The Price of Fame - KJ1 Page 12
Ten minutes later they were standing outside a tidy little home located in one of the quieter sections of the city. Kate knocked on the door, the others hanging back a little. She introduced herself, explaining who was with her and asking if they might come in. The woman of the house, a short, stocky brunette with graying temples, ushered them all into a neat but well-used living room.
She and her husband sat on the couch and motioned Kate and the others to take seats on the loveseat and recliner. As soon as they were seated and Gene had the camera rolling, the couple began to cry. Wiping his eyes after a few moments, the man looked up at Phil and Gene, finally settling his gaze on Jay.
“You’ll have to forgive my wife and me, you see, our Joey just died this morning. He was only eight years old.”
There was a stunned silence in the room. Kate motioned to the cameraman to turn the camera off. Crossing the room, she knelt before both of the grieving parents. From where she was sitting, Jay could see tears in her eyes. “I didn’t know, I’m so sorry. He seemed so strong. I want you to know that he was very brave in there; he didn’t cry at all, and even smiled. He told me how much he was looking forward to going to a baseball game with you. I don’t know what to say.”
“Ms. Kyle, we wanted to thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
They each had a hold of one of Kate’s hands, but it was the wife who spoke this time. “Joey was so excited that he got a chance to meet you, it was all he talked about. He told us how you told him stories and kept him from being afraid. You were a great comfort to him and for that we are more grateful than we can say.” The woman turned to Jay. “We want to 94
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make sure you put in your story what an angel Ms. Kyle was. We want you to tell that story to the world so that everyone will know that she was a hero to our little boy.”
“I will,” Jay promised. She was so proud of her friend at that moment. She marveled at Kate’s sensitivity and willingness to sacrifice the story rather than exploit the family’s grief. And she began to understand a little bit about the scope of what the incredible woman had done that night.
They bid their farewells, Kate taking down the information about the funeral, which was to be Wednesday morning; she wanted to be there.
Once they were back in the car, the producer complained, “Kate, we can’t shut the camera down when it gets emotional like that or we won’t have any material to work with. That was great stuff.”
“It’s my call, Phil.” Blue eyes flashed dangerously. “And there is no way in hell that I’m going to take advantage of pain like that just to get a story. It was too personal, too raw. For God’s sake, the kid just died this morning. Gene and I are going to get some footage of the funeral on Wednesday, don’t worry.”
Phil wisely didn’t answer and the remainder of the short ride to the station was made in silence. Once inside, the anchorwoman went directly to her desk to look over the copy for the 11:00 newscast. The writer took that opportunity to pull Gene aside and talk to him about her subject.
It quickly became quite clear to Jay that the cameraman was in love with Kate; it was written all over his face and in the way he spoke about her. The writer felt a rising surge of jealousy and fought hard to keep it from showing. Gene had been working with her friend since she first came to the station, and he shared many stories with her about some of the more interesting assignments they’d been on. Some of them were humorous, and some were downright horrifying, like the explosion.
When they were through talking, Jay felt she had a much better sense of Kate as a journalist.
At 10:56 p.m., Kate came over to where Jay was grilling one of her favorite editors. Leaning down menacingly toward the diminutive tape jockey she said, “No telling tales out of school or I’ll have you back cutting commercials for toilet paper and tampons.” The editor only laughed and winked at Jay. Turning, the anchorwoman said, “If you want to see the magic of television, you’d better come with me now.”
Obediently, Jay rose and followed her subject through the labyrinth of offices and corridors to the set. Kate showed her to a seat just out of camera range and gave her an earpiece so that she could hear what the anchorwoman heard. From that vantage point, Jay could watch the anchors, the director and producer in the booth off to the side, the cameras and the teleprompters. The writer watched the newscast unfold 95
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in wonder as each member of the team did his or her job, and the end result appeared to be seamless.
Although Jay knew that her friend had been shaken deeply by the earlier visit with Joey’s family, there was no sign of it in her performance. She marveled as Kate looked directly into one camera while reading without seeming to be, then shifted to another without losing the thread of her thought, the director relaying instructions into her ear all the while. The writer couldn’t understand how she could keep track of it all.
On the breaks, new pieces of copy were handed to the anchors and instructions given as to where to insert the words and what to delete to keep the newscast on time. The anchors were also informed whether the newscast was running over or under time at any given point and whether they would have to speed things up, drop things, or fill time. Reporters came and went on the set, along with the meteorologist and the sportscaster. All in all, it was a whirlwind of activity.
When it was over, Jay let out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding. Kate joked around with some of the crew and then came to get her friend. “Well, what did you think?” she asked as she took the earpiece out of her ear and collected Jay’s as well.
“I think you’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met.” Getting no response except for a single raised eyebrow, she added, “Objectively speaking, of course.”
“Of course,” Kate laughed. “What do you say we call it a night? I’m beat and Fred is so excited that you’re coming he broke out a new tennis ball.”
“Who could turn down an enticing prospect like Fred waiting with a nice, slimy ball?” Jay threw her head back and chortled.
