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“The man’s sworn that he’ll get us one way or the other. He still blames your father and the timber company for the fact that his old man ran off with another woman—or whatever. Not only that, he thinks that someone here was involved in the bribery charges leveled against him last summer.”
Ashley held her breath, watching, waiting, while Claud confided in her. Claud paused, rose from the chair and, after ramming his hands into his pockets, walked over to the window.
“Were we?” she asked softly.
Claud braced himself on the window ledge and smiled cynically. “Of course not, Ash! What would be the point?”
“To discredit a political adversary—”
“Bah!”
“You just stated that we had to do something about him.”
“We do.” Claud’s fingers drummed nervously on the window sill. “But something legal.”
“Such as?” Ashley held her chin in her hand and her wide sea-green eyes noted all of Claud’s aggravated movements.
“Back the other candidate.”
“Orson?”
“Right. Bill Orson is Trevor’s biggest competition in the primary. He was also pretty tight with your dad. He’s the logical choice.” Claud frowned thoughtfully.
“I’m not sure—”
“Look, Ashley, we’re running out of time. Daniels is beginning to get a lot of press.” He pointed a condemning finger toward the magazine. “National publicity. We’ve got to do what we can to protect our interests.”
“Don’t you think you’re jumping off the deep end?” Ashley asked. “We’re only talking about the primary and it’s still several months away. Even if Trevor wins in May, he’ll still face the other party’s candidate in November.”
“If he gets the chance.”
“Which you want to thwart.”
Claud pulled at the edge of his mustache. “That’s putting it a little bluntly, but sure, let’s call a spade a spade. If Daniels somehow managed to get himself elected, it would be a disaster!”
“His own family is in the logging business,” Ashley replied. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”
A cruel smile touched Claud’s thin lips. “What I think is that you’re still carrying a torch for that bastard! God, Ashley, when will you ever grow up? He used you!”
Ashley crossed her arms over her chest. “And I think you’re boxing with shadows.”
Claud laughed out loud. “You still think you have a chance with him, don’t you?” Ashley had to bite back the hot retort forming on her tongue. Angering Claud any further wouldn’t accomplish anything. “Well, I’m inclined to agree. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if Trevor came sniffing around you, at least until after the election. That way he could stop the opposition before it began. All the easier for him.”
Ashley swallowed back her indignation. “If you think you can get me to go along with whatever it is you want by insulting me, Claud, you’re wrong.”
Claud shrugged his bulky shoulders. “I wouldn’t want to do that, cousin dear. After all, you’re my boss.”
“And that still sticks in your craw.”
“A little.” Claud frowned to himself. “But what concerns me more is the upcoming primary. You may as well reconcile yourself to the fact that we’ve got to do all we can to stop Daniels before all hell breaks loose.”
With his final words, Claud walked past the desk, took one last look at the magazine article and left the office.
“You’re wrong,” Ashley whispered as the door closed behind her cousin, but his accusations had hit their mark. Had Trevor pretended interest in her just to get what he wanted from her?
The long nights of lovemaking came to her mind and Ashley remembered the honesty in Trevor’s clear blue eyes. “If anyone’s being deceptive,” she thought aloud, “I’m willing to bet it’s you, dear cousin,” she mimicked. “And I’m not about to back a bastard like Bill Orson!”
Finding new resolve, she reached for the phone, intent on calling John Ellis. The sooner she found answers to Trevor’s questions, the better.
