Page 111 of Power
“Enough,” I bellow, frustrated with Liam trying to push me on this.
Liam straightens and pulls his shoulders back. He visibly swallows and lifts his chin. “I’m sorry.” He lowers his eyes, takes a deep breath, and heads out of the office in silence.
The other door opens, and Jamie enters my office. “Morning, Mr. President.” He stands beside my desk. “You have four meetings this morning.” Jamie continues to tell me all the appointments set for today as I set up my laptop.
“Thank you.” I sit and search for my glasses. I pat my breast pocket, then my suit pant pockets. “Have you seen my glasses?”
Jamie looks around and opens my now-closed briefcase. He reaches into it and produces the case for my reading glasses. “Sir.”
“Ugh, thank you.” Jamie quietly exits my office and returns with my coffee, placing it beside me. For a brief moment, I’m left alone, but curiosity overtakes me and I search for the interview Reece’s mother gave. I find it easily because it’s heading every social media site. I click on it and look at the woman on the screen.
Julie, Reece’s mother, speaks with no love or concern for her daughter. She’s fidgeting in her seat and can barely string a sentence together. She’s condescending toward Reece, and manipulative toward the interviewer. Julie’s answers are filled with spite and hatred.
Esther opens the door, startling me. I quickly close the laptop. “You don’t have to hide your porn from me, Mr. President. I’ve been around for a long time,” she jokes and adds a snicker.
“And here I thought you were all innocence.”
She places a stack of papers on my desk, lifts my pen and holds it out for me to take. “Oh, I may have been around the block once or twice.” She snorts as she steps back and waits for me to sign the papers. Without missing a beat, the moment the papers are signed, Esther swoops in and takes them off my desk. “Alison is waiting for you.”
“Send her in.”
“He’ll see you now,” Esther says to Alison.
“Morning, Alison, how are you today?”
“Very well, Mr. President. The daily press briefing will be starting in approximately fifteen minutes.” Alison purses her lips together and glances down at my desk before lifting her eyes to me. “How do you want me to approach the interview with Miss Maxwell’s mother?”
It’s obvious by Alison’s reservation that this isn’t a conversation she wants to revisit. But it’s also clear, this isn’t going to go away without me addressing it in some way. “Tell them I’ll be making a statement within the next forty-eight hours.” That should ease the pressure on her and quiet the press down for at least two days.
“Thank you, Mr. President.”
Alison rapidly exits my office, and no sooner does she close the door, than it opens again. “Brice, sir,” Jamie announces. I lift my hand and gesture to send him in. “You can go in.” Jamie swings the door open and closes it once Brice has entered.
“Brice.” I stand and offer my hand to shake.
“Mr. President.” He extends his for a firm handshake.
“What have you got for me?”
“Well, Frank has reached Hope River. However, that’s a tight-knit community that either doesn’t know Reece and Emily are in town, or they’re not talking.”
I lean back on my desk and fold my arms in front of my chest. “What happens now?”
“Frank is good at his job, if they’re there, which we absolutely believe they are, he’ll find them. The town has a matriarch. Her name is May, and no one comes in or leaves that town without her knowledge.”
“Is he going to see her?”
“He’s waiting for approval to go.” Brice lifts his brows, silently asking me for my permission.
“How positive are you she’s in Hope River?”
“Her friend Tash is receiving calls and the closest cell tower is pinging in Hope River. I’m ninety-five percent sure they’re there.”
I push off my desk and pace back and forth as I think about this. I turn toward Brice and hold my hand out. “I’ll call you.”
He reaches for my hand and slowly nods. “Yes, sir. I’ll have Frank pay attention, but not interfere until you give the go-ahead.”
“Thank you.”
