CHAPTER 1
Political analyst and commentator Richard Winn, whose show 'Unraveling Politics' appeared on network TV on Wednesdays from 7:00 to 7:30, was watching satellite TV on connected to the gas-powered generator on Saturday with his wife and her sister at Milly and James's cabin in the woods when the newsreader dropped a bombshell.
"Today two unmarried women in a joint statement to the media claimed they had been involved in a three-ways sexual relationship over ten weeks with TV political show presenter Richard Winn. The hugely viewed program originates live from this station and today despite energetic efforts to contact Richard who is spending the weekend in the woods, we have failed in attempts to contact him to get his response. We will continue our efforts to get Richard's comments about these extraordinary claims."
"A three-way?" Milly said in awe.
However his wife Becky screamed, "Richard you mother-fucker, you disloyal beast," and ran from the room.
She'd spat on him. Hell he hadn't deserved that.
Richard wiped the spittle off his nose and said, "I must drive down until I can get a phone connection."
Milly, holding her breasts out to him grinned and said, "What to confirm or to deny?"
"Oh crap. I need to talk to an attorney and a media consultant."
"Why is the truth not an option?" Milly giggled. "You would spend your time more productively shafting me."
"Shut up Milly. Go and calm your sister. I'm off to get a phone link."
Sixty minutes later he had a reliable connection, but who to call first?
He called his attorney Victoria Beltrami and she said, "You asshole, you never asked me for sex" and she cut the call.
Jesus!
Richard referred to the Yellow Pages and selected a media consultant. He didn't know any so decided anyone would do. There was one with an after-hours number and he called it.
"Cathy Dulles speaking."
"Um the media consultant?"
"Yes."
"I'm Richard Winn."
"Oh hi, I recognize your voice. So what they are talking about is phone sex?"
"Um could you advise me about my responses?"
"Are you willing to pay me?"
"Yes this is establishing a professional working relationship."
She murmured, "But without sex?"
"Er could we leave that open?"
"Yes of course. Against my better judgment I might find you likeable."
"Um Cathy, this is bigger than that. I'm entering a fight to save my career."
"Oh yes, we mustn't overlook that."
Despite his anxiety, Richard found her laidback humor quite appealing. A consultant not predicting the end of his world was a panacea. They agreed they'd have to meet face to face and had four hours if they were to get a statement on the late news. Newspapers monitoring the TV station's news bulletins would pick that up and run with it. Cathy agreed waiting till tomorrow would be too late.
She found out where he was and said she knew the area and would meet him in Amelia's Restaurant in Abbott Village. That meant he'd only have a drive of about an hour compared with her drive of one and a half hours.
Richard thought about the wait. "I'll have some drinks."
"But don't get drunk. You can phone in your statement so I don't want your voice slurred.
* * *
Richard was thirty-six and had been married to Becky for seven years, initially to get respectability for his TV persona that was growing in strength. He'd discovered unexpectedly his new wife became more robust, more athletic and more challenging in bed the longer they worked at it and they worked really hard at it daily to temporarily eradicate their lust. Along the way came Nicky (5) and Parker (4) who were currently staying with Becky's parents who until now had idolized Richard. What they thought now was anyone's guess.
Right now Richard was focused on saving his butt. If the public turned against him and he lost his weekly show how on earth could he afford to sustain the lifestyle the family enjoyed? If fired for breaching his contract relating to personal behavior and maintenance of his immaculate image, no way could he earn anywhere near the $4500 he was paid week for compiling and presenting each half hour show for forty weeks a year.
His regular viewers liked him for his intelligence, his insight and presumably the quality of research he and his team used to back up his statements. Surveys had established him as one of the most credible persons on television.
Many if not most viewers would be devastated to learn about those accusations by those two blonde bitches and would feel betrayed, learning that Mr Nice Guy was no different from any other guy who fornicated in the gutter.
He groaned and thought no fuck was worth this depth of despair. Not even a threesome. How could he tell the truth?" What would pass for the truth? What was the truth? Ohmigod he really did need a media consultant cum media social consultant.
* * *
Driving through the night as fast as she dared, Cathy Dulles wondered about having sex with her new client. It appeared everyone else did.
