Rumor Has It (21 page)

Liza dropped her head and hid her grin. And just in the nick of time, Chante pulled up with a cameraman and reporter from Channel Fourteen.

“Where is everybody else?” Liza whispered to her friend when she walked up the steps.

“At the debate. This was the best I could do. But it will be on a twenty-four-hour loop.”

Liza gritted her teeth as Dayshea led the reporter and cameraman inside. “A loop no one will see.”

“Calm down. You, of all people, know how the Charlotte media works. No one is going to ignore this story.”

Liza looked at her watch. “We need to get this rolling. I actually have to go to the debate.”

Chante rolled her eyes, and even though she was through with Robert, she felt some kind of way about the turn in their relationship. Liza seemed to read those thoughts on her friend's face and wrapped her arm around her shoulder.

“It'll get easier.”

Chante leaned her head on her friend's shoulder. “I feel like a fool. And part of me still wants his dream to come true.”

“I always thought he'd be president,” Liza replied. “‘Hail to the Chief' used to be his ringtone on my phone.”

“So, how did we get fooled by the same man?”

Liza shrugged. “He knew how to play us and what we both wanted to hear. That means he's pretty much a psychopath, pathological liar, and so not the man for the job.”

“But your boy Jackson Franklin is different?”

“This has nothing to do with Jackson. He won't even discuss politics with me. What we share . . .”

“What you share?” Chante wiggled her eyebrows. “This is something more than just a little stress sex?”

“I don't know.” She expelled a sigh. “I hope it's more. I want it to be. I haven't felt this way in a long time.”

Smiling, Chante tapped Liza on the arm. “Good luck, and if you're going to be at that debate on time, then you'd better get a move on.”

“Are you okay with this?”

Chante nodded. “It's no longer just about him cheating. I was about to let Robert sink our friendship, our sisterhood. That's not cool, and I'm not going to sit by and let him think he got over.”

“We've all made that mistake before. And Robert knew you had thoughts about what went on with us in the past so he played on them. I have to admit, that is a skill that would have served him good in office. But if this interview gets traction, he won't be elected head of the PTA for the rest of his life.”

Chante pointed at her friend. “I hope Jackson will teach you how not to always seek vengeance. You're like Batman with a Twitter account sometimes. I almost feel sorry for Robert.”

“Really?”

“I said almost! Anyway, get going and let me know how everything turns out.”

Liza waved good-bye to her friend and then dashed to her car. It was almost five-thirty and she knew traffic was going to be a little hectic. But she didn't want to miss the opening statements. Moreover, she wanted to see what Jackson was wearing. Smiling, Liza couldn't wait until the debate was over and she could celebrate with her man.

My man? Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself
, she thought as she came to a red light.
This man has an election to win and there's no telling what his life is going to be like if he does win. How is he going to split time between here, Raleigh, and the voters? And where will I fit into all of this?

The angry blare of a horn alerted her to the fact that she'd missed the green and the yellow light at the intersection. She waved at the driver and forced herself to pay attention to the traffic signal and stop borrowing trouble.

It was about six-fifteen when Liza arrived at the center. She was actually surprised to see the number of people who were in attendance. The PR professional inside her wondered if the crowd was there because of the rumors floating in the media or if these were people who wanted to get information about the first state senator who would represent their district.

She took a seat in the back of the auditorium and listened to the evening's host tell the audience how the debate would be conducted: the time that each candidate had to answer questions and to make rebuttal responses. Liza stifled a laugh. There was no way that long-winded Robert would stay within the time frame of two minutes.

She looked up at Jackson. God, he looked good in that suit. His eyes were filled with determination. He deserved this seat. Not because it was something that he'd been preparing for over the years, but because he actually wanted to serve.

Glancing at Robert, she didn't see that desire and determination on his face. Simply a smugness that she'd managed to miss over the years. Maybe she should've listened to the rumblings about him when they were in college. There had always been rumors about shady things that Robert was involved in, and then there had been the alleged sexual assault. At the time, Liza had written it off as people hating on Robert, because there had been no way that he'd be involved in anything like that.

