Noble Causes

Chapter 5

Kim and I made our way to the BBC studios in West London under police escort and accompanied by private security as paparazzi trailed us. I spent most of the trip talking to Edward's brother Douglas. He had been interviewed on television before but this was different. I did my best to calm his nerves even though I still had no real idea of what I was going to say anymore. My stomach was in knots and I couldn't get the image of Edward crying in the corner of his cell out of my mind. The things I read online about the night before were despicable. People ridiculed him mercilessly. People who had probably never even imagined a scenario like that were picking apart his reactions and laughing. A very small minority seemed to be coming to his aid and defending him.

The convoy made its way in to the underground parking beneath the studio to avoid the presence of other media outlets and the public as much as possible. I declined makeup and opted instead to head straight in to the studio. I saw people looking but no one asked me about the little stone statue I was carrying. Kim took my purse for me and helped with me with my microphone.

"Ms. Crawford, Elliott Manning, pleased to meet you." I'd seen him on television hundreds of times but in person he looked much older than I'd thought he would.

"Just to clarify, before we get started, our producer spoke with your management and we were told that nothing was off the table tonight. Is that the case?" Elliott asked with an air of general confusion.

"That's right. For myself at any rate." I answered with a forced smile. "I want to keep things about Edward as much as possible but we can talk about anything you think is relevant."

"Okay, okay. That's great. I think we've got the live feed up now so Mr. Miller should be available to join us any time. Do you know if..."

"His family is off the table. You're talking to Douglas and that's it. No questions about his family other than Edward." I offered before he had a chance to ask.

"That's fine. Understandable." Elliott replied with an honest smile.

I took my seat across from Elliott and the large monitor behind us soon displayed the live feed from Montreal. Douglas looked tired but resolute. I think that trait of looking confident and a little smug in the face of difficult times must have been genetic.

I could barely see him behind the lights but I saw the light on the camera switch on and heard the voice of the producer. "Here we go. We're going live in 3...2...1."

"Good evening, joining me tonight are Ms. Scout Crawford and Mr. Douglas Miller. They'll be speaking to the ongoing drama of Edward Miller's captivity that started nearly three months ago. Ms. Crawford, I'll start with you if that's alright." Elliott turned away from the camera to me. "Edward Miller. You've never spoken publicly about the specific nature of your relationship although events over the last few years leave little doubt. For the record, what exactly is the nature of your relationship with Edward?"

"We're...dating...boyfriend/girlfriend...I don't know. I don't think we've ever really talked about a label to attach to ourselves." I replied with my practiced smile.

"So it would be fair to say that you two are a couple?" Elliott asked for clarification.

"I love him. He loves me. I guess that makes us a couple." I answered his question as my mind wandered briefly back to better times.

"How long have you two been together now?"

"It's a little more than...three years now." Another one of those things that seem strange when you say it. It didn't feel that long.