Free Going Under by Lauren Dane Page B

thickened.
    He stepped back. “It is.”
    * * *
    SHE sat across from the interviewer and clicked into her job in a way she hadn’t thus
     far.
This
was familiar territory at least. Here she didn’t need to dwell on the sick dread she’d
     been choking back since she’d read that death threat.
    Molly didn’t get death threats. Sure, being in the PR biz had exposed her to negativity
     on multiple occasions. That came with the job. People wanting to kill her didn’t.
     Her brain couldn’t process it and so she put it in the place she’d been shoving all
     the other stuff she couldn’t process over the last month or so.
    “Before we get started, are you familiar with how this all works?” The PA hooked Molly’s
     mic up.
    “Yes, thank you.”
    “Do you need anything to drink?”
    “I’m good, thank you.” Molly smiled and the PA smiled back.
    “Good luck.” The PA took a look around before leaning in close. “Just . . . hang in
     there.”
    Well now,
that
wasn’t hopeful.
    The same interviewer who Molly had watched with Meriel just days before bustled into
     the studio. He didn’t look at or speak to her at all until moments before the cameras
     went live.
    He looked up, focused on her and began the interview without so much as a how-do-you-do.
     Clearly his mother didn’t teach him any manners.
    “I’m here tonight with the new public relations minister for the coven here in town.
     Ms. Ryan, some might wonder what you’ve been hiding.”
    She cocked her head ever so slightly and stared at the interviewer, a piggish-looking
     fellow whose bias against Others was blatantly written all over his posture.
    Her smile was perfectly measured to convey how silly she found him. “Minister? Oh
     my, that’s grand isn’t it? I’m sorry to say I’m a regular old communications person.
     Not nearly as exciting as a minister. And we’re Clan Owen, named after the Owen family
     who runs the organization of witches situated here in the area. Did you know the Owen
     family is one of the oldest established families in the area? Right up there with
     the Denny, Terry and Yesler families. They helped build up Seattle. In fact, one of
     their mercantiles is part of the Underground Tour. Deep ties to the land here, to
     the people.” She wanted to convey that over and over. They might be witches, but they
     had roots in the country. She wanted humans to understand that while their gifts had
     been hidden from them, their presence hadn’t been. They weren’t a threat; they were
     an asset.
    Molly shifted, crossing her legs. “But to be serious a moment, I’d like to talk about
     the new legislation being written in Idaho. We’re naturally—”
    He interrupted. “You suddenly appeared this week. Why haven’t you been here before?
     Just what are you hiding?”
    The only way to defeat a troll is to not feed it. This asshole had an agenda and she’d
     be damned if she’d descend to his level. Plus it amused her to ignore that and poke
     at him. She sent him an amused smile, though it was amused at his expense.
    “My mother would be puzzled by that, as she would beg to differ about how I just suddenly
     appeared. I’m still paying back my student loans so the University of Chicago might
     beg to differ as well.” Deftly, she got back to the subject. “This legislation seeks
     to change the constitution of the state to say a citizen would be defined as a human
     being. Others would be stripped of their citizenship.”
    “What are you hiding, Ms. Ryan?”
    “This is an interesting theme. I’m sitting here on television in the middle of the
     daytime. You and your station have been provided with my CV. Where I’ve been is clearly
     stated. In fact, it’s available on the Clan Owen website where I’ve started doing
     video updates and posting pertinent news and information.” She looked to the camera
     and gave the URL and then shifted her attention back to him. “Now then, legislation
     such as