The Longer The Fall by Aviva Gat (tharntype novel english .TXT) 📕

Our kids, someone is watching us…how do they? Do you think our house is bugged?”

To anyone else, the tape’s last sentence may not have made sense, but it made perfect sense to Brandon. In between Madeline’s thighs, just inches from her panty line, Madeline had a tiny birthmark. It was shaped like a triangle, but on one side little lines popped out, like the stem of a strawberry. Madeline called the birthmark her strawberry, and Brandon had delighted in that the first time he saw it. It was like a little secret between the two of them. When they were younger and newly together, Brandon would always joke about her sweet strawberry smell down below and how tasty it was. Now, it felt like their secret had been violated.

Brandon stopped the Walkman, which was still crackling. “We need to talk to the FBI,” Brandon said. “They are not doing their job! This is totally unacceptable!”

Madeline took a deep breath, still absorbing the voice she just heard. “Maybe we need to pay.”

“What? You’re joking right?”

“This is our family’s safety we’re talking about,” she said. “If someone has such intimate knowledge of our lives, we don’t know what else they know. They could be dangerous. We need to do whatever to protect ourselves.”

“Is that what this is about?” Brandon asked. “Protecting ourselves? It’s not about your fears about reelection? You’d rather be blackmailed into paying than risk your reelection?”

“Brandon…”

“Seriously, Madeline, if we give in now, they could blackmail us again for more. Who knows what else they have! And who’s to say that if you pay they won’t publish this stuff anyway!” Brandon was still pacing, his arms now swinging back and forth. “I’m calling Agent Murray! They need to step up! They need to fix this. Maybe we should all stay in a hotel for a little while, in case we’re being spied on.”

Madeline nodded and stood up from the kitchen table. She stopped in front of Brandon, halting his pacing. “First, give me a hug,” she said, opening her arms to embrace him. He fell into her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“Did you…?” Brandon started to say, his voice trembling. “You would tell me if you did, wouldn’t you? You wouldn’t do this to me…after everything…”

“You know me,” Madeline responded. She held Brandon tight in her arms, afraid to let go. She wanted to contain this, not just for her reelection campaign, which would be devastated by a picture and recording like this, but for Brandon. How he would suffer if their family’s name were drawn through the mud like this.

She thought about other politicians, strong females, who were forced to give up their positions because of smear campaigns like these. Men cheated, sent nude pictures of themselves to underage girls, even used their positions of power to get favors from women and these men could overcome smear campaigns. Some were even reelected in the midst of these accusations. But women did not have the same privilege. A woman’s reputation had to be spotless. Any stain would stop her from getting to the top. Even stains from dirt that was thrown at her from her opponents, stains that she acquired from no actions of her own.

Truth in smear campaigns was a minor detail. So minor that it could be easily overlooked or ignored. In fact, no one needed to even consider truth when there was so much mud being thrown. The truth, no matter what it was, would simply be buried under layers and layers of mud that would cake and dry up, becoming harder and harder to dig through. Truth didn’t stand a chance, Madeline knew this and that was why she suddenly made up her mind.

Chapter 12

“VACATION!” Noah screamed, jumping up on the couch. Two bellboys followed them into the suite, wheeling a large cart carrying their suitcases. The FBI agents agreed that staying in a hotel while this matter was resolved was a good idea. They booked the hotel and had already done a full security sweep before escorting the family in. There would also be 24/7 surveillance and security watching the family to find out if anyone was watching them or trying to contact them.

Their house was also being watched. The FBI couldn’t find any evidence of their house being bugged, of any microphones or hidden cameras. Molly, the nanny, had also been subject to a day-long interrogation and polygraph test which resulted in the conclusion that she wasn’t involved in the blackmail.

After this second letter from the blackmailer, the FBI began to double down their efforts. This perpetrator was smarter than most, they observed. He was careful and able to obtain intimate knowledge without leaving any trace of footsteps. This took skill, the agents said, optimistically calling it a clue. This wasn’t just anybody out for money, this was someone who had obviously been preparing for a long time. Someone with intimate knowledge of security and how investigations work. It could even be someone on the inside, someone leading the FBI astray, or someone with inner knowledge about the Thomas family. It was possible that there was a bigger conspiracy afoot, the agents postulated. Was someone from the top trying to stop Madeline from getting there?

“Can we order room service?” Adam asked, holding his hands in front of his chest. “I’m starving!”

“You bet,” Brandon responded, squatting down to Adam’s height. “Get me a burger.” He winked at his son who was already running to the phone with the menu in his hands.

Madeline thanked the bellboys and handed them a tip. Jane and Agent Hart from the FBI were still standing in the doorway. “I suggest you lay low for the meantime,” Agent Hart said. “It’s probably best not to make big appearances until we resolve this.”

“No appearances?” Jane laughed. “That’s hardly possible! Madeline has appearances scheduled daily until the reelection