True to form, the playful golden was waiting at the door for his mistress and her affectionate friend, tennis ball in mouth. As soon as his mother had crossed the threshold, he began weaving in and out of her legs, his tail wagging, all the while making noises that sounded like Chewbacca, the Wookie from Star Wars.
Jay shook her head. “What is that racket?”
The tall woman looked at the 73 pounds of dog fur between her legs.
“Fred, apparently your friend doesn’t know talking when she hears it.”
She paused while the beast continued his welcome home ritual. “What’s that?” She bent her ear to him. “We should forgive her this time? You’re too easy, buddy.” She gave him a few more scratches in just the right places and sent him on to the next hapless victim.
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Jay quickly got the idea that if she didn’t make space between her legs for Fred, he was going to do it for her. “You are too much, my boy.”
To her human friend she said, “So it’s okay for him to get between my legs on the second date, but not to kiss me on the first date? What kind of manners are you teaching this teenager?”
Kate laughed and pushed her guest ahead of her into the kitchen, wisely choosing not to answer. “Are you hungry or thirsty?”
“Neither, just whipped.”
“Mmm, me too, it’s been a heck of a long day. May I show you to your quarters, m’lady?”
“Why, yes, madam, that would be lovely.” Jay let her friend guide her by the elbow upstairs to the guest suite, where she deposited her suitcase.
“I hope you’ll find the accommodations at this hotel more than satisfactory, miss. There is a customer service survey that you can fill out at the end of your stay so that we can work to improve our performance.
Should you need anything, please feel free to call the front desk.”
Her guest smiled. “Has anyone
ever told you you’re a nut?”
“Yes,” her companion deadpanned, “but no one who has lived to tell about it. Now, about the activities available to you at this resort...tomorrow morning—er, make that this morning,” she said, glancing at her watch. “At 8:00 a.m. sharp the workout facilities will be open in the basement. At exactly 9:01 a.m. a run will commence from the front steps. Breakfast is served, should you choose to skip the continental breakfast, at approximately 10:00 a.m. in the main kitchen. You may shower at your leisure.”
“Wow. I guess this really is a full-service hotel.”
“You have no idea,” Kate grinned wickedly at her friend and winked.
No, Jay thought, but I’m dying to find out. Out loud, she said, “Is there a personal fitness trainer that goes with the workout and run?”
“Of course. What kind of second-rate dive do you think we’re running here?”
“Well then, all of those activities appeal to me, so I guess that means I’ll be at the gym doors when they open at 8.”
“My able assistant and I look forward to your presence. Until then, please enjoy the hospitality and sleep well.” The mistress of the house turned on her heel, summoning Fred, who had made himself quite comfortable on the floor at the side of the bed. Reluctantly, with a sidelong glance in his new friend’s direction, he followed his human out of the room.
In her own room, Kate shed her clothes as she headed to the bathroom. She splashed her face with ice-cold water, hoping that would cure her of the fervent desire to kiss Jay senseless. She wasn’t sure how she was going to make it through these next few days; keeping 97
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professional distance from that gorgeous woman down the hall was proving to be damn near impossible for her.
Still, she was determined to play this by Jay’s rules, and she had no intention of inviting any more rejections of her affectionate overtures.
She was surprised, truthfully, at how much that gentle rebuke had hurt.
Shaking her head to clear it, she set the alarm for 5:15 a.m. It was already 12:25 a.m., and it was going to be a short night for her, but she had an appointment to keep at 6:00 a.m. and she couldn’t be late.
Down the hall, Jay finished unpacking her clothes and toiletries.
Biting her lip, she had to fight hard the urge to sneak down the hall and crawl into bed with the blue-eyed knockout she just couldn’t seem to get enough of. No, she didn’t think that would qualify as professional detachment somehow; instead, she took a quick cold shower and put on her sleepwear, going to the bed and turning down the covers. What she found there caused her to laugh out loud in delighted surprise.
Sitting underneath the covers were three original issue Green Lantern comic books and a flashlight. The note taped to the first cover read: “In case you have trouble sleeping, I thought you might enjoy these. Sweet dreams, Princess. See you in the morning. K.”
That woman is just too much. Is there anything she doesn’t think of?
Jay scooped up the comics, turned on the flashlight, turned out the light and settled down to read The Adventures of the Green Lantern.
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CHAPTER TEN
t precisely 7:58 a.m., a disheveled-looking blonde appeared in Athe kitchen, smiling when she caught sight of the coffee, tea, and choices of orange, tomato, and grape juice on the counter. She picked up the note: “Good morning, sunshine, I wasn’t sure which was your poison, so I thought I’d cover my bases. After all, this is a five-star resort. Follow the light to your right and open the door to a world of total fitness. K.”
Jay turned to the right and noticed an open door leading to a set of stairs. She was struck immediately by a sense of déjà vu as she descended. From above, she had a perfect view of a well-equipped gym and a magnificent body in a pair of short running shorts and a cropped tshirt, perfectly sculpted abdominal muscles glistening with sweat. She smiled as she thought about the last time she had seen that particular sight, the very first time, in fact, that she had ever laid eyes on Kate so many years ago in school.
