Chapter Twenty-Five
And I'll fight their doubt and give you faith with this song for you
Olivia picked up the remote and muted all of the televisions. "Well, Abby, you were right to be concerned about Edison. The spineless little prick was up to something. He was up to ruining my reputation, and by extension, Fitz's. Bastard." Digging into the back pocket of her jeans, she pulled out her cell phone. Dialing quickly, she waited for Fitz to pick up, "Baby, we have a problem."
"Does it have to do with the media circus outside of the DA's office screaming about Edison, you, and a fake affair?"" He asked lightly.
"It's all over every news network." She sighed, "Fitz, I'm so sorry. I know Davis is a sore subject for you, but"
"Livie, if you even finish that thought I'm going to spank you."
Biting her lip, she chuckled, "Is that a promise, counselor? Because if so, I'll finish that thought."
His resounding laugh was comforting, "Tonight, yes, I can make that happen. For now, though, Liv, don't worry about it. I know there's nothing to the rumors. Davis is a jerk. We'll figure this out."
She grunted, "Oh, I've already figured this out. It involves a cliff, the middle of the woods, and a dead body. And maybe some fire." This time when he laughed she actually smiled.
"We'll call that Plan B." He compromised, "For now, you're gladiators. Do what you do best, sweet baby, and gladiate. Call me if you need anything from me. David and I are trial prepping right now, but we can both be easily reached. We've got our cell phones on us and we're staking out in my office behind a locked door."
"Sounds good, thanks, Fitz. Love you."
"Love you too, Livie."
Olivia punched her Blackberry off and faced her team. "We gladiate like usual. Fitz isn't worried, so we don't be worried." A knock at the door stopped her from continuing, "Shit, I hope that's not a new client."
Tossing her phone on the table, Olivia made her way through their small office and to the front door. The moment she threw it open, she regretted it. She was immediately bombarded with bright flashes and screaming questions.
"Mrs. Grant, how long have you and Edison Davis been having an affair?"
"Is it true that you're sleeping with your husband's co-worker?"
"How long did you and Edison date in college?"
"Was this going on while you were at Harvard?"
"Is little Jerry Fitz's son or Edison's?"
"Olivia?" Harrison, Stephen, Huck, Abby, and Quinn came sprinting down the hallway.
"We need to get them out of here." Huck snagged one photographer who had slipped past a shocked Olivia and was snapping photos of the office waiting room.
"Momma?" Jerry's little voice snapped Olivia out of her trance.
"Is this your son?"
"Jer," Olivia rushed to his side and scooped him up, immediately moving down the hallway. "We need to stay in Momma's office." She murmured.
"What's going on?" Jerry asked into her shoulder.
Olivia could just make out the loud voices of Stephen, Huck, and Harrison trying to push the press out of the office. She was sure Abby was calling David to get the police here and let Fitz know what was happening. "Baby, these people just have questions for Momma."
He looked up, concern marring his features and his blue eyes squinting just like his father's did, "Why do they have to be so loud, it's just a question?" He growled.
Olivia let out a small laugh, pressing a kiss to her son's brow. "You're right about that, baby." She agreed.
"Liv?" Quinn stuck her head in the room, "You guys okay?" She asked.
Olivia nodded as she rubbed her son's back, "Yeah, they gone?"
"Huck got them into the elevator and he's having the building shut it down and we're blocking our staircase so no one can get onto our floor. Abby is calling David so we should have cops here soon, but"
When Quinn paused for too long, Olivia groaned, "But what, Quinn?"
"But press has taken over most of the block." Quinn blurted out.
Olivia closed her eyes, took a deep breath and counted to ten before she responded. "Fitz and David will handle that. Let's make sure no one else gets into the building. Or onto our floor at least." She directed. "I want a meeting with Edison." Olivia ordered. "Quietly. And Fitz absolutely cannot be there."
"I'll make a few calls." Quinn nodded, stepping out of the room as Abby came in.
