A Taste of Tragedy Read Online Free
brownish-blonde hair behind her ear, she smiled, pleased to once again be a successful professional fundraiser and lobbyist respected by most in her field. She was good at what she did and always achieved whatever results she sought by resorting to any means necessary.
“Thank you, Justine. I can’t tell you how good it feels to be home. I fear I may be getting too old to keep up this brutal pace.”
“That’s ridiculous. You’re only a few years older than I am but have ten times the energy. You’re an inspiration to everyone here. I can’t wait to hear how much money you pulled in on this trip. We have several new potential clients who wish to use our services. As soon as you have a few minutes, I’ll give you a briefing.”
“Give me an hour to catch up on a few things I couldn’t take care of from the road. Then we’ll talk.”
Buyer’s Choice Foundation employed two cutthroat lobbyists and a very competent public relations specialist, and Justine was the only other paid employee. The rest of the Foundation was staffed by eager, idealistic volunteers, usually still in college or fresh out and easily manipulated. She could rally them to support any cause.
Sofia tried to stay behind the scenes and out of the media as much as possible. She ran the Foundation, raised money, and made sure to steer the right projects in their direction. She was considered one of the best in the business, though much of her success in that arena came easy. If anyone was shrewd enough to follow the trail, the big money would eventually lead to Coterie. The rest of the contributions kept the organization looking legitimate and above scrutiny but amounted to a small drop in a very large bucket.
Digging out her pre-paid cell buried at the bottom of her purse, she placed a call to another untraceable number.
“Good morning, Senator. I need you to block a merger.”
Sofia smiled as she listened to the usual litany of excuses. This request wasn’t really in the senator’s area of influence, but she had no doubt he could call in a favor or two and prevent or stall the merger of two small weight-loss chains. Word on the street indicated they were pooling assets to create a large enough entity to compete with the top tier companies—one in particular, Maggie Blair, Inc.
When the senator finished his arguments on why he couldn’t help her on this issue, Sofia let out an exasperated sigh. She always made sure that no matter what she asked of him, he came off looking good to his constituents, so she wasn’t sure why he always complained before yielding to her will. No one would benefit if he angered the voters in his district and lost reelection.
“You can, and will, block or stall the merger. I know how politics work, so I expect there will be no problems. Contact me only if something arises that needs my personal attention. Otherwise, I will consider this situation controlled and your family secrets will remain safe, until next time,” Sophia stated as she disconnected .
CHAPTER FIVE
Morgan pulled up to the wrought-iron gate and punched in her code. The gate eased open and she drove her small luxury crossover though. Easing down the narrow, paved track through the juniper and pine, the headlights pierced the darkness, sending glowing eyes skittering into the underbrush. After a few minutes of slow driving, the area opened up in front of an earth-toned ranch-style stucco home.
She pushed the button to raise the garage door. The dim light revealed her well-organized, ultra-tidy garage and her beloved old Jeep. The familiar sights made her smile. She truly loved this place.
Her grandparents had bought the land over fifty years ago and built a modest one-room structure as a vacation retreat. They eventually added on a few more rooms, making the home more comfortable. Her parents later added a luxury master suite, garage, and the security gate. Keeping with tradition, Morgan felt she needed to do some upgrades, but until she
“Thank you, Justine. I can’t tell you how good it feels to be home. I fear I may be getting too old to keep up this brutal pace.”
“That’s ridiculous. You’re only a few years older than I am but have ten times the energy. You’re an inspiration to everyone here. I can’t wait to hear how much money you pulled in on this trip. We have several new potential clients who wish to use our services. As soon as you have a few minutes, I’ll give you a briefing.”
“Give me an hour to catch up on a few things I couldn’t take care of from the road. Then we’ll talk.”
Buyer’s Choice Foundation employed two cutthroat lobbyists and a very competent public relations specialist, and Justine was the only other paid employee. The rest of the Foundation was staffed by eager, idealistic volunteers, usually still in college or fresh out and easily manipulated. She could rally them to support any cause.
Sofia tried to stay behind the scenes and out of the media as much as possible. She ran the Foundation, raised money, and made sure to steer the right projects in their direction. She was considered one of the best in the business, though much of her success in that arena came easy. If anyone was shrewd enough to follow the trail, the big money would eventually lead to Coterie. The rest of the contributions kept the organization looking legitimate and above scrutiny but amounted to a small drop in a very large bucket.
Digging out her pre-paid cell buried at the bottom of her purse, she placed a call to another untraceable number.
“Good morning, Senator. I need you to block a merger.”
Sofia smiled as she listened to the usual litany of excuses. This request wasn’t really in the senator’s area of influence, but she had no doubt he could call in a favor or two and prevent or stall the merger of two small weight-loss chains. Word on the street indicated they were pooling assets to create a large enough entity to compete with the top tier companies—one in particular, Maggie Blair, Inc.
When the senator finished his arguments on why he couldn’t help her on this issue, Sofia let out an exasperated sigh. She always made sure that no matter what she asked of him, he came off looking good to his constituents, so she wasn’t sure why he always complained before yielding to her will. No one would benefit if he angered the voters in his district and lost reelection.
“You can, and will, block or stall the merger. I know how politics work, so I expect there will be no problems. Contact me only if something arises that needs my personal attention. Otherwise, I will consider this situation controlled and your family secrets will remain safe, until next time,” Sophia stated as she disconnected .
CHAPTER FIVE
Morgan pulled up to the wrought-iron gate and punched in her code. The gate eased open and she drove her small luxury crossover though. Easing down the narrow, paved track through the juniper and pine, the headlights pierced the darkness, sending glowing eyes skittering into the underbrush. After a few minutes of slow driving, the area opened up in front of an earth-toned ranch-style stucco home.
She pushed the button to raise the garage door. The dim light revealed her well-organized, ultra-tidy garage and her beloved old Jeep. The familiar sights made her smile. She truly loved this place.
Her grandparents had bought the land over fifty years ago and built a modest one-room structure as a vacation retreat. They eventually added on a few more rooms, making the home more comfortable. Her parents later added a luxury master suite, garage, and the security gate. Keeping with tradition, Morgan felt she needed to do some upgrades, but until she
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