"I must say, I am surprised that you already have a public relations person for Paige," Phil Hughes said the next morning as everyone settled around a small conference table.
"JJ is more like a family friend," Laurel explained. "I am a silent partner in a small hotel chain and she handles our public relations for that. She has also done some pro bono work for the skating club Paige belongs to."
"I understand," Phil smiled at JJ. "Now, if it is okay with you, I would like to start by going over the information on the form you filled out earlier and then we can decide whether there is anything there that needs elaboration."
He looked at the screen on his laptop. "It says here that you are a government employee, Mr. Hotchner?"
"That is correct," Hotch began. "However – " he hesitated.
"I assure you that anything said in this room will stay in this room," Phil quickly spoke up. "As you may have guessed, this is my second career. I spent many years working in the corporate world and believe me, I have heard just about everything. So, if there is anything that needs to be said, please feel free to say it."
"All right," Hotch looked over at JJ who nodded her encouragement. "I am actually an FBI Agent - A Profiler working in the Behavioral Analysis Unit."
"Okay, this stays 'Government Employee'," Phil pushed a key. "And you, Mrs. Hotchner, are a stay-at-home mother?"
"Again, a slight correction," Laurel spoke up. "I am a real estate attorney who works under contract from home. And, as I mentioned earlier, I am also a partner in a small franchised hotel chain."
"Okay, what about 'Small Business Owner', will that cover it?" Phil asked, looking over at JJ for approval.
"That should work," JJ agreed with him.
"Now, I have Paige's place of birth listed as Houston, Texas," Phil continued, reading off the screen.
"That is correct," Laurel agreed. "However – " she looked over at JJ for help.
"That is where the problem lies," JJ told the man. "And, I am going to take your assurance of confidentiality at face value."
"All of this is public record," Hotch added. "However, it would take the average person quite some time to dig it out. And, if someone does get curious and start looking, we want to make sure that the USFSA isn't caught unawares."
"Okay," Phil closed his laptop. "Why don't you tell me?"
~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
"O-M-G – And I thought I had heard it all!" Phil admitted when JJ had finished the story. "I can certainly understand why you have done your best to protect Paige from the results of this becoming common knowledge."
"She has a normal life now," Hotch explained. "Or, at least as normal as any serious figure skater has."
"But, if this becomes public knowledge – Who knows what will happen?" Laurel pointed out. "That's why we have worked so hard over the years to keep it quiet."
"However," she continued. "Yesterday one of the other mothers at the competition thought she recognized me. It turns out she spent some time in Houston, probably while the trial was going on. I can only hope that she doesn't remember enough to put all the pieces together."
"I understand," Phil replied. "And, now, what I need to do is to make Paige's official biography so simple and boring that no one will realize that she is the 'Unidentified Child' from Houston."
"And, there is also the issue of her deceased biological father," Laurel reminded him.
"That original kidnapping didn't make the local papers," Hotch contributed. "We did manage to keep that quiet. However, it has got to be in the reports for the various police departments that were involved. And, when her biological father's body that was found on state land, that did get a write-up in the papers."
"The Mercers are currently in a state-run mental health institution," Laurel added. "They aren't supposed to have any contact with the outside world. But, who knows about the people who work there?"
"This will be a challenge," Phil admitted cheerfully. "However, it is one I definitely look forward to handling. When I have the biography put together - "
"Why don't you send it to me?" JJ suggested. "I'll go over it and, if there are any problems, I am sure we can work something out."