A PERFECT RENDEZVOUS

Ruined Illusions

"I don't believe we have to go through this just to have some peace and privacy!" Harry cried in helpless exasperation late that afternoon as Ted flipped on the revolving lights and siren on his patrol car and floored it, racing away from his parents' house beneath the banner stretched across Main Street that read WELCOME HOME, HARRY, with the press in hot pursuit. "How am I ever going to teach my classes when I go back to work on Monday? When I went home today, I got mobbed by reporters before I could get inside the house. While I was in there, the phone never stopped ringing. Flossie and Ada Eldridge are in seventh heaven with all the excitement to watch and gossip about next door," Harry added tiredly.

"You've been back for over twelve hours without making a statement," Ted said, watching the cars that were tailing them in his rearview mirror.

Twelve hours, Harry thought. Twelve hours without a moment to spare to think of Zayn, to review the bittersweet memories, to recover his strength, to try to put his mind into some semblance of order. He'd slept badly and when he got out of bed, the FBI agents were already waiting in the living room to question him, and they hadn't finished until two hours ago. Katherine had phoned to suggest Harry come there, and they were on their way now, but he had an uneasy feeling Ted and Carl both intended to ask him questions at Katherine's that they hadn't wanted to ask in front of their parents. "Can't you get rid of those reporters," he said crossly. "There must be a hundred of them, and they're surely violating some sort of city ordinance."

"Mayor Addelson said they're arriving at the courthouse in droves now that word is out that you've returned, and they're demanding a statement from you. They're taking full advantage of their liberties under the first amendment, but they aren't breaking any city ordinances that I know of."

Harry twisted around in his seat and saw that most of the cars tailing them were staying even with Ted. "Pull over and give the whole bunch of them speeding tickets. We're going ninety miles an hour and so are they. Ted," he added, feeling suddenly limp with weariness, "I don't know how I'm going to stay sane if people don't leave me alone for a while so I can think and rest."

"If you're going to spend the night at Katherine's," he said, glancing in the rearview mirror, "you'll have plenty of time to sleep there after Carl and I hear what you have to say."

"If what you and Carl have in mind is another interrogation," Harry said shakily, recoiling from this indication that both brothers wanted more answers than the ones they'd heard at the dining room table last night, "I'm warning you, I'm not up to it."

"You're up to your ears in it, boy!" he said in a sharp tone he'd never used on Harry before. "I know it and so does Carl. So probably do Ingram and Tomlinson. I decided to have our talk at Katherine's today because she happens to live in the only house in Keaton with electric gates and a high fence to keep out our friends back there." As he spoke, they rounded a bend in the road, and he hit the brake, swung the steering wheel, and sent the squad car jolting and bumping up the Cahills' private drive, racing between the trees for the gates that were already opening up ahead, controlled from the house where there was a remote camera. Behind them, the cars loaded with reporters sailed passed the turnoff, but Harry was too unnerved by Ted's attitude to feel relieved. Carl's Blazer was already parked in the circular drive in front of the Cahills' sprawling brick mansion, but when Harry started to get out, Ted stopped him with his hand on Harry's arm.

"I think we'd better have part of our conversation now, in private." He turned toward Harry and stretched his arm across the back of the seat. "As your attorney, I cannot be forced to repeat anything you tell me. Carl doesn't have that immunity and Katherine certainly doesn't."

"Attorney? Did you pass your bar exams?"

"I haven't heard yet," he said curtly. "Let's just assume I did and consider lack of notification as a technicality for now."