Sense of Entitlement

By Walter Galvin

The wife of the country's most powerful political couple ruthlessly directs the actions needed behind the scenes to help her husband avoid scandals that can ruin his political career. Her heinous acts and his magnetic personality allow him to rapidly rise up the political ladder, eventually leading to him becoming president. After he completes two terms, all she asks in return is that all their future efforts focus on her political aspirations. Her goal is to become the country's first woman president--an office to which she feels entitled. Will she succeed, or will all the treacherous acts of murder and mayhem she directed on behalf of her husband finally catch up to her?

Read Sense of Entitlement to discover if she's able to successfully attain her desired goal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Dec 27, 2022
• ISBN: 9798886547580

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Sense of Entitlement

Walter Galvin

Copyright © 2022 Walter Galvin

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2022

The characters in this book are fictitious. Any similarities to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

ISBN 979-8-88654-757-3 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-88654-758-0 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Special Thanks To

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 62

Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Chapter 65

Chapter 66

Chapter 67

Chapter 68

Chapter 69

Chapter 70

Chapter 71

Chapter 72

Chapter 73

Chapter 74

Chapter 75

Chapter 76

Chapter 77

Chapter 78

Chapter 79

Chapter 80

Chapter 81

Chapter 82

Chapter 83

Chapter 84

Chapter 85

Chapter 86

Chapter 87

Chapter 88

Chapter 89

Chapter 90

Chapter 91

Chapter 92

Chapter 93

Chapter 94

Chapter 95

Chapter 96

Chapter 97

Chapter 98

Chapter 99

Epilogue

About the Author

Acknowledgments

This book is dedicated to Patti Fraticelli, whose exhaustive efforts in reviewing the manuscript line by line were extremely valuable to its completion. In addition, she is the best sister a brother could have. I would be remiss if I also didn't mention Patti's husband, Rich, who was essential in updating all printed material and the occasional substitution of words that would bring more clarity to the story.

Special Thanks To

Jean Brown, who made extensive corrections to the grammar and punctuations to the manuscript. She also offered many valuable suggestions on optional approaches to the writing of specific chapters.

Sherri Leids, for her insightful comments that gave special attention to making the flow of the book more readable.

Sarah Taylor, for creating a process that kept all the people involved in this project on the same page at the same time.

Dot Brown, for being the keeper of the gate for Sarah's program. Dot organized all the changes and updates to the manuscript. She was the main focal point for all involved in bringing this project to completion.

Prologue

Car services stream in and out of the Northwest Arkansas National Airport, located in Highfill, Arkansas, on a fairly regular basis. Even though it's a small airdrome, it's very busy. It's used as access for most major cities in the country to the headquarters of the world's largest revenue company, Walmart, based in nearby Bentonville. Another reason for the airport's extensive activity is its close proximity to the scenic Boston Mountains. The area it covers is home to multiple lakes and rivers that have made tourism the growth industry for this sparsely populated region. It's a great, relaxing locale for those looking to escape from their regular daily stresses while also providing numerous water recreational opportunities for those who want to physically get a break from their tensions. It's also a rustic territory filled with beautiful vacation homes and places to live year-round for someone who wants to avoid the hustle and bustle of the more inhabited sections of the state. This was the location where the Burgers, Scott and Louise, were going for a consultation with a man who specialized in facial reconstruction.

They flew in from Kennedy Airport in New York and made arrangements for a limo to meet them at the arrival gate for their flight. Eddie Brown, their driver, was already waiting fifteen minutes before the plane began unloading. He stood among the regular group of drivers with his handmade cardboard sign that identified the passengers he was waiting for. Eddie had been chauffeuring clients for over twenty years. He encountered all types of situations and personalities, but today would hold for him his most unique and terrifying experience.

On the way to his limo, they exchanged the normal introductions and pleasantries. Once settled into the vehicle, Eddie quickly went over the variety of amenities available, such as snacks, beverages, and reading materials, to make the ride more comfortable. He reviewed the destination with Scott and told them he would have them there in approximately an hour and to just sit back and relax.

Less than ten minutes into the trip, he was suddenly jolted by an ear-piercing wail coming from what he could only assume was Mrs. Burger sitting directly behind him. He would later describe the sounds to his wife as the cry you would hear from someone with a sudden emotional pain of just being told of the death of a loved one. The shriek startled him so much that he temporarily lost control of the vehicle and swerved onto the shoulder of the road.

