Chapter 15
"I guess I got you into this mess," she said.
He pulled her closer to him, "I don't think we'll have to worry about things like this again. That's why I called Paul first. In about 2 hours, his papers are going to hit the street and a lot of people are going to have to do a lot of explaining."
"What's going to happen to the two men?"
"They're going to go to jail for a long time. They don't think so right now, but I have a way to make sure it happens."
Ann got up and held out her hand for him. He started to get up but she guided him down so that he was lying on the sofa. She lay in front of him and snuggled back against him. Roy pulled the throw over them. He put his arm over her and held her.
"I'm sorry that man touched me. You are the only man that I ever want to touch me."
"Ann I'm just happy that you're safe. You couldn't control that."
She took his hand and put it on her breast, "I'm glad you got Thor for me. He saved our lives."
Within a few minutes both of them were asleep. The events of the preceding night had exhausted them.
When they woke up, it was almost noon. Thor had pulled his bed over to the door and was blocking the door with his body. He apparently thought that he had let Ann down and that he would never allow the door to be opened again by anyone meaning to do her harm. After that day the bed would be in front of the door every morning no matter where she put the bed at night. Finally Ann put the dog's bed in front of the door when she went to sleep every night.
They got up and showered together. After they got dressed, Roy drove them into town. He pulled into the parking lot of the newspaper; he couldn't find a parking place. They walked around the building and were immediately mobbed by reporters trying to get an interview. Paul saw them outside and came out and grabbed them and pulled them into his office.
"Boy, you sure know how to stir up a hornet's nest. The police were ordered by the FBI to let the two that broke into your home go. My paper hit the street just as the men were walking out of the police station. They had to run outside and arrest them again. They've been charged with breaking and entering, destruction of property, assault, assault by touching and giving false reports. After I run a transcript of the tape in the next issue there will probably be a few more charges."
"What about Brainerd?" Roy asked.
"He's been relieved of his duties pending an investigation. He could be facing a court-marshal."
"You'd better keep on top of that. They'll probably try to force him to retire. That's the way the military disciplines generals."
"I already thought of that. The Pentagon is holding a press conference this afternoon at 4. The first question that the AP is going to ask is about Brainerd and if they are going to just allow him to retire. The AP is also going to ask the same question at the next White House briefing. I think General Brainerd is going to go to jail."
"Watch out for the two men that broke into my house. If they're sentenced to jail, make sure they go to jail. What they might do is go through the trial and sentencing and then just make them disappear. They'll be spending their days on some island in the South Pacific. It's been done before."
A man forced his way through the people in the office and walked into Paul's office. He introduced himself as a Special Agent of the FBI.
"Wait a minute," Roy said, "before you go spouting what you want me to do and what you warn me not to say, I think you should listen to me first. First off, there is a letter in a safe deposit box that a friend of mine has. The letter lists all the shady weapons financing, the giving of sensitive technology to dictators around the world, the kickbacks to the politicians by the defense contractors and a lot of other nice things the newspapers would like to know. The letter has 28 pages and lists people, the money and where it came from and photocopies of the transfers. Tell your big boys that if my wife or I dies or is hurt in any way, the letter will be distributed to the news organizations. If I even get a traffic ticket, I'm going to assume that you had something to do with it. All I'm asking is to be let alone. If that happens, there will be no talking to the press and everyone will live happily ever after. Now get out of here and deliver the message."
The agent looked at Roy for a minute without speaking and then turned and walked out of the office.
Paul let out a deep breath, "There's no letter is there?"
"No, but they don't know that. Do me a favor and print something about a rumor of a letter floating around. You'll know how to word it."
" I don't think you know what you've done with this story. I sold out the issue in about 15 minutes. I'm working everyone overtime and I've already printed twice the number of papers that I usually print. The phones are jumping off the hook with people that want to subscribe. My salesman can't keep up with the businesses that want advertising space. I've had inquiries about selling the paper and AP wants to have one of their people sitting in my office in case anything else breaks."
"How about going outside and tell that mob that I'll make a statement in 15 minutes. Then I can sneak out the back door."
Paul went to the door and made the announcement. There was a lot of
pushing and shoving as every reporter wanted to ask his special
question. Paul closed the Venetian blinds and Roy and Ann snuck out of
the back door. They made it to their car and pulled out of the parking
lot.