Marcus MacFarland—Mark to his family, Mac to his friends—stared at the young television reporter in disbelief. "You want to do a segment on me?"
Anna Spiros, a reporter for Channel 8 News, nodded enthusiastically. "What you did, Mr. MacFarland, was quite extraordinary! Our viewers would love to see you, in your natural element, right here on the corner of Fourteenth and Elati, serving customers, and always ready to serve the public good. You're a hero! You show everyone that even ordinary citizens can save the day!"
"The boss ain't just an ordinary citizen," interrupted Rufus Headley. "He's a vet, like me, and more than that, he's a bona fided police detective too."
Spiros tried to ignore Rufus, which was difficult to do, since Rufus was trying to stand right in front of the camera and as close to her as possible. Anna glanced at the cameraman who was still adjusting his camera for the light conditions. "Back up a step, Jim, get the whole cart. Then you can zoom in for the close-ups." Spiros seemed ready to tell Rufus to get out of the shot, then apparently thought better of it. She positioned Rufus so he was behind and off to the right side of MacFarland. "Why don't you serve him a hot dog?" she suggested.
"I already ate my hot dog for today," said Rufus.
"I still haven't agreed to do this," added MacFarland.
Spiros was not the kind of woman who took no for an answer. "You're famous, Mr. MacFarland. You're an inspiration to thousands of people. The public has a right to know more about you. And I am here to help you get your fifteen minutes of fame."
MacFarland shrugged in resignation. "Alright, but make it quick," said MacFarland. "I got an important case to work on."
"Really?" said Spiros, her face brightening with interest. Then she saw the smirk between Rufus and MacFarland. Her jaw clenched in annoyance, but as the videographer lifted up his camera, her face softened into a broad on-camera smile.
"This is Anna Spiros with Channel 8 News, coming to you on the corner of Fourteenth and Elati in downtown Denver. I am with Mr. Mark MacFarland, the man who nearly single-handedly broke open the Mountain Trails Child Trafficking prostitution ring. When Mr. MacFarland is not out saving our children from a tragic life of prostitution, he can be found here, across the street from the Lindsy-Flanigan Courthouse, where later this week the perpetrators of this sex ring will be indicted for their crimes. Crimes which range from child trafficking to arson, and…" She paused for effect. "…to murder."
"Mr. MacFarland, what first alerted you to the fact that children were being put into danger at the Mountain Trails Summer Camp?"
MacFarland wasn't sure whether he should look at Spiros or at the cameraman, so he stared at the ground. "A homeless teenager told me that someone she knew went missing," he said. "I guess that was the beginning of it all."
"What made you suspect that Norris Peterson, one of Denver’s wealthiest land developers, was involved in the child pornography ring?"
MacFarland stared at her for a moment. There was a lot he could say, but instead, he just held back. "It was just one of those things, you know. Instinct. Or maybe it was when I found out that Peterson's money was behind the summer camp. Norris Peterson was the kind of man who soiled everything he touched. I didn't know he had anything to do with Mountain Trails, but I wasn't surprised when I found out."
"As you are aware Mr. Peterson was brutally murdered right here in the Detention Center. Do you have any idea who might have wanted him killed?"
"Besides me, you mean?" asked MacFarland. "Lots of people. Or maybe it was just the gang members he betrayed, which is what the Denver Police think. I don't know who killed him or why. I am just glad that he paid for his crimes. All of them."
The interview went on for a few more minutes, most of which Anna Spiros would later edit out of the on-air interview. In fact, when the segment finally did air, very little of what MacFarland had said was included.
After Spiros and her cameraman left, Rufus held out his hand. "Where's that hot dog you was going to make for me?"
"You already had one," said MacFarland.
"Yeah, but the TV lady said you should make me another one."
"That was just for show, Rufus. Besides, she's gone."
Rufus looked disappointed. "Does that mean I don't get another hot dog?"
"You really want another hot dog?"
"Sure boss, it's almost lunch time. All that interviewing made me hungry."
MacFarland sighed and pulled another bun out of the warmer. He grabbed his tongs and plopped a hot dog onto the bun. It was almost lunchtime and time for the tide of jurors who streamed out of the courthouse looking for a quick and cheap lunch. Most of those who ventured across Fourteenth Avenue went over to Sidney Morgan's cart. Morgan offered a wider range of hot dog varieties than MacFarland did. In addition, Morgan's stepdaughter, Felicity—"not Morgan, that’s my stepdad, I’m Felicity Davenport"—was working today, and many of the younger male customers preferred to buy their hot dogs from the attractive high school student.
Even so, MacFarland soon found himself with a huge surge of customers to deal with. As long as MacFarland was preparing hot dogs and bratwursts for his customers, he didn't have time to think about the television interview or the case he had just helped solve. He focused on pleasing his customers, even when some of them commented about his prior television appearance, when a lucky cameraman had captured him on video at the airport tackling Samuel Morgenstern, one of the persons involved in Peterson's child trafficking operation. MacFarland had avoided being interviewed at that time, but he now realized that Anna Spiros would probably combine today's interview with the earlier footage to make a more compelling news broadcast.
The last thing MacFarland wanted was publicity. He much preferred quiet obscurity.