Free Campaign of Desire (CSA Case Files 4) by Kennedy Layne

had.
    “Kimmie, guidelines have to be made and implemented.” Phoebe stood and then walked to the kitchen to place her wine glass in the sink. “Lach made his position clearly known, as have I. He’s being paid to make sure that my safety is ensured and I’m to represent the family for Dad’s campaign. Neither one of us can afford for things to get sticky.”
    “If there’s nothing between the two of you as you claim, then why do you two have to state it verbally? It seems to me that it’s you who doesn’t want it to be officially over.”
    Kimmie was facing the kitchen, resting her head on her hand with her elbow placed on the back of the couch. Her eyes shone with so much humor that Phoebe had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from saying something in retaliation. Leave it to her sister to point out the obvious. Phoebe didn’t want to admit out loud that she needed to see Lach’s reaction when she brought up their past tryst. Had it really meant so little to him?

Chapter Seven

    L ach walked into the lobby of Phoebe’s apartment building off Main Street and immediately saw Ethan and two of the sentries that would take over first shift. The security guard for the luxury apartment complex kept shifting his gaze toward them as if he was uncomfortable having armed men roaming the building. Lach had no doubt that Ethan had already spoken to him, as well as the Managing Director of the property management firm. He took his time crossing the marbled foyer, not really looking forward to the conversation he and Phoebe were about to have. She’d made her stance perfectly clear months ago. There really wasn’t any reason to rehash it.
    “Did you have time to talk to Taryn this morning?” Ethan asked, stepping away from Brent and Jacob. Lach had met them briefly yesterday, once Crest had chosen which guards from Gentry Security would be taking the rotating shifts. They seemed competent and the experience listed on their dossiers was certainly extensive. “The emails Dunaway and his staff are receiving are being pinged back to servers in practically every country. Taryn said she’s switching tactics in hopes she can locate the MAC address of the originating machine within twenty-four hours. Whoever is making these threats has extensive computer knowledge, enough to mask their IP traceroute and obscure the true originating server.”
    “Yes, but I caught Taryn before her morning run.” Lach surveyed the lobby when two men in suits exited the elevators. “She wasn’t in a talkative mood.”
    “You’ve got to catch her at five thirty,” Ethan informed him, shaking his head in amusement. “Taryn has her schedule down and if you mess with her she’ll hit you upside your head with one of her tentacles.”
    Lach wasn’t in the mood to banter and nodded toward Brent and Jacob, changing the subject. “I spent most of the evening back at Dunaway’s campaign headquarters, going through the list of media personnel that will be in the bullpen today. The press conference is going to take place at ten o’clock this morning, although you’ll be with Kimmie at the college.”
    “Anyone stand out?”
    “No.” Lach shook his head and knew from the pounding in his temples that he hadn’t had enough coffee this morning. He only drank the java from the indie coffee shop down the street. Now they knew how to brew a cup of joe and it certainly wasn’t the sludge they made at the office. “The conference is going to take place outside in front of the campaign headquarters’ building with a reporter from every news outlet in attendance. Seems Dunaway has already taken the lead in the polls for his party.”
    “Then the shit’s about to hit the fan.” Ethan lifted a Styrofoam cup to his mouth, taking a sip of the steaming coffee within. Lach couldn’t tell where it was from, but he felt envy deep in his stomach. “Every political reporter on either side of the fence will have something to say to get the public