64 Duane Watches the News

Duane was reading a report from one of his less dense factory managers. He heard some very loud and annoying talking just outside his office door. Kathy threw the door open. "Mr. Ferguson, quick, come to the break room."

He looked up, but remained in his chair. "And why would I do that?"

"The news. Quick. Mr. Hesburgh is dead. Or it seems that way. They're not sure."

Now that was of interest. Then fear shot through him. "The boy?"

"No. No. Tommy. Not likely. But come quick."

He followed her and another employee, probably the one who informed her, down the hall to the employee break room. The TV was on a cable news channel and the announcer's voice could be heard while video showed a fire up in the mountains. The helicopter, plane or whatever was close enough to see the evidence that there had been a large building on the site but now the fire was more smoke and smoldering than a real flames. The video cut away to video shot last night, a real blaze leaping up into the sky. It's wonder the whole forest didn't go up.

"Late yesterday evening a fire engulfed the vacation retreat of Mr. Thomas Hesburgh, Seattle native and billionaire." The man interrupted his well worn spiel and looked to his right. Duane was sure he had squeezed as much air time as was humanly possible from the few facts fed by the police and no doubt was relieved to have something new to work with. "This is just in. The Seattle police have confirmed, based on survivors' accounts, that Mr. Hesburgh, his wife, Charlotte, at least two bodyguards, and it appears a police detective with the Seattle police force, a Detective Merryweather, and his fiancee, a Regina Lass, were also victims of the fire. Detective Merryweather, you may recall, is credited with solving the Mass Mall Murders last year, perpetrated by the serial killer that took so many lives and frustrated the FBI's best profiling team. Also confirmed dead is Grace Hernandez. Ms. Hernandez is the sister of Detective Merryweather. These deaths are in addition to a Mildred Hagen confirmed earlier. The house came under attack by persons unknown. We now know that the house had two safe rooms. The support staff and several bodyguards took refuge in one room and Mr. Hesburgh and guests in the other. By means unknown at this time the attackers induced a fire within the refuge room harboring Mr. Hesburgh and his guests. The other safe room was left untouched and the people within survived the conflagration unharmed. However…"

Duane had heard enough and left. Kathy followed him. His chief bodyguard was waiting outside his office. "Get together a team. We are going to visit Ms. Lass to pay our respects. Kathy get my lawyer on the line. Time to have him file something in court…again… He turned to his security chief. I want 24 hour protection for the boy outside the house you believe him last in."

"But…"

"I don't care how they're doing it. Put protection outside the house. I will try to reason with them again and if they hide him…again…I still want protection. Do you see? Did you see the lengths these people went to?"