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Scene One
Monday, December 21, 1998 / Buffalo, New York / Late Morning
"It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of
kings is to search out a matter."
~ Proverbs 25:2 ~
 ake
up dear," Mrs. Newton coaxed, nudging her sleeping daughter's shoulder. Rebecca,
26, and former secretary of Christopher Cushing, pulled the covers over her head
in silent protest. "There's a reporter from 'America Weekly' downstairs and
he wants an interview. You aren't in any trouble, are you, Love?" asked Mrs.
Newton.
Rebecca pushed back her long, brown hair away from her face and looked into her mother's
troubled eyes. "Of course not!" smiled Rebecca. "Go back and keep
Dad company. I'll be down in a minute," she reassured.
Mrs. Newton went back downstairs while Rebecca got dressed. She took a deep breath
and descended the staircase. A casually dressed man stood up and approached Rebecca
as she entered the living room.
"Mrs. Rebecca Newton?" he asked, holding out his hand, in a friendly manner.
"I'm Jose Fernandez of 'America Weekly.'"
"Mr. Fernandez," replied Rebecca, shaking his hand.
"Call me Jose," he smiled, taking out a tape recorder. "May I record
this interview?" he asked, looking up for her permission.
"Why not?" replied Rebecca dryly.
"Do I sense reluctance, Mrs. Newton?" asked Jose, taking out his note pad.
"I thought all pretty secretaries loved publicity."
"Some more than others," replied Rebecca evenly, accepting the cup of tea
her mother handed her. Jose smiled grimly. He could tell this wasn't going to be
as easy of an interview as he had hoped.
"Mrs. Newton," he began, "are you currently employed by the office
of Christopher Cushing?" Rebecca took a sip of tea, her hand slightly trembling.
When Jose first mentioned the fact she was a secretary, she had an uneasy feeling
of which direction the interview was going to take.
"No, I am not," replied Rebecca, rashly. Mr. Newton looked up from his
newspaper. This was news to him! He had thought his daughter had merely come home
to spend Christmas with her family and friends.
"When were you let go?" continued Jose.
"Excuse, me?" asked Rebecca.
"When were you fired?" asked Jose, rephrasing the question.
"I understood the question, Mr. Fernandez. What I don't understand is your misconception
that I was fired."
"You were not fired from Christopher Cushing's office? Why, then, is the reason
you no longer work there?"
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