Anonymous

13 - Media Frenzy

It was the day of the press conference, and the whole station had been buzzing since Harriet had arrived at eight o'clock that morning. Officers were guarding all the doors and security guards were checking all the public who came in for identification badges, weapons and anything illegal. The whole building was on red alert, in case anyone tried anything whilst the room was full of police officers and news reporters.

Harriet wandered around the corridors trying to calm her nerves. She had been awake most of the night panicking about her speech, so the lack of sleep was not helping at all. She clutched a travel cup of cold coffee in one hand, and a scrap piece of paper with rushed notes on in the other. She mumbled the phrases to herself as she continued to walk around.

The press conference was a big deal since the policing unit had not let any information be told to the reporters until now. They hadn't wanted to worry the civilians, but now it looked like this killer was the worst they had met in their entire working history. He had escaped the police so many times, and the body count was rising – Jason's included.

Harriet felt more than nervous. The people she would be faced with are the ones she is supposed to protect and the recent dead bodies are stacking up as evidence that she can't do her job correctly. Anxiety washed over her, sending shivers up her spine and out to the tips of her fingers, her body violently shaking. Harriet dropped her cold coffee and ran to the nearest bathroom. She shoved her way into a stall and bent down on the freshly cleaned floor. Sickness had crept its way up her stomach, but she could do nothing more than dry heave. Her chest ached from the gagging and her throat sore from the constant convulsing.

After she stopped heaving, Harriet leant back against the side of the cubicle; the cold surface welcome on her heated skin. She stayed like that for at least ten minutes, before her work phone began to ring. She hesitantly picked it up and Captain Price's worried voice greeted her from the speaker.

"Harriet where are you?"

"I'm coming Captain."

"Well hurry, we're starting soon." Harriet coughed and gagged once more, the nausea not completely gone. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah Captain, just a bit of nerves."

"Do it for Jason." He stated in a monotone. Harriet had to check she was still on the phone to him and that he hadn't hung up before continuing.

"Excuse me?"

"We are about to enter the hardest part of our case right now. The killer will know we want him and how much we want him. You have a thing about public speaking – I know that. But what you are about to do, do it for Detective Murray. He would want you to capture this guy." Both sides stayed silent for a few minutes, the Captains last words bouncing around the tiled room.

"I'll see you in a few minutes Captain."

***

Harriet and the Captain were waiting in the wings of the stage for their curtain call. The cameras had to be rolling and everyone seated before they were allowed out on stage. Harriet's breathing began to get hard and angry, the Captain giving her a funny look before they were dragged out on the mini-stage in front of all the reporters and cameras.

Almost instantly, cameras began flashing and reports began talking, before the Captain held up a hand to silence them. He and Harriet took their seats in front of about eight different microphones.

"We are here today simply to reassure the people of our community. Please refrain from interruption, shouting or abuse of any kind else you will be removed from the building." He nodded in recognition to two burly officers stood towards the back of the room. The press soon quietened down. "Detective Harriet King is the lead detective on the case, and she can answer any questions you may have." About ten reporters raised their hand immediately, pen and paper in waiting to quote whatever she said.