether to be impressed at how well my plan worked or pissed I underestimated how quickly this would spiral out of control. Clearly my scheme to take over the world still needs some refinement. It’s possible my skills might not be developed enough for that particular project…
yet
.” Joelle heard Kent West groan and Kyle cursed softly under his breath as Tobi looked over at her and winked. Joelle tried to stifle her laughter as she sent up a silent prayer of thanks for the distraction.
God, if you’re listening, I want to be just like Tobi when I grow up.

H
elen Rodrick stared
at the television vacillating between blind rage and stunned disbelief. Every news outlet was carrying the same story…Joelle Phillips speaking to a small group about her discovery was dominating the airways. The video had obviously been taken with a cell phone and was being touted as “leaked” footage before a scheduled formal announcement in a few days.
A leaked video my ass. The bitch is trying to draw first blood but she’s got a lot to learn. It’s not who makes the first cut…it’s who is still standing at the end of the battle.
Helen had done her homework and this had Tobi West’s name written all over it. The woman was a former low-level journalist who obviously still had a taste for a scoop. How two former Navy SEALs let that chunky blonde lead them around by their noses was a mystery to her. Helen knew all about their little black ops organization and they wouldn’t be getting any more of Uncle Sam’s money after she took office, she’d see to that first thing.

Watching the video as it was replayed on every news outlet in the fucking free world was making her insane. Wasn’t there some sex scandal to splash all over the news? Hadn’t her opponent done anything newsworthy in the past twenty-four hours? Christ, the man was a well-known philanderer, where the hell were the people she was paying to gather the dirt on him? God only knew no one would be reporting on her wild sex life. She’d need actually to
have
a sex life for anyone to make that particular discovery.

After the cheating scandals, she’d weathered with her ex, Helen had decided a good vibrator was a safer bet. Hell, the small battery powered device was usually more effective, too. How her ex-husband had managed to convince women to sleep with him more than once was a mystery for the ages. His looks had faded years ago, and he’d been steadfast in his refusal to have any plastic surgery no matter how many times she’d suggested it. After their divorce, he’d publically criticized her for her trips under the knife until her attorneys pointed out how expensive his little chats with the media were going to be.

Helen had flown into Houston late last night planning to meet with local media outlets and lay the groundwork to discredit Joelle Phillips prior to her scheduled news conference. She much preferred playing offense to defense, and now she was definitely in reactive mode. When the woman first reported her findings to the board, Helen started slowly liquidating specific holdings. But her candidacy meant she was under the microscope on several different fronts and making any sudden or noticeable changes to her portfolio would definitely draw unwanted attention. The last thing she needed was an investigation of insider trading. She’d already survived several scandals that would have sunk a lesser woman, she damned well wasn’t going down on that ship.

Walter Phillips had promised her a meeting with his elusive daughter prior to her press conference, but she doubted he’d made any attempt to arrange it. And now the coward wasn’t even taking her calls. His administrative troll insisted he was busy, but she didn’t doubt for a minute he was avoiding her…and several other board members who hadn’t wanted Joelle’s discovery made public.

The man had obviously forgotten his company was no longer a privately held corporation. Surprisingly, Helen hadn’t had any trouble unloading the Phillips stock she’d put up for sale two days ago. Damn that had been a stroke of luck, no doubt the price had just dropped considerably. When the sales of their cancer treatment drugs fell off, Phillips Pharmaceuticals would fold quickly.

Something the newscaster said drew her wandering attention back to the television. If she’d thought she had been stunned before, what she heard now shook her to her very core.
The FBI has confirmed they are currently investigating former senator and Presidential candidate Helen Rodrick in connection with the burglary of Joelle Phillips’ apartment last year and the attempted kidnapping of Ms. Phillips today in Texas. Our source tells us agents are planning to interview Ms. Rodrick as soon as possible.
Anything else the journalist said was lost when there was a sharp knock on the door of her suite.

Brandt stood alongside
Jax McDonald watching the large screen television as Helen Rodrick was led from her hotel suite by federal agents. “They could have interviewed her inside her suite.” Brandt tried to keep the amusement out of his voice but knew he’d failed miserably when he saw the corner of Jax’s mouth twitch up slightly.

“Yep—they sure could have.” Jax’s deep chuckle was all the confirmation Brandt needed to know how much Jax was enjoying the woman’s obvious outrage as she tried in vain to jerk ‘her arm out of one agent’s grip.

“And it’s interesting that a camera crew just happened to be on hand, too.”

“That is interesting, isn’t it? I swear sometimes reporters can smell a story. Of course, there are times they need a little help, too—but don’t take that as a confession.”

Brandt wanted to laugh out loud. Jax McDonald was huge, almost seven-foot-tall and still built like the football player he’d once been. But the grin on his face was pure mischief—he looked like an eight year old trapped in a very large body. “Is your daughter as ornery as you are?” Brandt knew their little girl was her parents’ pride and joy. He’d also heard she was brilliant as well as adorable.

“You have no idea. Hell, it’s going to be hard to find out too. She’s much too smart to give away all her secrets.” The man’s entire expression softened when he talked about Deaga and Brandt felt something tighten in his chest.
Jealousy? Envy?
Damn, he wanted to see look when he looked in the mirror every morning. He was tired of waiting—it seemed like he’d been waiting forever. He’d known the first time he and Ryan shared a woman exactly what he wanted—and now it almost was within his grasp.