THE LEGACY – CHAPTER 23
One week; that's how long it had been, one stinking week and Ruthie was going nuts. She had tried burying herself in work, helping anyone who needed it at school, down at McGinty's helping Brent or Crumb or even Abby. She had even tried to do a special painting, this one with the theme of "Melancholy", because that was what she was feeling. A very ephemeral emotion to be sure and she didn't think she had caught it quite right, but it wasn't a bad effort. Heck, Simon and Lily had returned from their honeymoon and all their stories hadn't helped, even the ones she promised not to tell her parents. She felt like she was being consumed by the paper, or more exactly, by its absence. She could now identify very well with addicts that had gone 'cold turkey'. To have something always in the back of your mind, to be constantly avoiding, and yet constantly involved in a subject, it was driving her to distraction. Unfortunately it was also necessary. Ruth remembered that Meredith had dished up a few home truths when they had discussed Aguilera's story about her.
"I can't help out at all?"
"No, because right now she has no idea that something like the paper exists, she just thinks you're a psychic. Guarding the paper's existence is priority one. She also has no idea that Gary is directing you, she hasn't twigged to him and she can't. So protecting Gary's anonymity is our second priority. If you are linked in any way to these things, she'll be on it like white on rice, so you've got to stay out of it entirely."
"Forever" the girl asked, dread in her voice.
"Look" said Meredith "right now the story is contained, you give her more data and it's out there and then God help us all. Lay low, don't give her any more ammunition and I'll see what I can do from my end. It won't be fast, but I should be able to wean her off of it in under a month. But for that to work you've got to stay out of it, entirely; understand."
Ruthie nodded miserably, she understood alright; she understood that one of the best things she was doing or had done with her life was now off limits; and that was like a knife in the gut.
So she had thrown herself into her other activities to try and find something, anything to fill the hole that was inside her. Like now, she was apartment hunting with Teressa. She wouldn't be able to stay in the dorms obviously, and if she was going to be a professor, she would need somewhere in Chicago to live. Unfortunately they couldn't use the advantage of tomorrow's listings, just in case, so they had to hunt the old fashioned way. What they had discovered was that a lot of people were very creative when it came to describing their properties. 'Handyman's Dream' usually meant that the building was within an ace of being condemned. 'Pets Encouraged' meant that you needed about twenty cats to keep the rat population down, or that you needed a guard dog to keep the thieves at bay. 'Economy' meant tiny, and 'Near to Transportation' meant that an El line was five feet from your window.
"Hey Camden, what about this one?"
"That's a condo, not an apartment."
"What's the difference?"
"You buy a condo, and you rent an apartment."
"Get a load of the location."
"Ruthie's eyes went wide; you've got to be kidding me."
"Why not, it'd be perfect."
"True and it can't hurt to look."
They ended up at a building on the corner of Illinois and Franklin, right across the street from McGinty's. It was in fact two doors down from Mr. Paige's place; and it was perfect. "Now all I have to do is figure out how to pay for the thing" Ruthie told her friend.
"Why don't you ask Marissa for some ideas, she's been running a business, she probably knows a thing or two about finance, heck ask your brother for that matter, he could probably tell you how to get an interest free loan."
"Both good ideas Walters, lets head on over to McGinty's and I can call Simon from there."
The two friends headed across to McGinty's, they walked in and went up to the bar where Crumb was keeping it under control. "Hey Ruth" he said "how you doing kiddo?"
"Not bad Crumb, how about yourself?"
"Doing some work for Toni on the side and seeing Darlene, you know me."
"Been fishing lately?"
"In two weeks, me and a buddy from Cicero are headed up to northern Minnesota, go for some pike, musky, that kind of thing."
"Sounds great, is Marissa in back?"
"Yeah, just her though, Hobson and Toni are off somewhere and Abby's already gone home for the day."
"I need to make a call or two, but you want some help when I'm done?"
"Who am I to turn down a pretty lady, sure Ruth, I'm always glad to have help; well as long as it isn't Fishman."
