I watched the television cameras zoom in for the opening shot as I glanced at the teleprompter counting down until the commercial ended and I needed to begin speaking again. The screen glowed with the number one. And turning in my chair, I glanced at the number two camera and silently swallowed, preparing to begin my nightly ritual yet again,-the introduction of guests.
"And we're back with you tonight here on
Sundown, your go to source for news on the entertainment industry. Tonight we have two very special guests. You might recognize them as a team of crime fighters recently awarded the Kick Butt award from the Boston Police Department. And they will be here tonight to tell us little bit about what they do, as part of our courageous women show."
Robust clapping echoed around the studio as the audience shows appreciation for the soon to appear guests.
I waved my hand to quiet them down. "To give you a small amount of background on one of the women, here's a short clip on the famous take down caught on tape just last week." Pointing to the screen behind me, I scooted out of the way and signaled the media director to begin the clip for the audience.
Noise erupted in the studio as the screen glowed with the images and the sound echoed through the surround sound speakers.
A tall brunette ran down an alley, her legs eating up the distance as she chased the perpetrator, a teenaged boy in a yellow hooded sweatshirt.
"Get back here you little…"
Thud. Thud. Thud. Gasping breath echoed throughout the studio. She jumped out and tackled him to the cement in a blur of motion.
"I didn't do anything," the boy squealed.
"Yeah, well tell that to the kid you just stabbed," the brunette rasped then reached into her pocket and flipped her handcuffs on the boys wrists. She hauled him to his feet and dragged him off down the alley reading him his Miranda rights.
The clip ends with a zap of silence.
I watched the cameras once again zoom in and I read, "well, better than football. And that ladies and gentlemen was one of Bostons' finest. Please welcome Detective Jane Rizzoli." I turned toward the curtain leading to the back room and waited for my guest to appear.
The tall brunette stepped out onto the stage and squinted as the stage lights hit her in the face. I felt a pang of sympathy, knowing exactly how bright those lights can be after the darkness of the Green room. Standing up, I smiled at this tall perfect creature.
"Welcome Detective. I'm so glad you could make it for our show tonight." I shook her hand and directed her to a seat just as we practiced a few hours before during pre-shooting. She sat down, then looked at me expectantly with a smile lifting her mouth up.
"It's good to be here, Jill," she rasped as she broke eye contact with me to glance at each of the cameras. I resisted the urge to laugh at her deer-in-the-headlights expression. Stage fright was starting to take hold and I needed to prevent it.
"Good, good. I just showed your clip that aired last, and I must say, impressive foot work." I gushed at her.
She smiled. "Thank you. It was nothing. I was just doing my job."
"Yes, your job. So, I understand you're a Detective? Tell me a little bit about a typical day of work for you."
"Well, like all jobs, it varies. I don't always tackle people. But typically, I spend my time doing paperwork," she smiled at me and laughed softly, "and getting doughnuts."
"Do you spend a great deal of your time getting doughnuts? I would think, as a Detective, you would have others get your doughnuts for you." I smiled, hoping the questions were starting to ease her nervousness.
She laughed again. "I'm picky when it comes to my doughnuts. I have tackled others over my doughnuts. It can be dangerous."
"I bet. I would give you back your doughnut after that clip I just saw. Wow!" I watched her as she licked her lips constantly. "So, other than eating doughnuts and doing paperwork, what else do you do during the day? The clip I have showed you chasing down a teenage boy. Do you often have to chase down the bad guys? Is that how you stay so trim after eating doughnuts all day?"
"Yes," she smiled then said, "it's our best kept secret. No, seriously, I don't always get to chase the bad guys. Sometimes the bad guys chase me, but not always."
"When the bad guys elude you, is it correct that you work very closely with a Medical Examiner?"
"Doctor Maura Isles, yes. She helps us confirm the clues and get the bad guys. She also happens to be my best friend." Jane took a drink from her water and looked at the audience for a minute then flashed her brown eyes back toward my blue.
I smiled. "It just so happens we have another guest tonight." I stared at the curtains and said loudly, "please welcome Doctor Maura Isles." I clapped as I watched her step out onto the stage and smile at Jane while walking toward her. There was an intimacy in the gaze that I recognized.
Uh-huh, I thought as I watched them visually interact.
Jane stood up and hugged Maura. The audience gave a few catcalls and clapped raucously. "Welcome Doctor Isles," I said and pointed to her chair right beside Jane. After whispering softly to each other, they both sat down and gazed at me.