Jay whistled tunelessly as she cut through the cemetery on her way to the field house. She needed a break from the paper she was working on and she thought going for a nice, long swim might be just the thing to help distract her for a while. Open swim would be going on for another hour or so, so she took her time.
She wandered past the doors to the basketball court, down the corridor with coaches’ offices lining either side, and took the stairs to the second floor. She started toward the women’s locker room at the end of the hallway, but something caught her eye. She backed up and looked in the glass at the newly remodeled weight room. The facility housed several circuits of Nautilus equipment, free weights, treadmills, and stationery bikes. But what the young co-ed noticed was the lone figure lying prone on the chest press bench, lifting an enormous amount of weight without so much as a grimace. The woman had her back to the window, but Jay could see her quite clearly in the mirror on the opposite 99
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wall. The weightlifter wore only a sports bra and a pair of short running shorts. The muscles in her chest were prominent and her abdominals were well toned. Wow, she thought. That is the most magnificent creature I have ever laid eyes on.
Still is, Jay sighed. “You have a complete Nautilus circuit in your basement?”
“Well, what kind of five-star resort would this be without one?”
“You have a point there. Good morning, Kate, thanks for the coffee and juice, by the way.”
“You’re quite welcome. Did you sleep well?”
“I made it through one and a half comics before I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. Where in the world did you find those, anyway?”
“I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you. And I hate to be violent so early in the morning, it interrupts my routine.”
“You have lost your mind,” her guest laughed, noticing that her friend’s gaze was glued to a television strategically placed on a wall that could be seen from every machine. Reaching the bottom step, she guffawed, “You mean to tell me you’re watching reruns of Charlie’s Angels?”
“Naturally, what else would you work out to?”
“Is that why the workout is scheduled at precisely 8:00 a.m. and the run at 9:01? I wondered about the timing.”
“It might be,” Kate pretended to be defensive.
“Okay, favorite angel.”
“That’s easy, Farrah Fawcett; Cheryl Ladd was a close second.”
“No, no, you’ve got it all wrong; Jaclyn Smith had it all over those two.”
“Hey, to each her own, missy. Most disappointing development?”
“Simple, losing Cheryl and Kate and adding Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts.”
“Can’t disagree with you there, that’s for sure.”
Having settled that critical piece of business, the “fitness trainer”
handed her guest a set of workout gloves and the two women set about their routines. It wasn’t easy, since each had one eye on the other and the second on the television where Farrah was chasing down one of the bad guys on a racetrack in her Mustang. Kate had to work hard to keep from drooling at her workout partner, who was appealingly tousled and wore a form-fitting sleeveless workout top and a brief pair of nylon shorts. Good Lord, Kate thought to herself. As if I wasn’t having enough trouble controlling my libido. Well, I could always blame it on Farrah if my drool starts to show.
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She helped Jay adjust the machines to fit her stature and tried to refrain from making too many short jokes in the process. The petite blonde only called her companion “Stretch” once, and they considered that they were even. At 8:58 a.m. as the credits rolled, the hostess turned off the television and gestured for her friend to precede her up the stairs.
The two spent several minutes stretching side by side before heading to the front door.
Once
on the street, the writer thought to ask, “Just how far are we going, anyway?”
“I usually go five miles, but we can go shorter or longer as you like.
What’s your pleasure?”
It took much self-control for Jay not to tell the blue-eyed woman exactly what her “pleasure” would be right then, as it sure as shooting wasn’t in keeping with the phrase “professional detachment.” Out loud she said, “Five is fine.” In truth, that was her usual distance, as well, and she was inordinately glad that she had kept up with her fitness regimen since college; matching Kate’s long stride was going to be no mean feat.
The long-legged woman led them through tree-lined streets and onto a path that followed along the Mohawk River. Along the way, she pointed out spots of interest and explained a bit about the history of the area.
“It’s beautiful, Kate, I can only imagine what it’s like when the leaves are changing in the fall.”
Before she could think about what it meant, Kate said, “Guess you’ll just have to see for yourself, then.”
Jay felt a happy thrill go up her spine at the prospect. “Yes, I guess I will,” she smiled up at her companion.
As they looped around to head back toward the house, a man appeared out of the shadow of a large oak tree, brandishing a long butcher knife and waving it at the anchorwoman menacingly. His eyes glazed and spittle forming at the corners of his mouth, he didn’t seem to take any notice of the other runner. In one easy move, Kate put herself between the man and Jay.
“I told you you were going to be mine, cunt, and I meant it. All those nights you been taunting me in my livin’ room, begging me to take you.
Well, here I am, are you ready?”
Jay was frightened beyond words, but her mind registered that the maniac knew exactly who her friend was. How did he know she would be there at this moment? He must have been watching her. The thought made her blood run cold.
Needing to buy them some time and keep him as far away from them as she could, Kate addressed her assailant as her mind flashed on the thought that being confronted by him might set off Jay’s memories of 101