Ruthie laughed as she headed back to the office. Marissa was there, running her fingers over the painting that Ruth had given her. Ruthie couldn't believe that it had been over six months ago that she had done that.
"Hello Ruth, I was just thinking about you."
"Hi Marissa, good thoughts I hope."
"Of course, I was wondering if you could do one of these for a friend of mine."
"Sure, I'd be honored to. How soon do you want it?"
"Is Monday possible?"
"Sure, very doable unless something comes up. I was wondering if I could use the phone, if that's alright."
"Of course you can, who are you calling?"
"My brother, I need some advice from the bank of Simon."
"The Bank of Simon?"
"That's what we all called him when we were younger, even when he was in middle school he had a way with business."
"So why do you need advice, if you don't mind me asking."
"No problem, I've found a great place, it's just that it's a condo and not an apartment, so I've got to buy the thing if I want it, not rent. So I need to find out whether or not it's workable from Simon, and see what options I have."
"Where is this place?"
"Across the street, in the same building as Mr. Paige."
"Good location."
"I thought so, even if I'm not helping with the paper anymore."
"You might not be helping directly; but you'll have a full life, with teaching and everything else."
"Yeah, but it won't be the same, I miss it so much already. It'll be tough to be around it and not able to actively help, but I'll do anything to help and support Gary and everyone, even if it means laying off it."
"Well, you make your call, and I'll go make sure the bar hasn't run off. Say 'Hi' to you brother and Lily for me."
"I will, thanks Marissa."
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It was Saturday and Ruthie was in her studio working on the painting that Marissa had requested. She was in a great mood, her talk with Simon had been informative and she had a chance to talk to Lily again which was also good. Simon had come up with a workable way to make the payments if Ruthie decided to buy the place. He had mentioned the fact that she could sell a painting, but Ruthie had just answered that with a glare and he had shut up. Lily was doing well, and had already had a couple of tentative offers from some firms in town. Bela Fleck was playing on her stereo as she worked; this painting was going to be a bit different in that the shapes were not just spheres, but cubes and cones as well. Like before, the background was black with white dots like stars scattered on it. She was going to use the stars to name the painting again, but since she didn't know specifically who it was for, she couldn't personalize it like she had Marissa's. She was about three quarters of the way through when she felt someone at the door. She spared a glance over her shoulder and was surprised to see the reporter standing there watching her.
"Something I can help you with" Ruthie asked.
"Can I talk to you for a bit" the reporter replied.
"Sure, if you don't mind me working while we talk, I'm kind on a deadline with this one."
"Yeah, I know how that can be" Janet replied. "If you don't mind me saying so, that looks a bit simpler than most of your stuff" she indicated all of the finished paintings in the studio as she said this.
"It is" Ruthie replied "but it's for a blind person."
"How can a blind person enjoy a painting" Janet asked, intrigued despite herself.
"Come up close and I'll show you. See" she said as the reporter approached "each color has its own texture. And that texture is most pronounced where the color is the brightest, as the texture fades, the color fades. This wouldn't work for someone who was born blind, but for someone who's lost their sight, it works pretty well."
"That's pretty clever" Janet said "I never would have thought of that."
Ruthie gave a grin at the praise, she realized that the girl was an adversary, but that didn't change the way she felt when someone complimented her work. "So what is it you want, again?"
"I'm doing some work in features and came across an interesting story; I wanted a comment from you if that's alright."
"Sure, what kind of story do you need a comment from me on?"
"It's a human interest thing we've been doing; it's on common people that help out in uncommon ways."
"Yeah, I've read a couple of those, nice work."
"Thanks" Janet said blushing; the girl liking her work gave her a momentary pang of conscience, but not enough to override her need to get the story "I was just wondering how long you've been a psychic?"
Ruthie just stared at the girl with an incredulous look on her face "did you just ask me how long I've been a psychic?"
"Yeah, just a rough estimate is OK."
"I'm not, nor ever have been a psychic."
"What do you call it then, gifted, clairvoyant, what?"
"Sorry, still not figuring out what the heck you're talking about. How in the world do you peg me for being a psychic or any of those other words you used?"
