The Election (39 page)

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

It was Tuesday, Election Day, across the United States, and the Reed family had been at Claudia Duval's house at Hilton Head Island since Sunday. She had phoned Jake after she'd seen the news reports from Jackson and offered for Jake and his family to stay there as long as they wanted to. She told him that the envelope full of documents Milton had left for her in the locker at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport had transferred ownership of all Milton's assets, including Eden, to her.

Jake had decided to take Claudia up on her kind offer. It had been good for his family to get away from home for a few days. The sound of the ocean was relaxing to him, and the children were enjoying the heated pool located between the house and the beach. He could tell that Rachel was also enjoying the serenity of the South Carolina low country.

Jake had received word from Naomi that very morning that Jed was fully awake, and had actually eaten breakfast. That was certainly good news. Last Friday he had finally told Ruth and Naomi about the $2 million waiting for them and Jed at Jackson National Bank. To say they were ecstatic was an understatement. Jake was glad that now Jed would get to enjoy the money with the rest of his family.

Jake had taken the $1 million he'd asked the FBI for and received from the Foster campaign and established a trust fund for Deputy Butch Johnson's widow and his children. It was the least he could do, he explained to Butch's widow as she thanked him. He had sacrificed his life for Jake's, and Jake would never forget it.

It was now just past 7:00 p.m. eastern time, and Jake sat on the sofa in the den. His plaster-covered right leg was propped on an ottoman, and he squirmed, trying to find a comfortable sitting position. His bruises were beginning to fade, but Dr. Lawrence said it would be another six weeks before Jake would be fully recovered. Rachel handed him a glass of iced tea and sat down beside him as the evening news on FOX began.

“The polls have closed in the East,” the anchor of the
Fox Report
said after introducing himself. “And
FOX News
is projecting that Mac Foster has won all available electoral votes in those states. Exit polls in the rest of the country indicate that Foster is leading comfortably in the remaining states as well.
FOX News
is already projecting that Mac Foster will win the presidency in what appears to be a landslide. Edward Burke will likely suffer the worst defeat in presidential election history. Let's go to Burke's campaign headquarters in Nashville for further coverage…”

Jake turned to Rachel and smiled. “Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.”

A graduate of Union University, Jerome Teel received his JD, cum laude, from the Ole Miss School of Law. He is actively involved in his church, local charities, and youth sports. He has always loved legal-suspense novels and is a political junkie. Jerome and his wife, Jennifer, have three children—Brittney, Trey, and Matthew—and reside in Tennessee, where he practices law and is at work on a new novel.

www.jerometeel.com