When he finally stopped the car, he was still shaken. Not knowing what to expect, he was somewhat hesitant to check over his shoulder. He slowly turned, and what he saw was a sight he had never experienced—one that he hoped to never see again.

Chapter 1

If you looked around the living room of this mansion in Washington, DC, located in one of its toniest neighborhoods, you might be struck by the familiarity of its furnishings. The couch, the matching sofa, and the two oversize chairs that surrounded a stunning Oriental rug and many of the room's paintings could have been previously seen by anyone who had taken a tour of the White House a decade ago. Were these items stolen some ten years ago? The owners of this mansion would argue most definitely not. They would have you believe that they were gifts given to them personally—a debate that was never-ending in the public's view.

The next recognizable thing you would notice was the distinct voice of the female resident who could be heard saying, You remember the promise we made to each other when we were just dating in college? Just because the pursuit of this promise has twice been unsuccessful doesn't mean it is forgotten or ended. Hopefully, you are still aware of the specifics of that plan because it will make what I have chosen to be our next step understandable.

A male voice, in an attempt at humor, responded, Well, you can't be talking about our wedding vows, because other than a few rough spots, it's been quite a successful marriage.

She took what he said in and briefly thought about the numerous times she wanted a divorce but avoided it for two very specific reasons, neither of which was love. First was for their daughter's well-being. Second, which was even more important to her, was the successful completion of the plan. She then answered him with No, before that. You might call it our team prenups. As she continued, her tone got a little colder, You couldn't possibly have forgotten our plan to put all of our initial efforts into seeing that you reached your pinnacle of success.

But of course, we were the perfect team. I'm fully aware and forever grateful to you. I wouldn't have achieved that goal without your unselfish support. Well, much more than just your assistance. You were the one in charge. I was merely the puppet. You masterfully pulled all the right strings.

Of the two, he was the one with the charming personality; she was the intellectual member of their team. As such, she could never stop herself from correcting him. More accurately, a marionette has the strings pulled by a marionettist, but I do like the handle Puppet Master.

He nodded in puzzled agreement. He learned a long time ago to never get into a war of words with her. On more than one occasion, disagreements ended up with the object closest to her being hurled at his head. Rather than interrupt her, he decided to get back to his now nightly ritual of sipping his snifter of cognac. He was in a good place in his mind. As she continued, he could see her lips moving but hardly heard a word she was saying. Instead, his thoughts drifted to how he came about to receive this special cognac. He wasn't always a fan of this high-quality brandy, until his historic, unprecedented trip to Northern Ireland changed all that.

In Belfast, over a quarter of a million people were on hand to hear his speech. It was a festive occasion, and the crowd was entertained by Van Morrison before he came to the podium to speak. Afterward, he was presented with a case of a limited edition Hennessy Ellipse by the leadership of the Irish Republic movement. It was on the plane ride home that he was informed that this brand of cognac was created by an Irishman. He came to appreciate that the taste was far beyond his expectations. That it was made in Ireland quickly made it the special nightly treat of this Irish-American president.

Cindy recognized the vacant look in Jay's face, which was becoming his regular nighttime gaze. She knew she had to get his attention before forging ahead, so she suddenly raised her voice, which startled him back into the conversation. She then continued, I'm thinking the time is ripe for one more shot at what you know I truly deserve. It's my turn!

He was back and joined in with I'm somewhat confused. After losing the nomination to a newcomer who came out of the left field, we agreed to once again go for it even if we'd have to wait eight years, which we did, and then we left nothing to chance. This time, we manipulated the nomination process, eliminating any possibility of some candidate upstaging you. Most significantly, we screwed the so-called independent Senator Fiorucci from New York and his band of Brooklyn rebel rousers. His candidacy had caught on fire, especially with the youthful population. With their strong support, in a straight-up vote, he might have been able to keep us from getting the necessary delegates on the first ballot at the convention. I, for one, took great pleasure in whipping his ass. He knew he didn't have a legitimate chance with the large number of superdelegates we had in our back pocket. Still, he continued to fight us till the bitter end. In the battle, he had many distasteful things to say about both of us, even though he knew his words would be made into sound bites and used by the opposing party's nominee.