"Well that's kind of interesting, you see, when I went through the letters that were sent in, I noticed that someone with your name and matching your description had been helping people all over the city for the past few months. That you just happened to be there and decided to help strains belief, so either you are psychic or you're causing the situations and then helping out for the attention. Since you've never contacted any media outlet, I figured it had to be the first."
Ruthie gaped at the girl for a moment or two, and then burst into raucous laughter. Janet stood there a little irritated; this wasn't going according to plan. The Camden girl was supposed to beg her not to expose her and then they'd come to some agreement, not laugh in her face.
Ruthie got herself under a semblance of control "take a look in the top drawer of that filing cabinet over there" she said.
Janet walked over and opened the drawer "what am I looking for" she asked.
"There's some sketch books in there, you're looking for the one that says 'AIC' on the back".
"OK, I've got it, now what?"
"What does it say on the front?"
"Architecture in Chicago, huh, so this is your explanation?"
"Yep, I go around the city on Friday's and sketch different unique or interesting architectural landmarks. That's why I'm all over the city, and if I see something going on, I just get involved, that's how I was raised."
Janet thought for a moment or two, it did indeed explain everything; especially how all of these incidents that people wrote about occurred on a Friday. But her instincts were telling her a different story all together. "You're lying" she said.
"I beg your pardon" Ruthie almost screamed out "did you just tell me I was lying?"
"Yep, cause you are."
"And what brings you to this conclusion, aside from the fact that it's the one you want it to be?"
"Most stories, explanations, whatever, have more holes than a plate of Swiss cheese; when they start looking like suits of armor, that tells me that someone is lying. And right now that someone is you."
Ruthie put down her brush and palette and walked right up to the reporter, anger radiating off of her "you can leave now" she said.
"Fine" Janet said, then played her trump card "this story is going to get out, one way or another. It can go out with your side, or with me making up your side. I'll give you a second or two to decide, but once I'm out of here, you lose any chance of controlling the story."
Ruthie just glared at the girl "I can't comment on something that isn't true, I'm not a psychic, end of story."
"Your call" Janet said, and headed for the door.
"By the way, you're welcome".
"Excuse me"
"You know, the part where you thank me for saving your life; you're welcome. I guess it's true what they say" Ruthie spat out bitterly.
"What's that" Janet asked, her words catching in her throat.
"No good deed goes unpunished" Ruthie replied, and turned back to her painting, good mood well and truly gone.
Janet stood there, staring at the other girls back; a single tear escaped, but that was all, then she turned and walked away.
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Gary hung up the phone, his face ashen. "What's the matter hon" Toni asked.
"It's RC" he replied "the reporter girl confronted her earlier today and told her that if she didn't own up, then they'd go ahead and publish the story without her comments."
"Can they do that?"
"Sure, just like Scanlon did."
"So what's the worst case here?"
"They crawl up her life with a microscope, and eventually she cracks under the scrutiny and gives up me and the paper."
"Do you think that'll happen?"
"Not really, but we gotta make sure it doesn't get close to that."
"Any ideas?"
"A couple, but we need Marissa and Meredith in on this, because even the best case is pretty bad."
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Meredith Carson slammed the phone down on her desk at home. Gary had just called her and told her about the situation with his young protégé. Damn that Aguilera anyway, what the hell did she think she was doing going over her editor's head that way, that was a firing offense. Then Meredith smiled, although it contained no mirth, if the girl was fired, then the story died, at least in the legitimate media. Meredith started putting some notes together, reminders of ways to minimize the damage that had already been done and that which was likely to come.
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Janet sat in her favorite bar, feeling horrible. The girl's parting words had brought her guilt roaring to the forefront. The Camden kid was correct, Janet should have been down on her knees thanking her for what she had done, instead she had threatened to basically wreck the girl's life if she didn't cooperate. She stirred her drink, but the answers weren't there. She tossed it off and got up with a sigh 'I'll talk to Steve on Monday' she thought, maybe she would know what to do by then.