The Author Pt. 10

"No, I've got to go get under the microscope. If I'm not there by morning at the latest, the Press is going to start wondering where I am." Bill said and took his leave.

Arriving home three hours, and many more back roads later, he walked past the three reporters who got the short stick and the night shift. Ignoring the shouted questions he entered the house and found Jennifer sitting in the living room.

"I thought you would be at home." Bill said in greeting as he sat next to her.

"I was, then I watched the interview." Jennifer held his hand tightly obviously stressed and upset. "I didn't want him dead Bill."

"I know, it's not your fault. It's not my fault. He did it on his own." Bill answered.

"The Circle B?" Jennifer asked.

"I've talked to James, last time for a couple months, and he's filled in." Bill said rubbing his face.

"I don't think I can do the Press gauntlet in the morning, so much has happened." Jennifer said.

"I know, take a couple days off, at least until the initial flurry dies down." Bill said.

Jennifer leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I love you Bill."

"I love you too, tell Monica I'm all right and I'll call her in a day or two." Bill said. "I'm going to get some sleep."

Jennifer rose and walked out of the house ignoring the press as she got in her own car and drove off. A reporter followed her, but Jennifer had a plan, and used her expired student parking permit sticker for the college to ditch the reporter in Student parking. Then she went to her apartment and felt guilty for abandoning Bill when he really needed her.

Bill walked upstairs and collapsed into bed. Two long days and two short nights were too damn much. As he lay down, he plugged in his cell phone, in the process of which he brushed the power button, activating the phone.

In the morning, his ringing cell phone woke him first. He answered without thinking about what was going on. "Hello?"

"Bill Darling. I've been hoping to reach you. Last night was brilliant. Today's editorials are all trumpeting the difficulty of our public figures in just maintaining any privacy. They are outraged that Jeremy Lyons could lie about you and force you to take these extreme measures to maintain your name." His publisher started without preamble.

"The morning shows are full of you, and if you don't get off your ass and start to capitalize on this I swear I'm going to pitch a complete fit over it."

Bill stood up and walked to the spare room, he took a moment and looked out the window and saw three TV news vans and about twenty photographers and reporters. "Well it looks like the Press is trying to destroy my lawn now Molly. I need a shower and a quick shave. Some coffee would be nice too. Do you think the publicity could wait thirty minutes?"

"I suppose, send Jennifer out there and have her entertain them while you do your morning thing." Mary said.

"Jennifer's is taking some time off, to avoid the public nightmare that is my front lawn." Bill said.

"Bill, get her back, quick. You need her to look lovely and supportive. Now go and get ready to face them." Molly demanded hanging up without another word.

Bill sighed and turned towards the shower. While in his shower his phone rang again and it was Molly again. "Bill we think you should express condolences for his family, he had some right? And we think you should express your support for cops. Something about the thin blue line between the barbarians and civilization."

"Molly, I'm in the shower." Bill said frustrated.

"Put me on speaker then. Damn it Bill, hurry. A waiting press gets surly and we don't want an angry press corps. Is there anyway to cater some coffee and donuts to them?"

Bill hit the speaker button and began banging his head on the wall of the shower.

"Bill you don't have time for that, whatever that is. Damn boy hurry." Molly said as she continued to brief him.

Bill rubbed the razor over his face. The buzzing of the electric razor drowning out Molly's instructions for the time being. Turning the razor off he found Molly was still talking as if there hadn't been an interruption.

"And keep harping on the fact that the investigation is closed on you. Then tell them again about your book coming out in paperback next week, and you're pending new hardback mystery. Give some hints about how hard you're working on it. You are working on it aren't you Bill?" Molly asked.

"Yes Molly." Bill answered buttoning his shirt.

"OK, I guess that covers it." Molly said. "I'll be watching. Don't make me call and interrupt you."

Bill combed his hair and pulled it back into a ponytail. Sighing he walked downstairs to the smell of coffee.

In the kitchen he found a pot of fresh coffee ready for him. Turning to the hallway he found Jennifer in the office going over the mail.

"Jennifer." Bill said surprised.

"Good Morning Bill, coffee in the kitchen, and the ghouls of the fourth estate all over the lawn." Jennifer said. "Nothing else at the moment. Just getting started on the mail though."

"I didn't think you were coming in. I thought that you were taking some time. I know you don't want to be here." Bill said.

"I don't want to be here. But I'm your administrative assistant, and your little sex slave, so this is where I'm supposed to be." Jennifer said with a small knowing smile.

Bill nodded and said. "Thanks, I really appreciate it."

Jennifer nodded back. "Go get some coffee in you and then get that shit off the lawn will you?"

Bill laughed as he turned towards the kitchen. He was starting to think that this might just be bearable. What had seemed like an impossible task, going out to face the press, was now a task he could handle. Jennifer was here, and Monica would be soon. With them at his side, he always felt like he could conquer the world.

Taking a long drink of coffee, he squared his shoulders and walked out the door to the shouted questions of the various reporters. Holding his hands up for some semblance of calm he started. "Ladies and Gentlemen, if you'll allow me to make a brief statement, I'll take your questions."

Jennifer stood behind him inside the house, panic was almost welling up inside her, but she and Monica had talked, and they had decided that Jennifer needed to be here; someone had to take care of him.

Monica watched the news in her office, and smiled as Bill played the press just about perfectly. He had a twinkle in his eye that meant Jennifer was there. Monica had seen that twinkle in his eye only when either of them was near Bill. He loved them, and she knew it.

James welcomed the guests to the Circle B later that afternoon, Monica called and explained she wouldn't be in this weekend, and why. James understood, Monica's master came first. In a few months, when things were normal, whatever normal was. He expected Monica and Jennifer to both ask to be collared by Bill. They made a nice group.

Bill went back to work on his book. Leaving the house phone off the hook for a few more days. Jennifer spent the day answering Bill's fan mail, and freeing his mind from the minutia so he could create a mystery that would be solved in the end. That is what his job was, and how he earned his living. Monica had said on the phone that he was the author of their story too. Jennifer liked that, especially since he wrote a pretty good book.

The End?