Holding It Together

It had been four hours since the news of Wes' disappearance had awakened Stevie and the others sleeping on the bus. Bellardi and his men lifted off in the helicopter to go to the ranch. Stevie was numb with shock, but she had not yet shed a tear over the tragedy. There was no time to cry; there was work to be done. The senator's son had ostensibly been abducted by the terrorist AntiCrist. Although no note was found at the scene and no message had been received at Bellardi's office, the staff expected the demand to be the same: Quit the campaign. Hope of keeping the disappearance from the media had long since died. Several reporters with police scanners had arrived at the ranch shortly after security chief Ernie Cruz had called in county officers. A statement had to be prepared and a press conference hastily organized in the lobby of the senator's hotel. Stevie had to hold it together, so she did. She even found herself wondering whether she would be able to shed many tears for Wes, having grieved so deeply for his predecessor, Dougie.