“Fuckin’ Ashley Townsend,” he growled.
He’d wanted to cause her stress, to get under her skin.
Instead, everyone was raving about her new, trendy hairstyle. Her fashionable wardrobe. Her political success. On the internet news sites, social media, the radio, the television. Newspapers. He couldn’t escape the bloody woman, not even in this beachside cottage that had been his haven.
She’d destroyed his family.
She’d destroyed his peace, his mental sanity.
Ashley Townsend had destroyed his life, and for that, the woman was gonna pay.
But first…
Stephen turned to Robert. He’d drugged the man a second time to shut him the hell up, although he should wake soon. He’d give Robert one more opportunity to tell him the best way to get to Ashley, the perfect way to make the woman hurt as he suffered.
Stephen squatted beside the man who slumped in the corner of his tiny kitchen. He slapped him on the face. When Robert didn’t react, he hit him again. Harder, this time.
“Robert. Robert!”
Slap. Slap. Slap.
“Come on, old chap. It’s time to wake.”
15 – A Rainbow Success
Later that night
“I owe Summer and Ella big time.” Ashley hugged Josh then bounced up and down on her toes, beaming. “Today wentsomuch better than I’d expected. The swell of support has the senior party members and our campaign manager ecstatic.” Her smile faded as she considered the policies her party wanted to focus on this campaign. They were important, but many of the reporters preferred to discuss her sunset hair and why she’d gone for the color change, or they asked about Josh and their wedding date. She’d shrugged and given a vague answer before steering back to campaign-appropriate material, but the personal attention frustrated her.
“What’s wrong?” Josh asked.
“I wish the press paid more attention to our policies. I entered politics because I wanted every New Zealander to have a full life with opportunities to thrive. The campaign manager tells me any publicity is good publicity, and I shouldn’t worry.”
“I imagine the opposition parties are gritting their teeth,” Josh said.
“I had one candidate accuse me of making up my stalker.” Ashley shuddered, her top lip curling in disgust. “If she’d experienced the numbing fear I have, she might cut me slack.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That I’d pay her to take my stalker. The sad thing was she told me yes, to sign her up. Then, when I spluttered and coughed, she told me she’d suspected the stalker was a fabrication.”
“The voters don’t need her in charge of your electorate,” Josh said. “The woman is an idiot. How about this? Tomorrow, when they ask personal questions, give them a deal. Say you’ll answer one personal question—within reason—for every three political or policy questions they ask. If they ignore that. Ask yourself a question and answer it.”
“Huh! I bet that doesn’t work.”
“You’re on.” He held out his hand. “Ten dollars.”
“We have the leader’s debate tonight,” she said, sealing the bet with a firm handshake. Her stomach curled at his touch, and she had to force herself to release her grip. “At least I’ll get sensible questions with the focus on politics, the economy, and our other policies. I’m nervous because it’s important to show well.” She peeked at her phone. “On that note, I’d better get ready.”
“Do you fancy something to eat?”
“I might have a sandwich or a cup of soup, so my stomach doesn’t rumble on live television. I’ll eat dinner afterward.”
Ashley marched to her bedroom and studied the two outfits Summer had suggested she could wear for the debate. In the end, she chose a slim-line black dress with the ruby-red trim on the hem and pockets. She showered, did her hair in a French braid, and moisturized her skin. Her contact had told her not to bother with makeup since they had studio artists to do that for them.
She drank the cup of soup Josh had prepared and ate a toasted cheese sandwich before hitting the road.
The first question, when it came, concerned her changed appearance. “Don’t you think your new look will be too trendy for the older voters?” the man chairing the debate asked. Mike was an experienced journalist and known for his hard-hitting questions.
