To Steal a Weeping Widow

Chapter Twenty-Three: Interviews Don't Warn of Innocence

"When you say they're coming down hard on you, what does that mean?"

"I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say, but I think it's unfair how I've been treated in all of this."

"Eleanor, what did you see that night?" Diane pressed. "Our viewers would love to know what actually happened the night the museum was robbed. Did you see anyone?"

"No, I didn't see anything. I was in my office planning an exhibit. When the alarms went off, I went out, and that's where I was found."

She pressed harder. "Did anything seem off? Any hints of what was about to happen?"

"If there were, I'm sure others would've noticed. I was so focused on upcoming projects. There are some truly amazing exhibits planned for the next year."

"Well, thank you for coming in today, Eleanor. I can't imagine how hard this was. In fact, this is one of the first times you've spoken to media since the theft. What changed?"

I pinched my lips together and gazed above Diane's head. I took a deep breath, putting my full skills behind a crafted expression, and began. "I think a lot changed. Seeing what the theft did to the museum was hard. I love Whitehill and what it does, and I really hope it comes back stronger after this, but it's been difficult knowing how fast people will turn on their friends when given the opportunity. Oh god, I hope I'm explaining this correctly!"

We shared another chuckle, and I continued. "Diane, I felt like my voice was taken that night. It sounds crazy, but... I was actually okay with that for a while. I thought I understood people wanted answers. That they loved art as much as I do, but recently, I realized that's not the case."

"What is the case?"

"People want to see me as the root of the problem. If it's just one person, we can ignore all the other issues and see who we want to be the answer. This was another way to push people's opinions out, not a way to facilitate discussion or examine the real issues."

Diane nodded. "And what would you say are the real issues?"

"Art has been in the media for all the wrong reasons lately, but we move on so fast from it. We don't talk enough about what we're actually talking about, or act brave enough to label it. There's a lot of noise about legal ownership of pieces taken from ancient sites, or pieces strong-armed from owners during war. Let's really talk about those things! Let's figure it out. It's not a bite of sensationalism, it's a horrible crime. It's cultural theft and the continued victimization of historical casualties. Whether it's losses of life or losses of beauty, pointing fingers and stirring drama isn't achieving anything."

"Spoken like a true lover of art. Thank you for being here today, Eleanor. We appreciate the opportunity to share this, and I hope our viewers see what the rest of us here at Strut News already do. You haven't deserved any of this. I applaud you for your resiliency as you face these challenges, and I look forward to seeing what you do next."

"Thank you, Diane! I have big plans. Thank you for having me."

Diane turned to the camera and met it head-on. "Check out more of Eleanor Vaycker's exciting new interview with us on our website and socials. Comment below your thoughts on the FBI's empty chase and where we fail history and art. I'm Diane Bellim, and this is Strut News."

"And we're clear! Good work!" The program manager called.

Diane's smile slipped like melted ice down a roof as she beckoned her assistant forward.

I watched, twisting my hands in my lap, still feeling like my lungs weren't breathing right. Being on camera was awful.

"Thank you for agreeing to this," I said.