When Eliza arrived at work Monday morning, Paige greeted her with the news that Entertainment Tonight had called and wanted to see if she would do an interview about the episode at the Bronx Zoo over the weekend.
“Absolutely not,” Eliza replied. “That’s the last thing I need. More publicity. I don’t want anyone else out there getting any crazy ideas.”
“The producer told me they are doing the story whether you talk with them or not. They know that our camera crew got pictures. They want to know if they can have a dub of those, too, and credit KEY News for their usage,” Paige said timidly.
A deep sigh heaved from Eliza’s chest. This whole thing was getting to her. She noticed she had selected the most conservative suit she owned to wear this morning. She felt vulnerable and exposed.
“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Eliza said with determination. “And I’ll be damned if I’ll supply then sound bites for them.” She would go to Yelena Gregory if she had to, but the chaotic video the crew had shot outside the World of Darkness was not going to make air. Janir crying and holding on to her mother, James Feeney’s solemn little face. Hell would freeze over before Eliza would let that tape be seen. She didn’t give a fig in this case about the journalistic troth or the public’s right to know. Was she being a hypocrite? Perhaps. But she didn’t care.
Paige scribbled a note on her pad and glanced at the call log. “Mr. Connelly has called twice this morning already.”
“Okay. Get him on the phone for me, please, Paige.” Eliza walked toward her office and turned to her assistant. “And Paige? Happy Columbus Day. I’m sorry I had to make you come in to work today.”
“This guy Meat’s fingerprints cleared. The criminal judge set a measly one-thousand-dollar bail and his mother came over and got him out. But at least the civil court judge issued a temporary restraining order against him until the case goes to court. He can’t come within five hundred feet of you.”
“All this happened on a holiday weekend?” Eliza asked incredulously, pulling tensely on the telephone cord.
“Yeah. These things can be arranged when you put the pressure on.”
“How long until it comes to court?”
“Don’t know for sure. It might be a couple of months.”
Eliza digested his words but felt no less worried. “And who’s to say that he’ll obey the restraining order?”
Connelly hesitated. “We don’t know for sure. But we still have the security detail on you, Eliza.”
Neither of them said what they were thinking.
The security detail had been there at the zoo, too.