Linley Floyd left Pigeon Creek, Alabama and all she was, including the name she was born with, in the rear view mirror seven years ago when she moved to New York. When her boyfriend and she's sure, the love of her life, proposes, she finds herself r...
A/N: I can't believe we are already at chapter 8! We're half-way through this story, everyone! I wish I could say we're only halfway through the drama, but I can't!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Office of the Honorable Mayor of New York - Carole Bradshaw
"So, any news, Beau?" Beau knows exactly what his boss is looking for news on. But, well, he wouldn't be her chief of staff if he didn't give her all of the information. Three campaigns with Carole Bradshaw over the past fifteen years have taught him exactly how much she loves being in control of every aspect of her career. It takes a special woman to have run for Mayor of New York and win four times.
"Well, your polling numbers are at an all-time high. Your opponents have all put out statements in recent days that have seen their approval ratings sinking like a lead balloon. Additionally, Bradley's numbers are on the rise. Everyone loves New York's youngest Secretary of Housing. The ground-breaking ceremony from the other day went over a treat. Especially when Bradley picked up that little boy and spoke to reporters as he napped against his shoulder." Emotions flit across Carole's face at lightning speed. Beau can catalog pride, happiness, and joy in quick order before an expression he's seen every time she wants to get ahead in the polls settles on her face.
"That's good, Beau. Very good." The way she stretches the words out means that she's not as pleased as she sounds. She leans forward, the lines of her crisp dark suit making her look predatory even in the bright sunlight. "Now, what have you found out about Linley Floyd?"
"Nothing much. The first mentions of her in New York are from about seven years ago when she applied to and enrolled at FIT. After that, I found only glowing reviews - from her professors, her prior bosses, every model and fashion house she's worked with." He takes a breath, feeling icy blue eyes drilling into his face.
"But no mention of her before seven years ago?" He just nods. "What about in Greeneville, Alabama? Are there any mentions of her, her family, anything about her there?"
Beau flips through the notes he has written on the notepad in front of him. "No, ma'am. There isn't a single mention of her. There was not even a notice in the school newspaper, or an old yearbook, or anything about her at all. I haven't been able to find any mentions of her father, Peter Floyd, either. There are mentions of a Pete Mitchell working for the Floyd family as a mechanic and all-around handyman, but that's it."
Beau notes the fleeting disgust on Mayor Bradshaw's face as he mentions the name Mitchell, but he doesn't think anything of it. Not when her face shutters and she pushes back from her desk in an explosive movement.
"Something is definitely not right with that girl." Beau stands nearly at attention as Mayor Bradshaw strides past him to look out the floor-to-ceiling windows lining the eastern side of her office. "So here is what we're going to do. You're going to catch the next flight to Greeneville, Alabama. You're going to track down the Floyds. I want to know everything about them, from how long they've been in Greeneville to a full background check on each member of the family. Get everything about the family you can. Hell, even interview the townspeople. Linley Floyd is hiding something, and we're going to find out exactly what."