Cathy was thirty-one, a happy divorcee. She'd found marriage depressing and had restricted her ability to work effectively, for example, at times like this. If someone wanted her expertise they wanted it when they called, not in the morning or after the weekend. She had a law degree and had specialized in mediation and negotiation until going into private practice as a media consultant. Her media experience had been limited to watching TV and reading newspapers and magazines and oh, yes, she'd been editor of her college newspaper for almost two years until it was closed down on the orders of the outraged college senate.
Assholes.
They couldn't understand her decision to sponsor a 36-hour 'sexathon' did not equate to sedition, encouraging promiscuity and was not primarily responsible for traumatizing those three college virgins that no one had been aware existed on campus. It was only after she'd appeared on a TV news interview and described the sexathon as a healthy way to engage students to appreciation they really were receiving a liberal education that the president of the senate acted unilaterally. She then had the gall to summons the senate to an emergency meeting to endorse Madam President's action retrospectively. Cathy was suspended from attending college for two weeks and banned from all activities other than attending lectures for the remainder of the term.
This mission excited her because Richard Winn would be her highest-rated client ever and even if she failed to save his butt the entire community, nay the entire country, would know Richard Winn had hired Cathy Dulles above all other media consultants. That had to count for something.
Cathy walked into the restaurant, crowded because it was Saturday evening, and was able to quickly identify Richard Winn because (1) she watched his show most weeks and (2) he had eight women round him, hanging on to what he was saying.
Striding to Richard's table Cathy said, "I represent Mr Winn. Leave instantly you whores otherwise you'll be in court facing sexual harassment charges."
The 'whores' who really were innocent women on dates with hopeful men or with their husbands, scrambled away like terrorized rabbits.
Richard eyed Cathy's chest and said hi and thanked her for saving him from multiple sex over a restaurant table when he was not really up to it.
"Thank you Mr Winn. Now could we complete this form and you sign it before I begin talking to you."
"Yes Cathy," he said, reaching out to touch a breast but she pulled away and pressed her knees together in frustration.
With the form completed Richard signed and the document counter-signed by Amelia Banks, the restaurateur. Cathy had chosen Amelia as a reliable witness with a fixed address and felt her client would not be lured because she suspected Amelia was gay.
Cathy ordered two long Cokes on ice and two steaks with salad and Weight Watcher's dressing and as the waitress walked off said to her client, "Richard no way do I wish you to confirm or deny these sexual allegations about you. No more stupid women mouthing off like this are likely to come forward are they?"
Richard's head dropped.
"Ohmigod," Cathy whispered, really clamping her legs together this time.
"Am-am I a goner?" Richard whimpered.
"Good heavens Richard, whatever for? Our task is to confront this head-on with a positive spin. I want you to stay in the woods for the next ten days. By then this would have blown over and you can return and rebuild."
"But I'll miss next week's show commitment."
"Leave that to me. Who is your attorney?"
"Victoria Beltrami."
Cathy said great, that Victoria was a formidable adversary.
"But she cut the call when I phoned her."
Cathy said he'd probably interrupted Victoria when she was having sex. He said no, she just sounded disgusted and Cathy thought that was probably sour grapes because Victoria had become aware she'd not bedded her now notorious client.
"I think..."
Cathy interrupted. "I don't wish to hear this if it relates to sex or the lack or it between you and Victoria."
Richard closed his mouth and sulked.
For the next forty-five minutes Richard was briefed about his statement to the newsroom at WEEQ-TV and how to answer questions to avoid inflaming the situation.
Cathy listened while Richard spoke to the reporter who warned Richard he'd be taped.
"That's okay Felicity. I am shocked and dismayed about these spurious claims accusing me of immorality."
"Why are you shocked and dismayed Richard?"
"Because they are a direct attack on my persona and public credibility."
"Are those claims by these women, whom we have confirmed are blonde twins aged twenty-two, true Richard?"
"What is truth Felicity?"
Cathy hunched beside Richard had her fingers crossed and relaxed when Felicity responded, "What kind of response is that Richard?"
"I am a married man Felicity with a prominent public profile and significant reputation. I ask the public to make up their own minds on this. That is my position and I'll not waiver from it."
"But that is absurd Richard. What the public wants from you is an emphatic yes or no about the veracity of the claims of those women."
"There you go Felicity, providing a perfect answer of how any public issue can be clouded and even a simple yes or no can become misinterpreted. Many people hearing you use the word veracity would be unaware of its meaning and that's why I leave it to my loyal fans to make up their own minds. Good night, I must go Felicity. I think a bear is attacking our refuse."
"Richard!" Felicity screamed as he cut the call.
