Silent Threat by Jeff Gunhus

Author:Jeff Gunhus
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington Books
Published: 2019-11-12T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Preston Townsend was enjoying himself more than he had in a long time. The entire nation was tuned in to his story, hanging on every detail that was released about his abduction. Every headline scroll on each network and cable news channel had his name on it. He was loving every minute of it.

He rested comfortably in his favorite leather chair in his den, a space designed to make him look learned and serious. He hadn’t read any of the books that filled the shelves behind him, but he’d picked them out himself based on the titles and authors so that they conveyed the image he wanted. The cameraman and two producers were in the room with him setting up for the next interview. His chief of staff Mirren refreshed his glass of water.

“The last one was perfect,” she said. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No, thank you,” he said. “You’ve been great through this. I appreciate it.”

She smiled, seemed to want to say more, but then gave way to the hair and makeup person and exited the room.

Townsend watched Mirren leave as the tech touched up his hair, wondering who her replacement ought to be. Did she really think he didn’t remember how dismissive she’d been over the last few months when she thought she was on a sinking ship? He couldn’t wait to fire her and put a high-powered pro in her place. The fun was about to start, and he needed a better team at his side.

“Two minutes, Mr. President,” one of the producers called out.

“Who is this one?”

“NBC. They are breaking into regular programming to carry it.”

He smiled. This was the kind of treatment he enjoyed. He tried to remember the last time he’d felt this good and had a hard time coming up with something. No, this was his sweet spot. The eyes of the world on him. It was the way things were supposed to be.

Casting a shadow on his fun was the fact that he’d nearly been killed, a fact that bothered him more than he cared to let on. Whenever he closed his eyes, he saw the rage on Roberts’s face when he’d held the gun to his head. Then, strangely, there was a second image. A police officer pointing a gun at him. But that one was hazy and confused. The SWAT team had explained to him that the CPD uniform cop had been the first to find him, so that must have been what he was remembering. He’d given instructions for the cop to be found and brought to him. What a photo op. But he was still waiting on them to figure out the name of the officer.

Omega worried him, too. Sending Roberts to kill him had been a bold move executed with subtle tactics. If Roberts was to be believed, even he didn’t understand he was being played for a pawn in their game. If Roberts had been successful, then it never would have been traced back to Omega.

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