She'd even quit her column at the
Daily Tar Heel
because she hadn't agreed with the coverage that the student paper had given to the sexual assault, which allegedly involved Robert and his fraternity brothers. She'd also led a student protest against the paper, calling the editor and the majority of the staff racist.

Maybe if she'd paid more attention to facts back then, she never would've spent all of these years building Robert up to be this paragon of virtue. She turned her attention to the stage as Jackson stepped forward to give his opening statement.

“Ladies and gentlemen, North Carolina is facing a crisis. We're at a crossroads and if we are going to get on the right path, then we have to make the right choices. Protect those who have protected us and fought for this country. Make education a priority and pay teachers what they're worth. We're losing in the fight to educate our children, and without a foundation for a future, North Carolina will suffer. We have to cut the unemployment rate and bring industries to this area that will sustain growth. And if we're going to ask taxpayers to help us lure them here, then we need to make sure these businesses stick around.

“Our seniors need our protection. They need us to make sure that we don't cut Medicare, that we don't allow an agenda that protects the rich and powerful to hurt the seniors and the poor in this state. Sending me to Raleigh will ensure that the people in the state who need the assistance of the General Assembly the most will get it. It's time to stop sending the status quo back to Raleigh. It's time to have representatives in place who aren't out for power but have your best interests at heart. Tonight, I hope to earn your vote and go to the General Assembly to represent the best interests.”

The thunderous applause almost made Jackson smile, but he remembered Teresa's coaching. Keep his face soft, but don't smile too much or show when he's upset. He needed to let people trust him.

Robert took to the middle of the stage, smiling at the crowd. “I'm Robert Montgomery, and when it comes to representing this district, we can't leave it in the hands of an idealist. I've worked with many of our General Assembly members and that's one of the reasons why I knew I had to throw my hat in the ring. I believe people want to do the right thing, but they just don't know how because there is so much noise about Republican versus Democrat. What we need to focus on is building coalitions and getting work done without the fighting and the arguments. That's not getting anything done. That's not helping the people of this district of the state of North Carolina.

“First, we have to heal rifts; then we can get people on the same page and make changes for North Carolina. We can provide better options for the people of this state and secure a future for North Carolina that will benefit all of the citizens of our great state.” He took a bow and smiled at the crowd as the applause went up. Jackson fought to keep his composure. If he hadn't thought that Robert was an asshole before, he'd be sure of it now.

The moderator restated the rules of the debate and then started with the first question. Since Jackson gave his opening first, Robert answered the question—which was about coal ash being buried at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Robert walked from behind his podium as if he were channeling Mitt Romney. “Clean energy is important and we have to make sure we do everything that we can to save our drinking water supply. The airport in Asheville already has a program where they bury coal ash for Duke Energy, which is one of our largest employers in the state.”

A rumble rippled through the crowd. Jackson chewed the inside of his jaw to keep from smiling. No one was happy with Duke Energy and Robert was losing any support he'd gained with his powerful opening statement. Jackson couldn't wait to answer the question.

“Mr. Franklin, your response?” the moderator asked.

Jackson stood behind his podium and turned toward the audience. “Charlotte Douglas is not a dumping ground, and the cities around this great state should not and will not be responsible for Duke Energy's waste. We're acting as if this is a department of the state and it is not. Duke Energy needs to be held responsible for cleaning up its own mess.”

A thundering of applause erupted. The moderator called for quiet so that Jackson could continue. “A private company shouldn't have the power to buy legislation to increase its revenues. Let me ask this question: Does everyone in North Carolina work for Duke Energy? No, they don't. It's past time for the General Assembly to stop bowing to corporations and remember who put them in office.”

“I wasn't suggesting anything like that,” Robert interrupted. “But we have to remember that companies move to our state, and specifically this district, because it is easy to work with our government.”

“That may be true,” Jackson said. “But our government is first and foremost by the people and for the people. Of the companies that have moved here—to this district—in the last three years, two of them brought employees from the area that they moved from. Jobs were scarce to the unemployed residents of this area. So, if we're going to be easy to work with, then we need to make sure that everyone benefits.”

More applause and a sneer from Robert let Jackson know that he was winning.

