Chapter 15

"I guess I got you into this mess," she said.

He pulled her closer to him, "I don't think we'll have to worry about things like this again. That's why I called Paul first. In about 2 hours, his papers are going to hit the street and a lot of people are going to have to do a lot of explaining."

"What's going to happen to the two men?"

"They're going to go to jail for a long time. They don't think so right now, but I have a way to make sure it happens."

Ann got up and held out her hand for him. He started to get up but she guided him down so that he was lying on the sofa. She lay in front of him and snuggled back against him. Roy pulled the throw over them. He put his arm over her and held her.

"I'm sorry that man touched me. You are the only man that I ever want to touch me."

"Ann I'm just happy that you're safe. You couldn't control that."

She took his hand and put it on her breast, "I'm glad you got Thor for me. He saved our lives."

Within a few minutes both of them were asleep. The events of the preceding night had exhausted them.

When they woke up, it was almost noon. Thor had pulled his bed over to the door and was blocking the door with his body. He apparently thought that he had let Ann down and that he would never allow the door to be opened again by anyone meaning to do her harm. After that day the bed would be in front of the door every morning no matter where she put the bed at night. Finally Ann put the dog's bed in front of the door when she went to sleep every night.

They got up and showered together. After they got dressed, Roy drove them into town. He pulled into the parking lot of the newspaper; he couldn't find a parking place. They walked around the building and were immediately mobbed by reporters trying to get an interview. Paul saw them outside and came out and grabbed them and pulled them into his office.

"Boy, you sure know how to stir up a hornet's nest. The police were ordered by the FBI to let the two that broke into your home go. My paper hit the street just as the men were walking out of the police station. They had to run outside and arrest them again. They've been charged with breaking and entering, destruction of property, assault, assault by touching and giving false reports. After I run a transcript of the tape in the next issue there will probably be a few more charges."

"What about Brainerd?" Roy asked.

"He's been relieved of his duties pending an investigation. He could be facing a court-marshal."

"You'd better keep on top of that. They'll probably try to force him to retire. That's the way the military disciplines generals."

"I already thought of that. The Pentagon is holding a press conference this afternoon at 4. The first question that the AP is going to ask is about Brainerd and if they are going to just allow him to retire. The AP is also going to ask the same question at the next White House briefing. I think General Brainerd is going to go to jail."