Jay was on one of his rolls and wouldn't shut up, a trait he slipped into often on the campaign trail. Cindy had to come up with a not-so-subtle signal that said, Shut the hell up already. Her signal was to scratch her head with an extended middle finger. Tonight she let him go on.

He took a short breath, followed by a sip of his cognac, and then continued to explain his confusion, You got the nomination, and after an exhausting campaign that wreaked havoc with your health, you inexplicably lost to that wealthy moron. After that defeat, you told me that that was it. Never again would you seek the office of the presidency. You even went on to say that the average Dick and Jane deserved the disruption in their lives that this newly elected clown would force upon them. If I remember correctly, you even ended by saying this low-level, intelligent electorate did not deserve to have you lead them. He finally ended his long-winded version of her historic sustained attempts to become president with a brief statement, What has changed?

For starters, I was the actual leading vote-getter by a margin that closely approached three million in the last go-around, and secondly, and most important, the people, with the help of a relentless biased media, are finally fully aware of the disaster this president is. He has divided this country to a degree not seen since the Civil War with his obnoxious, self-indulging leadership. Part of me thinks that his creating tension and hostility is done purposely. As far-fetched as rumors go, he could actually be working with Russia. You don't need to attack a country to bring it to its knees.

Jay was into dirty politics and was Cindy's equal as a master of the game and reminded her, Remember, that hoax was set in motion by us.

Yes, but it didn't get out in time to destroy his campaign. At least it took its toll on his entire term and got him impeached. It also ruined his chances of getting reelected. The Russian collusion gave the media something to harp on since day 1, making him such an easy adversary and the time ripe for me to take back what should have been mine four years ago. Add to that, I think he is severely mentally ill. He seems to enjoy pitting people against each other. He's got to know that this can only move the country to the brink of destroying all that we hold dear. No matter what is causing him to act like this, time is running out to restore peace and civility back to America and, for that matter, the world, and that's where I come in.

Jay gingerly asked about a potential downside her candidacy could bring. Are we prepared to deal with the attention your running again could bring to our role in starting up this false Russian scenario?

Cindy replied in an unquestionable tone, No problem. We arranged for so many levels to conceal any notion of our involvement that it will be impossible for anyone to prove we participated in any form or manner.

Even though our campaign funds were used to pay for getting this false narrative off the ground? Paid out by our personal attorney.

Bruno is our only connection, and he knows that if he is ever questioned as a campaign team member, he is to say he only was requesting campaign background information on an opponent.

Would he ever throw you under the bus to save his own ass?

If I even get wind of that becoming a possibility, I will take care of him.

Jay had a very good idea about what take care of him meant. Unbeknownst to Cindy, he was well aware of her elimination program. It was something he turned a blind eye to because he knew it was being done by her to smooth his climb to power. He silently supported it by never bringing it up or questioning Cindy about it. When push came to shove, ascending to the highest office in the land was what was most important to him.

He sheepishly asked one more question, We do have some twenty or so potential candidates enthusiastically vying for the opportunity to take on this vile man. You don't see any of them capable of defeating him and moving the country forward?

None more qualified and deserving than me.

Chapter 2

Jay knew she had made up her mind, but he still felt compelled to stress what she'd be up against challenging Senator Richard Fiorucci at this stage of the game. He was also aware of the brutal reaction she could have if she sensed any negative vibes coming from him regarding her third attempt. This presentation of a possible problem would have to be navigated delicately. He decided to put it right on the table and to mix in a little humor. Well, if this is what you want to do. You are aware that the present odds-on favorite to break away from the pack and win the nomination is the one and only Richard Fiorucci, and he will only exit the race kicking and screaming like a wild man!

He should have been perceptive enough after being around her for so many years to expect her reaction to his not-so-subtle approach to warn her of the difficulties that would lie ahead. She simply and emphatically stated, That will only serve to make it more enjoyable!

Not as emphatic and somewhat patronizing, he stated, Then of course, honey, whatever we need to do to succeed in this new phase of our plan, please consider it done. You have my full support.

Unfortunately, your past actions have made this more difficult than it should be.

But how?

Well, the one area I failed to completely control was your public display of the never-ending parade of adoring bimbos. It leaves me with only one avenue to take in order to overcome this dilemma.

Don't know why you think we need a solution to a problem that you have successfully dealt with. You've managed to discredit just about all the missteps I've taken in this area.