Thirty minutes passed and they answered questions about jobs, clean energy, and transportation issues. Jackson felt good about the direction of the debate and the fact that they stuck to the issues. And just when he thought the good feeling would last, during an exchange about experience, Robert went below the belt.

“And just what experience do you have?” he asked heatedly. “Leading soldiers in a war has nothing to do with working in politics. Your personal choices of whom you align yourself with show that. You have a former call girl working on your election campaign.” Silence claimed the room. Jackson wanted to jump from behind the podium and choke the living hell out of Robert.

“Excuse me?”

“Liza Palmer.”

“We're going to move on from this line of—” the moderator started to say.

“Liza Palmer is not working on my campaign, but she did work on yours. Why are you trying to say these things about her now?”

“Because once I found out about her character, I fired her.”

“Gentlemen!” The moderator banged on the table. “We're moving on.”

Chapter 24

Liza wanted to jump out of her seat, rush the stage, and beat Robert to within an inch of his sorry life. Did he seriously just call her a former call girl? That son of a . . . Gritting her teeth, she blinked back the tears in her eyes as she wondered why Jackson didn't defend her.
Now you're just being stupid. That man can't act like a jealous boyfriend. He's trying to win this debate.

Still, it didn't stop her from wanting to see Jackson punch Robert in the face. Her professional side knew that could never happen, but sitting there listening to Jackson as he distanced himself from her hurt like hell. She decided that she needed to get out of Gantt Center before a reporter spotted her.

Ducking out the door, she was glad to see she had gotten away unnoticed.

Or so she thought.

“Liza,” Nic said from behind her. “Aren't you going to stay for the finale?”

“Go to hell, bastard,” she snapped as she kept walking.

“And you thought you were going to ruin his life because he cheated on your friend. Guess you should be a little more cautious about people you talk to,” he said. Liza stopped in her tracks. She was mad as hell and someone had to feel her wrath. Nic would be the perfect verbal punching bag.

“You know what, you're an asshole. Nothing about you is good. Nothing. You and Robert deserve each other. But I'm not going to sit by and watch you two liars try to trick voters into thinking that Robert is going to Raleigh for anything other than the power and glory. He doesn't give a damn about this district or making anyone's life better. And you're just a puppet master, doing whatever it takes to get your boy elected no matter who you hurt.”

“Do you really think you matter?” Nic laughed. “You play on the Internet and pretend you're making a difference. If this call girl thing doesn't gain traction, there are plenty of people who can tell the press just what kind of coattail rider you are.”

“You pompous jackass.”

“Your insults are juvenile. If I were you, I'd hop back on Twitter and stay away from politics. You can't run with the big dogs, little girl.”

“Watch me,” she said, then stomped away. “You have no idea who you're dealing with, old man.” Pulling her cell phone from her pocket, Liza called Chante.

“How's the debate?” Chante asked when she answered the phone.

“That man. That piece of sh—Robert stood on that stage and called me a former call girl.”

“He did what? Son of a bitch!”

“How did the interview go?”

Chante laughed. “Well, let's just say I'm glad I kept those pictures you sent me because the reporter didn't believe Dayshea at first. It's going to be the top story at eleven. So, Robert talking about call girls is really kind of ironic.”

“Meet me at Amelie's,” Liza said. “I need sugar.”

“Wait, you aren't going to celebrate with Jackson?”

A chill ran through her body. There was no way she and Jackson could be together now, and she was still deep in her feelings about the way he responded to Robert's accusation about her. But what had she expected him to do—declare his love for her and lose the election?

“I don't think Jackson can afford to be seen with me right now if he plans to win this election.”

“I hate politics,” Chante said. “See you in a little bit.”

After hanging up, Liza dashed to her car, sat in the parking deck, and cried a little bit before heading to the bakery to meet her friend.

 

 

Jackson searched the crowd for Liza when the debate ended. He meandered through the crowd, shaking hands with audience members who'd stopped him, answering their questions while glancing around the room looking for Liza. He wanted to make sure she was all right after Robert called her out again. That bastard. He wished they could meet in a street fight. How dare he spread those lies so publicly.