"What's up?"
"Fitz and David are on their way here with police." She wrung her hands, "I tried to keep them away because I think they're only going to make it worse, but"
"No, this is good." Olivia shook her head, "It's Fitz and me showing a untied front. Quinn's getting me a meeting with Edison." Olivia told her. "I want you to dig into the meetings Davis has had with Reston. Follow your gut instincts and I promise never to ignore them again."
"You got it. I'm pulling Harrison and Stephen in." Abby called out as she dashed down the hallway.
It was twenty minutes later when Fitz and David finally arrived. Police were pulling reporters out of the building and would contain the press. Jerry was in the conference room eating popcorn and watching Loony Toons with Olivia while the rest of them worked. "Liv? Jer?" Fitz called out the moment he was in the office.
"Conference room!" Olivia garbled out through a mouthful of popcorn.
"Classy future First Lady manners." Harrison teased her.
"Are you guys okay?" Fitz asked as he pressed a kiss to Olivia's head before moving to give Jerry a hug.
"We're fine." Olivia assured him. "We've got popcorn and Bugs Bunny." She nodded toward the TV, "What more do we need?"
"Red wine?"" David quipped.
"Don't push it. We can't have it all." Olivia batted back at him. "So, any ideas how to combat this if we're not doing Plan B?"
"United front." Fitz responded, "I just don't know why Edison hasn't made a statement and"
"He hasn't made a statement because this is to help Reston." Abby cut in. "I tracked Davis' flight info. He's been in Baltimore more than Boston it seems."
Olivia tapped her fingers on the countertop, "You know what, Edison is going to be unreasonable. There's no point in either one of us meeting with him." She decided. "Get us a meeting with Reston." She paused, "And Joan. Let's show them how we handle our problems together and then we go about business as usual."
"What about a statement?" Stephen asked.
"Kimberly Mitchell." Olivia decided. "Get us an interview with her and let's get everything out in the open. It won't take any real prep work. Fitz and I will just go out there and be ourselves." She paused, "Get some dirt on Edison, though. I want something we can use if we have to?"
"You mean like an affair with an eighteen-year-old intern?" Quinn asked, "You mean affairs with a string of young, just barely legal, interns?"
Olivia waved her hand for the information Quinn had stumbled upon. There were a string of complaints before he'd come to Boston to work for the DA's office. Everything had been suppressed by his father. Or, more than likely, at the order of his mother. "Get me a copy of that." She motioned too the papers. "Harrison, I want you to break into Edison's house. Be there when he gets home from work and call the police and the press. Make sure they're there."
Harrison looked at her confused, "So they can arrest me for breaking and entering?" He asked slowly.
"No," Olivia snorted at him, "the police will contain the press who will be there to hear his denial of our affair." She chuckled, "Reston won't know what hit him when their plan falls through and we confront them undaunted by this entire thing."
"You've got it." Stephen picked up his phone. "I'll take Kimberly." He winked and Olivia rolled her eyes with a small huff.
"I've got Reston." Abby murmured.
"And I've got Davis." Harrison picked up his jacket. "It's been a while since I picked a lock." He murmured to himself, "Anyone have a bobby pin?" Quinn pulled two out of her hair, "Thanks, babe." He pressed a kiss to her cheek before picking up the file she'd made for him.
"Good luck! Have fun breaking the law!" She called out absently, "I'm going back to blog since you all seem to have this under control."
"Agreed, business as usual once you're done with this." Olivia spun to Fitz. "Business as usual, have lunch with us?"
"Popcorn and Bugs Bunny? Sold." Fitz agreed with a grin. "Let's move this into your office to the sofa."
Quinn watched as the family of three moved into Olivia's office. "They make it too easy." She picked up a digital camera on the table. "Just too damn easy." She winked at the rest of the room before following the Grants into Olivia's office to snap a few candid photos of them. The rest would fall into place.
SSS