You don't even know half of it. Many were stopped in a variety of ways before they publicly reached the light of day. Also, some measures had to be taken that dealt with some who were connected to them.

Did you ever stop to consider that in a strange small way this might have helped you with female voters? Some might have had sympathy for the woman scorned, while others might have respected you for standing by your man through all the bimbo lies.

Her neck began to get blotchy red as he laid out his self-indulging stupidity. Quite the contrary, we are living with a new generation of women. You catch your man cheating on you. There is no forgiveness. You kick his ass to the curb. A guy touches your body uninvited. You scream bloody hell to all that can and should hear you. Harassment is not to be tolerated at work, at home, in private, or in public. Your flirtatious behavior of making passes at anything that moves would not survive in this world. As it is, I'm still waiting for more shoes to drop regarding your reckless transgressions. Even the present half-wit POTUS used your past indiscretions against me when he invited a group of your former accusers to sit front and center at our last debate.

Darling, people saw right through that stunt. I don't think it swayed one woman to vote for him.

The blotches on her neck began to connect as her blood pressure rose. Once again, you're missing the point. True, he is so repulsive to most women voters, but he didn't have to win any of them over. Your past actions and my reaction to them turned off many women voters, period. His little stunt only served as a reminder of your disgusting behavior. Sure, they didn't vote for the imbecile, but many who were inclined to vote for a woman did not vote for me either. They chose to vote for no one on the ballot for president. The overwhelming edge my candidacy had as a woman was lost.

The best response he could come up with in his fake, exaggerated charming attempt of a Southern drawl was, Honey, you know you're my only true love, and everybody knows it.

His extraordinary ability to slip into any voice pattern on the campaign stump varied depending on the audience. He could sound like a Baptist preacher delivering a sermon one day and the next like a Midwest farmer talking about crops. This had always impressed her, but now it only disgusted her as she reached her full boiling point and, seething, responded, Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit! Even our own daughter doesn't buy into your bullshit. I wouldn't doubt if she was one of those women who left the ballot line for president blank!

But, honey—

Shut up and listen. Fortunately, you're too old to be of any use to anyone but me.

Flashing his slick smile, which only served to emphasize once again that he was not getting her drift, Jay said, Use me in whatever way that will most please you.

I'm so glad you feel that way. It makes what's about to happen so much easier.

What's about to happen? Are you talking about a ‘happy time' with this old coot? This was his favorite expression for their sexual encounters. Even though they were few and far between, the anticipation of it used to, in a strange way, excite her. It was a change of pace, but now the thought of it repulsed her more than his phony accents.

Finish your last drop of your special cognac. It's your last happy time.

As he emptied his glass, the daze that he felt when the evening began was now completely clouding his head. In a sleepy voice that he wasn't faking, he slurred, What's happening? Am I being frozen out of having sex with you?

Me and anyone else was her response and the last words he would ever hear.

Chapter 3

She had planned for this ending as meticulously as she did with every step in his rapid rise on the political scene. She thoroughly researched what drug could be administered over a long period of time and mask the impression of a heart attack while going unnoticed in an autopsy. Jay was well-known for being a fan of fast foods. Many times he drove his Secret Service team crazy with his insistence on stopping in at a McDonald's. He was never really in good shape and was one of the few who gained weight while being president. Add to that the fact that it was well-known what the effects of the stress of eight years in the office could have on a person. Many left with lesser and grayer hair than when they were initially sworn in. What wasn't as visible was the wear and tear absorbed by the inner body.

These two factors alone made him a likely candidate for a heart attack. Cindy just felt she would expedite the process to meet her needs. She began three months prior to slowly poison him. Over time, people began to notice subtle changes in Jay. His movement seemed unbalanced at times, and his speaking slipped in and out of sluggishness. He seemed to be laboring in all aspects and wasn't his sharp, witty self. His appetite decreased, and he started to lose noticeable weight. His face looked drained and began to take on an ashen color. He inadvertently helped solidify the success of Cindy's plan by claiming that nothing was wrong and refusing any medical attention.

Cindy always had to be the one in charge, the person who controlled all the decisions concerning the team. She would be the one to determine when his death would suit her best. She felt that now was the ideal moment for her to move back into the political arena. Her party was fractured by the wide range of political philosophies that were espoused by the numerous candidates on how the government should be run. Each candidate's ideology, if allowed to stand on its own, could not survive in a general election. One of her main selling points would be that she had already beaten the incumbent in the number of votes cast by a large margin. Cindy believed that she was the only one who could be accepted by all factions and savvy enough to get the majority of delegates to rally around her candidacy.