“Mr. Franklin,” a man said, “you earned my vote tonight. I can't stand how we kowtow to Duke Energy because they got their boy in the governor's mansion. Somebody needs to challenge that and it sure won't be Montgomery.”

“Well, I appreciate your support,” Jackson said as they shook hands. “It's time for government to hold companies responsible for their bad deeds.”

“And that coal ash is going to kill us all. My granddaughter lives near the Dan River. Twenty-three years old and she has breast cancer. That's not right.” Tears welled up in the old man's eyes. Jackson's heart broke and he realized these were the voices that needed to be heard in Raleigh. It was people like this man who were suffering and disillusioned with the direction of local politics whom he would carry on his back if he won this election. Jackson handed him a business card from the center where he worked.

“Sir, if you ever need to talk, just call me.”

The man took the card from Jackson's hand and smiled. “God bless you. And I hope you don't ever change or let that hooker bring you down.”

Gritting his teeth, Jackson nodded and moved on. Did people actually believe what Robert said about Liza?

By the time the crowd thinned, Jackson realized Liza either was gone or didn't show up. Part of him hoped that she had missed the debate, didn't have to hear the person she thought was her friend tell a blatant lie on her. Then again, he was feeling some kind of way about her not being there when she said that she would be. Teresa crossed over to him and shook his hand.

“That was awesome. Now we do need to do a little damage control about Liza again, but you won hands down. If anyone here was on the fence, you pushed them over it.”

“Did you see if Liza was here?” he asked.

Teresa frowned. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“No, I didn't see her and I hope that she wasn't here. Robert and . . .” Teresa paused as her phone chimed. Jackson watched her as she began to laugh. “And this is on Channel Fourteen? Let me put you on speaker and repeat what you just said.”

“Who is that?” Jackson asked.

“Just listen,” Teresa mouthed as she pressed the speaker button on her phone.

“All right, T,” a female voice said. “Channel Fourteen just aired an interview with Dayshea Brown, who has several arrests for prostitution, and she said that Robert Montgomery paid her for sex. Should I tweet the link?”

Jackson chuckled. “Maybe this is why he keeps bringing up call girls.”

“And,” the voice on the phone said, “there are pictures. Not some grainy, maybe-that's-his-forehead pictures either.”

Jackson swore under his breath. Was this why Liza was missing?

“Thanks, Tabitha. And no, do not tweet the link to that story from the campaign's account,” Teresa said, then ended the call. “Looks like the tide is turning in our direction and we have clean hands.”

Jackson was about to say he didn't know how clean their hands were since he knew the pictures came from Liza. “What?” Teresa asked.

“Nothing. I need to go,” he said.

“Wait, I'm pretty sure the—”

“I'm not commenting on this,” Jackson said. “If he has to buy sex, that has nothing to do with—”

“It speaks to his character. And it's illegal. We can't sit by silently and send a criminal to Raleigh. That should be our statement,” she said excitedly.

“Sounds like a decent statement. Besides, we have enough criminals in Raleigh already,” Jackson said.

“So why send another. That will be your one and only statement, but we have to say something.”

“We can send it out in an e-mail, but I won't be talking about it on camera. Besides, with the election so close, why don't we show the people what I'm going to be focused on if they send me to the General Assembly.”

Teresa nodded. “That sounds like a great idea.” Her cell phone began vibrating and chiming with indications of text messages. “The circus has begun.”

Shaking his head, Jackson tried to hide his smile. Though he wasn't going to comment on Robert's troubles, he couldn't help but think it couldn't have happened to a better person. The lies he'd told on Liza had turned around and bit him on the ass. Still, Jackson wished Liza hadn't shared those pictures with the media. But he understood why she did it. Sometimes you had to fight fire with fire, and if Robert doubted that Liza could bring the heat, he knew better now.

Jackson pulled his phone from his pocket and sent a text to Liza.

 

 

 

Liza felt the vibration of her phone in her pocket as she and Chante sipped coffee at Amelie's. Figuring that it was another reporter—the reason she'd turned the phone off anyway—she decided to ignore it.

“You have to admit,” Chante said, “Robert couldn't have picked a worse time to call you out when his skeletons are real and . . .”