"I'm so glad you could make it here," I said. "I was just asking Jane about her day-to-day activities at her job. Care to contribute anything?"
She laughed at Jane. "She spends a great deal of time down in my Morgue."
"Down in the Morgue?" I laughed and looked at Jane. "What do you do down in the Morgue Detective?"
"I wait for Maura to finish her work to give me clues to follow." She took another gulp from her water glass, and I watched as her cheeks blossomed to a nice pink shade.
Hmm.
"Oh Jane, you know you just loiter around, getting in my way, and stalling for time while dropping doughnut crumbs everywhere," Doctor Isles teased then poked Jane in the shoulder. I immediately sensed the closeness between these two and wondered if I should prod at it. I told my boss I would go there.
Definitely would make ratings.
"Do not. It's not my fault you take sooo long to finish an autopsy."
"You know I have to have the correct data before giving you the report."
"I know. I know."
I listened to the banter between the two women and decided I needed to get them back on track. "Doctor Isles, tell me about your typical day? How do you help the Detectives solve a crime?"
She patted Jane's arm. "I arrive at the scene of the crime and analyze all available data. I take care of the body and its transport to the Morgue."
"Surely you help in other ways. You must give Detective Rizzoli support at the scene. Why, I bet reporters are all over the scenes. How does it feel to be in the public eye, to have everything you do scrutinized?"
I watched as her face went serious. "I do my job. And yes," she turned to wink at Detective Rizzoli, who smiled back at her, "I do give Jane support whenever she needs it."
"It must be difficult being two women in the law enforcement profession." I commented in preparation for my next round of questions.
I looked them both in the eyes. "It was mentioned last week after you both received the award, and were photographed together that you are more than just best friends."
Both sets of eyes widened and the audience gave a collective gasp. I was about to venture into dangerous territory but I promised my boss I would go there.
"And more than one interviewee stated that you two are involved in a lesbian relationship. Any comments?"
Detective Rizzoli sat stone faced, frozen in place. But I watched the green eyes of Doctor Isles ignite and blaze while looking at me. "Whatever has been said about Jane and I being in a lesbian relationship, is none of your business or the public's."
"Is it true?"
"Whether it's true or not as I said, is none of your business. You asked us here to represent courageous women not to be needled about our private lives. I suggest you get back on track Miss Williams."
"I'm terribly sorry, but I had to ask." I stared at her for a minute, then flipped around to stare at my cameraman. He gave me the commercial signal and I said, "we'll get back to this after a commercial break." I watched the countdown until we were off the air and then I turned back to Jane and Maura. They sat together, holding onto each other and whispering in low tones.
Doctor Isles turned back to me. "You had no right. You just outed us on national television. My attorney will be in contact with you."
"I outed you? I asked questions, which is my job. And unless it's true, you have nothing to fear."
"It's true," Detective Rizzoli mumbled and looked up at me. Her eyes were glistening with tears in the lowlights of the studio. I felt a pang of guilt in my stomach for causing damage to a fellow lesbian. "Maur, she's right. It's time."
"Whether it's time or not isn't the issue here Jane. She asked us here under false pretenses to prod our suspected relationship and make ratings. It's morally wrong."
"Then I'm sorry. But you must know you can't keep something like your lesbian relationship a secret from the inquiring public." I looked them both in the eye. "What you don't know, is the clip I showed was edited. They caught you two together before the chase scene. I could have shown the unedited clip, but I didn't."
"That's big of you. I think we're done here." Doctor Isles stood up and waited for the Detective to get to her feet. She whispered into Jane's ear and then they departed from my interview area.
I just made two enemies. Two women I would have liked to call friends.
I watched them walk off the stage with quick steps. The camera counted down to the end of the commercial and I had to tell my audience that my guests had to leave unexpectedly. I felt guilty over my actions. My producer stood off stage and smiled at me. He gave me the thumbs up sign as I sank back into my chair.
The show must go on.
"And welcome back to
Sundown. An unexpected emergency pulled away my guests, so you're stuck with me for the next ten minutes. We'll take another quick break then I have another guest coming up. You might recognize her as a political powerhouse for the state of Ohio, where she took down the local Republican party in one fell swoop. Please welcome Governor Myers."
The clapping audience continued, oblivious to the churning of my stomach or the thudding of my guilty heart.
I looked at the curtain, licked my lips, and waited for my next guest.
The End