Heartless People |Book 4|

Chapter 23

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A burn for a burn. A life for a life. That's how all this got started. And that's how it's going to end."

~ Jenny Han

JENNIE

I rolled my shoulders back, taking a deep breath before stepping up to the podium of the state floor, the press once again like hounds on leashes, waiting to take a bite at me. All of them leaned in as I opened my mouth, as if the microphone in front me was only some sort of prop.

"It is with great sorrow that I stand here before you all once again, in the wake of the tragedy in Terni. Last night, unexpectedly, due to faulty, improperly installed furnaces, carbon monoxide seeped into over a dozen homes, killing the residents inside as they slept. The governor's office, along with local police, is looking into this matter. As of now, it is known that these furnaces were installed by the now closed B Heat & Cooling. As governor, I'm requesting that all citizens within the state check their furnaces. If you find that yours came from this company, please leave your homes and call poison control." Faulty furnaces? It wasn't the best story, but it was possible and partially true. "I will now hand over any further questions to—"

"MURDER!" a woman yelled, gripping a photo of someone I could only assume was a late family member. The guards rushed up to her as she pointed at me. "You did this! You monster! You bitch! You killed them! I know it was you! YOU EVIL BITCH!" They begin to drag her out as she fought them, still screaming at me, saying in Italian, "May God have mercy on your soul, for I will have none!"

Who are you that I should ask for mercy? I wanted to ask her, and if it weren't for the damn cameras, I would have. Instead, I smiled and waved. Those who bring hell upon themselves and then bitch about the pain have no excuse.

"There will be no further questions. Thank you." Bruce, my secretary, was filling in for Jessica since she had left with the kids.

"Was the governor's office aware of the faulty furnaces?"

"Why did they fail now?"

"Governor Manoban, after all of the effort you've put into reshape this city, these recent events prove to be the worst of your career."

"Will you still make a run for president?"

"Do the events of the last couple weeks once again put a cloud over Chicago?"

"Ladies and gentleman, we are in the wake of a tragedy, please show some restraint. As I said, no further questions." Bruce calmly berated them; it was no secret he wanted Jessica's job, and though he knew he couldn't have it, he still did his best to stand with his head tall.

Walking away from the podium, I headed out the side door, entering the hall.

"Fucking annoyance," I hissed out when we stepped into the hall.

"This will pass. You've gotten through worse, ma'am. Everyone knows this city was on the brink of chaos before you stepped in." Bruce stepped in front of me, reaching into his ugly ass sweater vest for his phone. Ignoring him, I walked right past him and toward my office, my heels clicking against the marble floor. I couldn't even think of them now; the most important thing was finding Emilio.

"Your wife, ma'am." Bruce handed me the phone as I headed into my office

"Did you get her?"

"She's dead and I think Emilio is going to—"

"Aaagh..." I gasped out, dropping the phone as my body jerked backward and I fell to the ground. I reached up for the wire around my neck, which was cutting off the air to my lungs.