“I really don't want to talk about this anymore,” Liza said with a sigh.

Chante nodded. “But what did you expect Jackson to do? Defend your honor?”

“That's what the illogical side of me wanted. He could've said something other than ‘Liza Palmer is not working on my campaign
.
'” She fingered the lid of her coffee cup and realized that she really should've been drinking tea tonight. Forget the tea, she needed something stronger.

“But didn't you do a press conference with him to say that exact thing? Oh, my. You're falling in love with him. Your feelings are hurt.” Chante burst into laughter, and if she had been anyone else, Liza would've hurled her half-eaten éclair in her face.

“And yours wouldn't be? This is exactly why I don't date. These emotional roller coasters aren't who I am. I know what he was doing up there. And if he were a client of mine, I would've told him to do the exact same thing.”

“It's just different when your heart is in it,” Chante said. She picked off a piece of her torte. “That's why it was so easy for me to believe everything Robert said about those pictures. I thought I loved him.”

“I never said I love Jackson!” Liza exclaimed.

“You don't have to say it; it's written all over your face. I'm actually happy to see you like this. Well, not near tears because that man didn't risk what he's been working for all of these months to defend your honor. But happy that you've opened your heart to love again.”

Happy would be the last word that Liza would've used to describe how she was feeling. Foolish, maybe. Like a schoolgirl with a big crush, definitely. But happy? Not unless she had his arms around her. Not unless . . .

“Liza.” She looked up and saw Jackson standing in front of her. Did she just think him up out of thin air?

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I've been calling and texting you and didn't get a response. I figured I'd try my luck and check here.” Jackson glanced over at Chante. “I'm sorry, am I interrupting?”

Chante smiled and picked up her empty coffee cup. “Not at all. I was just going to get a refill and check out some of the new pastries. Please sit down.”

Liza closed her eyes. Chante was about as subtle as a brick through a window.

“Do you mind if I sit?” Jackson asked when he noticed the frown on Liza's face.

“Are you sure you want to be seen with me?” she snapped. She didn't mean for it to come out like that. But damn it, she was mad.

“You did catch the debate?”

Liza folded her arms as Jackson sat down beside her. “Yes, I did. Thought that denial of you and I working together was spot on.”

Jackson touched her arm. “My natural instinct was to reach across that stage and choke the living shit out of Montgomery. But you and I both know that couldn't happen. And I've already told you that I want my personal life separated from politics.”

Reluctantly, she nodded. “And,” he continued. “I see you've been busy.”

“I-I didn't do a thing that wouldn't have come out sooner or later. I just made sure Ms. Brown wouldn't be dragged through the mud like so many women who get caught up in political sex scandals.”

“You're going tit for tat with Robert and . . .”

“It doesn't concern you, because
Liza Palmer is not working on your campaign
.”

“It does concern me, because if you get hurt in all of this I'm going to be the one picking up the pieces. What you're doing is personal with Montgomery.”

“And what he's doing to me could ruin my business. Saying those things about me in a public forum like that and he's the one buying sex, I can't and won't allow him to get away with it. You want to play it clean and run your campaign with no dirt, that's fine. But whether you become the first senator of district forty-five or not, I have to keep my business going.”

Jackson stroked her cheek. “I almost believe that. But I know you. You like to destroy people who hurt you. And I know Robert has hurt you. How far are you willing to go with this?”

“As far as I have to. Again, Jackson, this isn't about you or this race. You talk about me taking it personal—there is no other way for me to take it. I'm not running for office.” Closing her eyes, she sighed. “I can't and won't let him try to destroy everything I've built. I'm not going to be like my mother.”

Jackson wrapped his arms around her and gave her a tight hug, then kissed her on the cheek. “Liza, I'm here for you but I don't want your vendetta to harden you to the point where . . .”

“Where it affects your campaign? You know what, Jackson, I see where this is going and I'm not going to go there with you. You want to win this election and I'm not going to stand in your way.” Liza rose to her feet and started for the door. Jackson followed her, not wanting to make a scene in the bakery, but he damned sure wasn't going to let her walk out that door with so much between them unresolved.