Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 87996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87996 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“If Harrison is looking at running for a different office, mayor or senator or something, then being the hero that saved his sister-in-law from a kidnapping would be a good way to get a lot of positive press.”
“Are you certain Harrison wasn’t a part of this?” my father asked. His brow furrowed, as his arms crossed over his large chest.
“I … maybe.” I didn’t think so, but I had no idea what Harrison was and wasn’t capable of. It didn’t seem like his style, but if he was trying to make himself out to be the hero, then it would make sense that the villain, in this case DuBois, would have to be particularly repugnant.
“If it is Harrison, it is a brilliant move,” my father said. “Dragging the DuBois name down, along with the Manwarring one, would go a long way in swaying more left-leaning voters toward him even if he would be a Republican candidate. He’s still a wealthy heir in his own right, but taking down two of the most powerful families would show that he was a man of the people.”
“He would be able to save the lost princess, show kindness to addicts but a firm hand with the wealthy all in one go,” I agreed. “Politically, it’s brilliant, but it still doesn’t strike me as something Harrison would do, and Marksen wouldn’t agree to be a patsy.”
“Of course not.” My father stood and crossed his wrists behind his back as he paced around the room. “But he could be manipulated into it.”
“That is where I am having problems connecting the dots. Manipulation like this, it’s too indirect for Harrison. Too many things could go wrong.”
“Explain.” My father stood at the window, his back to me as he looked out at my Mount Olympus view.
“There are more direct ways for Harrison to show he is tough on the rich. Ones that would make a real difference and still make headlines, that are more of a sure thing.”
“Such as ...”
CHAPTER 24
LUC
“Going after any number of families for embezzlement, fraud, tax evasion.” I stopped to think about that for a moment before I added, “Tax evasion is how Harrison would do it. That is the hot button topic in class struggles right now. The general population believes we are cheating them out of a better life by not paying what they believe is our fair share in taxes. So he would be a man of the people if he prosecuted a few billionaires for tax evasion and forced them to pay out the nose.”
“Would that garner the same publicity as rescuing a damsel in distress?”
“Not in the short term, but the long-term benefits would far outweigh the short. The kidnapping thing would paint him a white knight for one, maybe two news cycles, and then it would die down. It would be nothing more than a flash in the pan. The second a B-list celebrity was accused of having a drug addiction or being abusive, he would be forgotten about. Right now the news is buzzing about some pretty boy model using rich women even though he has a boyfriend.
“Something that stupid would be enough to overshadow Olivia’s kidnapping. But a trial where he was going after billionaires would be in the news for months. He would probably ensure the trial itself was televised, or at least arrange for press coverage through live updates on social media.”
“So what are you saying exactly?” my father asked, looking bored.
“I’m saying this is too flashy, too fast for Harrison, and far too much of it is up in the air. What if Olivia fought and DuBois killed her? What if they went to another country and disappeared, or it went out of his jurisdiction to prosecute? Hell, if DuBois stole her from the wedding, then the crime was committed in New Jersey which is where he would stand trial. Harrison wouldn’t be able to control shit.”
I put my hands flat on my desk and leaned on it. There was something I was missing.
“So Harrison wouldn’t do this?”
“No, it doesn’t serve him, and he has no reason to lash out against us or the DuBois’s. Harrison approves of my marriage with Amelia, and he helped me win her back—”
“You gave her too much power letting her leave in the first place,” my father interrupted. “You need to have a firm hand with your wife to make sure she behaves as she should and knows her place.”
I decided not to take his bait and start this argument over Amelia again. There was a time and place, and when the time was right, he would be the one I would be putting in his place. Just as soon as Olivia was safe.
“The point here is that Harrison approves of the match, and he has no personal vendetta against the DuBois’s. As far as I know, their paths have never crossed, not in any real, significant way, which is why Marksen wanted to marry Amelia in the first place.”