In addition, she realized Jay's past affairs were again coming back to haunt her, and she was actually losing her own politically correct filter on this topic. A previous sexual entanglement with an intern had resurfaced and was getting quite a bit of attention and support from the me-too movement. In a televised interview where her main objective was to stir interest in the possibility of her running again, she was blindsided by questions about the claims of this accuser. Cindy responded by resorting back to her natural tendency of dealing with people and verbally attacked the interviewer. When she finally caught herself, she tried to tone down the viciousness of her response with a poor attempt at humor and a phony, inappropriate Nixon-like smile. Unfortunately for her, the damage was done and could not be reversed during the interview.

With all this, she concluded that it was time to use her ace in the hole. This was the moment to increase the dosage to the fatal level, which would cause the mimicking of all the symptoms of a heart gone bad. It was her hope that his death would gain her enough sympathy to overcome the public's perception of her as the Ice Queen. How ironic that to mask the poison, the vehicle the Ice Queen chose was his Hennessy Ellipse cognac, which was presented to him at his proudest political moment.

Her plan was to use his death as her springboard into what was her strongest belief. A belief that would be the driving force behind every move she would now make. The belief of her sense of entitlement in the world of presidential politics.

Chapter 4

Jay always excelled at being a politician because he had an amazing natural talent to empathize with people. No matter if you talked to him one on one or listened to one of his speeches as part of a larger audience, you always left with the impression that he felt your pain. It didn't matter what the pain was.

Cindy, on the other hand, kept her innermost feelings locked up inside. She was unable to open up and share her true thoughts. She felt nobody's pain and made no effort to truly explore what others were feeling. When the situation actually called for her to show some feelings, they had to be first scripted, then rehearsed, before finally acting them out in her performance. The sudden death of her husband was no exception. She knew what feelings would be considered normal on this solemn occasion, and she had rehearsed them weeks prior like an actress would prepare for the opening night of a play.

Upon his death, she knew what steps had to be taken and in what order. First, she would shift into the role of the shocked and grieving wife. Her next step would be to summon the Secret Service staff from their stations in the front and rear of the mansion. They would be her first audience to be convinced of the deep personal pain she had suffered from finding her loving husband slumped over and unresponsive in his favorite chair.

Before beginning her performance, she glanced once more at her husband. She gave herself a long moment to reminisce about how the team of Jay and Cindy Brons was originally formed.

Jay Brons's and Cindy Grove's paths first crossed while they were both attending law school at Yale. Both had majored in political science as undergraduates. They were introduced by Jane Harmon, one of Cindy's housemates. Jane was an acquaintance of both of them and felt their similar interest in politics could spark an interest in each other. She was the residence's self-proclaimed expert on all topics. Even though Jane had no accomplishments in affairs of the heart, Cindy was willing to accept her invitation to meet Jay.

Jane couldn't have been more spot on, and now her expert reputation would be expanded to include matchmaker. What started out as a friendship moved to the two political junkies spending many an evening together talking the night away. Eventually, the discussions took on a more serious personal turn. The conversations moved from theories to implementation plans. They even went as far as to exchange views on how the right couple could team up to reach their highest political aspirations if they worked together.

Cindy emphasized that it would have to be a tightly knit partnership to successfully achieve their common goals. She kept it well hidden from the beginning of their relationship that with the exception of her roommate Carol, she trusted no one, not even Jay. Despite her uneasiness, the team of Jay and Cindy as a political force to be reckoned with was formed.

Surprisingly, the somewhat handsome playboy Jay was the one who pushed to legitimize the team through marriage. Once they graduated, he proposed to her, and she rejected him. A few weeks later, he made another attempt but got the same result. He couldn't figure out why she was so resistive. He had always based his relationships on looks, and in his humble opinion, which he was smart enough to keep to himself, he was a few levels above her in the looks department. He felt that she made no effort to change her everyday appearance. Cindy felt her looks fell right smack in the middle of ugly and beautiful and was quite content with that. She was a what you see is what you get kind of a gal.

She was also the forward-thinking one of the team, the realist and the planner. She was fully