Hold My Hand (Sequel to Saved: Adopted by Brendon Urie)

Chapter 31

By midmorning, there were cameras outside the hotel.

Brendon noticed them when he looked through the window.

Three television crews.

A photographer.

Two reporters standing behind the police barrier, talking into their phones.

Another van had just pulled up.

He stared at them for several seconds.

Then he closed the curtain.

His phone rang.

He didn't answer it.

It rang again.

Then again.

Finally, he picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Brendon."

His publicist.

He closed his eyes.

"Don't."

"I haven't said anything yet."

"I know what you're going to say."

"Then this will be easy."

"No."

A pause.

"There are already several major outlets running the story."

"I know."

"She's being identified as your daughter."

"I know."

"They're asking for a statement."

"No."

"They want an interview."

"No."

"Brendon—"

"No."

He walked away from the window.

"Not happening."

His publicist sighed.

"People are going to speculate if you don't say anything."

"Let them."

"They're already speculating."

"I don't care."

"They're asking whether this is connected to your career. Whether you've received a ransom demand. Whether you knew there was a threat against your family."

Brendon stopped.

"Have you told them anything?"

"Nothing."

"Good."

"I've told every outlet that the family isn't commenting while the police investigation is active."

"Keep saying that."

"There's more."

Brendon rubbed his face.

"What?"

"Someone is trying to sell photographs of Abby."

Everything inside him went still.

"What?"

"Old photographs. Nothing recent, as far as I know."

"Who?"

"We don't know yet."

"Stop them."

"We're trying."

"No."