Princess (American Princess #1)(33)
Author: Courtney Cole

“Why do you want me to expose my dad? You suggested this awhile back, too—that I leak this to the press.  Why?”

“It’s not your father who is important in this equation,” he ground out through gritted teeth. He shoved her harshly into the chair and began adjusting the camera. “And if you had listened to me then, you wouldn’t be here now.”

Sydney tried not to think about that.

“Okay, fine.  Why do you want to expose your father?”

She thought she had seen every kind of backstabbing in her previous life, but this was a new kind of betrayal.  This betrayal stemmed from a deep-seeded hatred.

“He is not my father.”

Detective Daniels practically spit the words at her and she cringed from the bitterness they contained. 

“Now, you are going to look into the camera and say what was on the script.  Word for word.  This is your only chance of getting out of here alive, so be convincing.”

Sydney swallowed hard as the light on the camera turned red.  It wasn’t so much that she was adversely against reading the script, but she was afraid of what would happen to her after she read it.  Once it was finished, he would have no more use for her.  But she had no choice, so she leveled her gaze at the blinking red light and began to speak in a strong voice.

“Hello. My name is Sydney Ross, daughter of Illinois senator Randall Ross.  I am sending you this videotape as a public service announcement of my own because I need you to know something about the official that you continue to elect to office.  It is important that you know this information before the upcoming elections.

“My father, whose slogan has always been Family Values First, has been lying to you and to the entire world.   He has been hiding his sexual orientation as a homosexual for years… and his partner is none other than Ohio senator Paul Hayes.”

CHAPTER NINE

Stephen anxiously paced through the house, his nerves frayed and willing his phone to ring. Ever since Sydney was taken, he had spoken with the detective several times daily.  In fact, he had spoken with him so much that he now called him Harrison.

His first impression of the detective couldn’t have been more off base.  Throughout the entire hellish last week, while he waited to find out anything about Sydney’s whereabouts, Harrison had been nothing but gracious and patient.

Stephen had to admit that he had practically hounded the poor guy, begging for any new tidbit or a lead of some sort.  But Harrison had kindly answered the phone every time, attempting to calm Stephen’s anxiety with the experience that he had developed over the years in similar situations.

Kidnappings, that is.  But even Harrison had to admit that this situation was unique due to the important players involved.  Which was why he had instituted the gag order for everyone involved.  It was not going to be leaked to the press for any reason.

Something about that seemed wrong to Stephen.  He wanted the whole world to know so that the whole world could be looking for her.  But on the same token, he knew that if they tipped their hand to Randall Ross, the whole game could be over.

He seethed just thinking about Senator Ross.   In fact, when one of the senator’s campaign commercials had aired earlier that morning, he had thrown his glass at the television.  Family Values First. What bullshit!  If only he had listened to Sydney, really listened, when she tried to tell him.

A soft knock at the front door startled him from his reverie and he quickly strode across the room to answer it.  Detective Delores Wills stood in front of him, her face tired.

“Stephen?  How are you doing?”

Her tone indicated that she was sincere.  He imagined how he must look to her… he hadn’t showered in a couple of days, his eyes must be blood shot from lack of sleep and he was jittery from too much caffeine.  He probably looked like a strung-out druggie.

“Oh, not that great, I guess.  I mean, if you want the honest answer.”  He swung the door wide and she entered, standing next to him rather than walking any further inside.

“I do.  Stephen, you should get some sleep.  If anything comes up, we’ll call you.  First thing.  You have my word.”  Her tone was almost warm.

“I wish I could sleep, detective.  I haven’t been able to.  Every time I close my eyes, I see her face and it reminds me that she isn’t here.  Do you think she’s still alive?”

He swallowed hard as he stared at Detective Wills forcefully.  He really needed her honest opinion right now.

She studied him for a moment before answering.  “I don’t know. We haven’t gotten a ransom demand yet, which seems to further point towards Sydney’s father.  Detective Daniels is working on attaining a court order from a judge to search the Senator’s home.”

“He wouldn’t be stupid enough to keep Sydney in his house!” Stephen was exasperated.  Were the police really so dumb?

“No, he probably wouldn’t.  But there could be clues in his house that might implicate him further.”

Stephen relaxed again. He should have known that- at the very least from all of the crime scene television shows that he watched.   His sleepless state was really messing with his cognition.

“I’m sorry, detective.  I’m being rude.  You came here for something.  Can I help you?”

“Actually, I was just stopping by to check on you and to see if you had heard anything.  Anything at all.”  She looked at him.  “Because if the perpetrator contacts you, you need to let us know even if he says not to.”

“I haven’t heard a thing, detective.”

His shoulders slumped as he realized that she really didn’t have any news for him. He had been hopeful when he opened the door.       “But you have my word that if I hear anything, you will know about it.”  Detective Wills nodded before she stepped back out the door, turning in the doorframe.

“Stephen, really… get some sleep.  You look terrible.  There’s nothing you can do for her in this capacity.  We’ll call you the minute we know anything.  And here—take my card.  It has my cell number on it in case you can’t get a hold of Detective Daniels for some reason.  Just in case you hear something.”

She pressed her card into his hand and turned again, walking briskly down the sidewalk to her car, not looking back.