The Writer's Dilemma

News Outlets

    The room had gone dead cold and silent. Everyone stopped what they were doing and the discussions they were holding, turning to look at who had made such a blatant confession. Then the ripple of murmurs bubbled up from the corners of the room from the lines of guests waiting to be questioned. Audrey stood numb as she became the attention of flashes of cameras snapping photos from every direction. The room was no longer interested in the murder, but rather in the love life of a brilliant writer. In another moment the police surrounded the area, asking everyone to put their phones and cameras away.

                “Mr. Bassett. If you don’t comply now, we will charge you for resisting police.” The police officer piped up once more, placing his hands on his belt with a jangle of authority. Audrey, still frozen in her spot, with Kerem’s hands on her shoulders, followed his insistent eyes to the officer. Her heart fluttered in her chest, the confession from Kerem spreading through her limbs, her skin beginning to tingle. However, her head told her to stay far, far away from him. The murmurs died away once more, leaving a gaping hole that the crowd was waiting an answer to. Kerem’s hands slid off Audrey’s shoulders and down her arms, falling by his sides, taking the warmth she had felt a moment ago with them. Audrey pushed herself away, biting her lip to hold back the tears that were so close to falling. She brushed past Jocelyn, nearly running out of the hotel into the bitter cold night.

                “Audrey!” Jocelyn was right behind her, her teeth beginning to chatter audibly. Audrey slowed, walking in the direction of their hotel and letting the tears she had held back a few minutes ago to fall unbidden onto her cheeks. Jocelyn’s arms wrapped around her, comforting her. “Why didn’t you tell him?”

                “I couldn’t.”

                “Why not?”

                “So I could protect him”

                “Protect him from what?”

                “…Marius” The answer ended their conversation until they both were safely tucked away in Audrey’s hotel room, where Audrey told Jocelyn everything in detail.

                “Do you really believe Marius can kill someone though?” Jocelyn gripped her hands tightly as they look out onto the city beneath the large window of the room.

                “Of course, I do! The rat poison he gave you was just a taunt. He was telling me how easily he could have killed you if he wanted to. He must have somehow gathered that I was talking to Wyatt, who we both know was actually Kerem, but Marius did not. Yesterday, after Kerem defended me he said I would regret it. You didn’t see how scared Mr. Cagnat looked… He will be after anyone who is close to me now… that means Kerem, Pierre, my parents and even you are prime targets.” Audrey laid out the facts, beginning to pace nervously.

                “But what did Marius mean when he said that Kerem was a murderer?” Jocelyn questioned. Audrey bit her bottom lip, grabbed at her necklace while simultaneously raising her shoulders.

                “Marius probably just said that…”

                “When have you known Marius to just say something?” Jocelyn rolled her eyes, pulling out her phone. Audrey looked over her agent’s shoulder, finding a search engine with Kerem’s name in the search field. Underneath were the links to several news stories, one in particular catching their eye.

Breaking News! Murder in 5-star hotel in the heart of Vancouver. Kerem Bassett, a renowned writer, is considered a prime suspect in another case. Was Mr. Bassett trying to cover this heinous act by professing his love for a certain columnist, Audrey Marchand, from Blank Multimedia?

                Audrey had a metallic taste in her mouth, stunned with the words in the article, as well as the picture of her and Kerem plastered on the front of the search engine. Her cheeks turned scarlet when she noticed that there were several other news articles just like it underneath the first one. Jocelyn paused for a moment.

                “Never once did I think I’d have to clean up a mess with you in it, Dre,” Jocelyn’s voice was filled with sarcasm. Audrey nudged her friend, forcing her to look back at her phone. Jocelyn pressed the search button, opening a fan page of Kerem Bassett, scrolling down to a news article about a murder. Audrey’s eyes widened as she read the article, the room stretching into a long period of silence.

                “The accusations that a child, of which is only five years old, could kill his parents in cold blood is baseless, besides, the police found no evidence to support that accusation,” Jocelyn read from the bottom of the article, breaking the silence. Audrey sank onto the bed, finding it hard to believe that the one person she had looked up to, had lost their own family at such a young age. She was more like Kerem than she knew. “Marius must have read a similar article, maybe one that was not as nice as this one…” Jocelyn added, putting her phone down.

                “I believe in Kerem, so let’s move forward. We will need to clear up this confession news. In the meantime, I’ll move my parents somewhere safe. That just leaves Pierre, Kerem… and you.” Audrey turned her eyes to her friend.

                “Don’t even think about it! Plus, I need my own revenge for being poisoned,” Jocelyn wagged her finger.

                “I can’t do anything for Pierre or Kerem now except clear up the confession… Let’s move forward carefully until the collaboration is over.” Audrey gave her manager a serious look as her agent’s phone rang.

                “It’s mister Jacques…” Jocelyn slowly answered the call, the video popping up to reveal their red-faced CEO.

                “Mrs. Fay! Miss Marchand! What is with all of this news coming out of Vancouver?” The CEO asked in a levelheadedness that surprised them. “We are being swarmed like bees in a beehive.”

                “I apologize Mister Jacques.” Jocelyn stated. There was a pause as the CEO tipped over, appearing upside down in the camera until he turned his phone over. Mister Jacques face immediately began to turn a normal color.

                “Forgive me, I was just working on my yoga… A lot of people are commenting on Miss Marchand’s relationship between the two gentlemen. I do hope that the two of you will help clear it up.” Jocelyn and Audrey raised their eyebrows.

                “Sir?”

                “Well surely you have seen the video that was uploaded… a fight it looked like… between Mr. Alarie, Mr. Bassett and Miss Marchand.”