Can subliminal advertising be used to corrupt a presidential election? It’s not too late to start reading Freeze Frame to find out.

Advertising executives Darcy James and Sean Higgins are hunted by the police for a murder they didn’t commit.

The pair have returned to Detroit from northern Michigan, where they discovered the secret of the mysterious DVD people have been dying over: it contains a subliminal message designed to urge voters to elect Niles Van Buhler, third party candidate who’s actually fronting for a Mexican drug cartel. The message was hidden in a TV commercial produced by Darcy’s advertising agency that has been seen by millions of viewers.

We pick up the story in Darcy’s own words …

Chapter 66

"What the hell are you doing here?"

My ex-husband, the cop, stood in the doorway of his apartment wearing a white tee shirt, blue jeans and an astonished expression.

"Don't make us stand in the hall." I breezed past him, looking over my shoulder to see Garry move aside to let Sean enter behind me.

"You two are crazy." Garry checked out the hallway before closing the door.

"If we aren't, we will be by the time this thing's over," I said. "Garry, this is Sean Higgins."

"I've seen his picture."

Neither offered his hand. It was obvious Sean felt uneasy meeting my ex-husband.

"Aren't you going to invite us to sit down?" I didn’t wait, plopping down on the brown leather sofa against the wall. Given the evidence we had, I admit I felt a bit cocky.

From the couch, I saw most of downtown Detroit through the picture window. The room itself: genuine Garry. Besides the sofa, the only furniture was a recliner chair and an entertainment center with its large-screen television. I guessed the total contents of his refrigerator were probably a partial six-pack of beer and leftovers from his last pizza.

"Do you understand how much trouble you're in? Every police officer in town is looking for you, and more than a few would just as soon have you dead as alive."

"Garry," I said, "we can not only prove our innocence, but have evidence that next week’s Presidential election has been compromised."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"That DVD with the Avion commercial on it. Caponi and Cato were killed over it."

Garry looked at Sean. "The jury’s still out on Cato. What about the DVD?"

"We found out why Caponi and Cato were murdered, and why Manny Rodriguez was beaten."

Sean jumped in. "There's a subliminal message on the DVD."

"A what?"

“Every twenty-ninth frame of the commercial contains a printed message. VanBuhler's name and the word 'leadership.'"

"This is the same DVD I watched in your conference room? I didn't see any subliminal message. Just broads in bikinis and a car on the beach."

"That's the point," I said. "With the words appearing every twenty-ninth frame, the human eye doesn't see it, at least consciously. It registers in the subconscious."

"It's registering like pure BS to me."

"The CIA and FBI have conducted studies on the effects of subliminal projection for years, Garry. It's very real to them."

"What did you say the message was? Something about VanBuhler and leadership?"

"The election’s days away,” I said. “Someone's making sure Niles VanBuhler gets elected. If we're going to stop them, we have precious little time."

My ex-husband listened as Sean and I took turns explaining the events of the past week. We covered the confrontations with Bacalla at Adams & Benson, the chase that ended with the shooting of the policeman and, finally, the killings at LakeManuka.

“And who do you think is behind all this?" The note of skepticism in Garry’s voice rang like a bad chord.

Till now, I hadn't told anyone about the conversation on Sid Goldman’s patio, or about his granddaughter's picture. But it was going to take all the ammunition we had to convince Garry, so I told the story, complete with details.

"I gotta be honest with you," Garry said, "if it wasn't you telling me this story, Darcy, I'd run you both downtown right now."

"Garry, the DVD we're talking about is down in the car," I said. "We have proof."

"Proof? That's no proof. Anyone in your business could make that disc. You could have done it to create an alibi."

"Garry, somebody's trying to mess with the government of this country, and you..."

"Darcy, it doesn't matter what I believe. Besides everything else that’s gone on, you two are accused of killing a cop. There are people with a hell of a lot of power putting on pressure to find you at any cost."

"The election's an eye blink away. What will convince you?"

"It's not me you have to convince."

"What about Robert Bacalla?" Sean asked. "Have you checked him out?"

Garry grimaced. Sean had struck a nerve.

"Well?" I asked.

"Bacalla's in Washington."

"Washington?" I couldn't believe it. "He’s a murder suspect. What the hell's he doing in Washington?"

"He was a suspect. But after you two split, VanBuhler's people started applying pressure to get the judge to set bail. The fact that you two disappeared helped their case immensely. We held both of them...Bacalla and Roland. We checked records, prints, everything. Nothing suspicious on either. Roland was even decorated in the Gulf War.”

"If they’re out on bail, isn't there a limit on how far they can go?" asked Sean.

"Technically, yes."

"Technically? What do you mean, technically?" Now I was shouting.

"VanBuhler's people again. Rumors say this time it came from the top. Both men got orders back to Washington."

"And you didn't stop them?"

“No one downtown asks my opinion. The Chief and I aren’t exactly drinking buddies.”

"So now, you're going to arrest us?" Sean said it more like a challenge than a question.

"You think I've got another choice, lay it on me.”

"Help us check out Bacalla and Roland," I said. "I’m sure they not only committed multiple murders, including two phony suicides, but they're deeply involved in the conspiracy."

"I'll consider it," Garry said. "Meanwhile, as long as you're here, you'd better eat something.

"There's beer and part of a pizza in the fridge."

Next month: Darcy hopes to convince her ex-husband to cooperate with them in proving to authorities that the upcoming presidential election is being corrupted by a group of terrorists working for a Mexican drug cartel. Check in next month to see what happens. Or, simply purchase Freeze Frame on Kindle. For info on Dave’s new thriller, Dead Lock, go to YouTube and enter: B. David Warner. And visit www.bdavidwarner.com for the first two chapters.