Twisted Innocence (Moonlighters Series Book 3) by Terri Blackstock Page B

one directly across from her was the governor’s press secretary, Jeremy Brix. Quickly, she swapped his card with the one next to her, ensuring that she was seated next to him.
    If no one moved his card back to where it had been, she would at least have the chance to pitch Michael’s story to him. It was one more avenue to get to the governor, to put a bug in his ear. She scanned the crowd. It didn’t appear that the governor had shown up yet. He would probably make his entrance at the last moment.
    She recognized some of the astronauts who were the evening’s guests of honor—they all wore special name tags. She had no professional interest in what they would say tonight, even though, under different circumstances, she was sure she would have hung on every word.
    “So I see you made it.”
    She turned to see Ned Garrison, the governor’s administrative assistant. “Hi, Ned,” she said, applying her most charming smile. “Thanks so much for getting me a pass. I really appreciate it.”
    “Well, don’t abuse it, okay? The governor is focused on the space program tonight.”
    “I know, but if I could just speak to him for two minutes.”
    “Good luck with that. Everybody here wants to see him for two minutes. And by the way, your fans have broadsided us with mail. It’s getting a little annoying.”
    “Great,” Cathy said. “At least it’s gotten your attention. And they’re my readers , not fans. They just agree with me that Michael shouldn’t be in jail.”
    “Everybody in jail feels they shouldn’t be there. The bottom line is that he broke the law, and that’s all that matters.”
    “It is not all that matters!” Cathy said too loudly. “He shouldn’t have had a felony conviction in the first place. He didn’t do anything wrong— everybody knows that. The woman had dementia—”
    He raised his hand, cutting her off. “Cathy, I don’t have time for this. Enjoy yourself, but please, don’t make me sorry I got you the pass.”
    Cathy shrank back, scowling at him as he walked away. She had gone to college with Ned—the only reason he was doing her a favor now. He had majored in political science, then gone to work for the governor’s office a few years ago in a lower-level position. He’d managed to climb his way up, and she didn’t blame him for not wanting to mess that up. But how could pardoning a wrongly convicted man mess things up?
    While she waited for the program to start, she made herway to everyone she could identify in the room who might have some clout with the governor. She talked to both of her senators, two congressmen, the Panama City mayor, and every staff member she could identify. They all expressed sympathy and compassion for Michael. They had all heard of his case. They all said they would put in a word with the governor, but she doubted any of them would remember. What was he to them? Just another man behind bars. But he wasn’t just another man. He was a hero, a man who had saved so many lives, who had temporarily disrupted the drug flow into the entire panhandle.
    A man who was the love of her life.
    Before the governor finally made his entrance, everyone was asked to take their seats. Cathy gravitated back to her table, where some of her press colleagues were already in their places. Thankfully, the cards hadn’t been moved—the press secretary came a few minutes after the waitstaff began serving dinner and took his place beside her. He introduced himself to everyone around the table as if they didn’t already know him.
    Cathy waited until they were halfway through the dinner, chatting about the space program and all that it meant to the US, before she brought up Michael. “Listen, Jeremy,” she said, leaning toward him and lowering her voice, “I have an idea for a great PR story for the governor. A good news opportunity that would really make him look like a prince in the next election.”
    Jeremy gave her a sideways look. “Really? Let’s hear