Jane Bites Back_ A Novel - Michael Thomas Ford [65]
“Borrowed it?” said Jane. “You mean plagiarized it?”
“I don’t like to use that word,” Farrah said. “But yes, that’s more or less what it said.”
Jane was at a loss for words. Who would accuse her of such a thing? She hadn’t the faintest idea. She had no enemies that she knew of. Except possibly Byron, a voice in her head said.
Byron. Would he really do such a thing? She could think of no one else who would want to. But this was low even for him. Did he really despise her so much? You did wound his manly pride, the same voice reminded her.
She could sense Farrah waiting for an answer from her. But how should she proceed? She could protest all she wanted to, but the accusation had already been leveled. Anything she said would sound disingenuous, especially to someone like Farrah, whose idea of investigative journalism was based on the reporting skills of the girls of Cherry High.
“I think it’s important that I address this,” Jane said carefully. “But would you excuse me a moment? There’s something I have to attend to. It will only take a few minutes.”
“Sure,” Farrah answered. “No problem.”
Jane stood up. “I’ll be back shortly,” she told the young woman. “Please, help yourself to a beverage from the minibar.” She smiled graciously as she went to the door.
Once she was in the hallway she ran as quickly as she could to the elevator. She paced as she waited for it to arrive, then practically leapt inside when the doors finally opened. Hitting a button on the control panel, she rode down a floor and got out. She looked for the numbers painted on the hallway wall and followed the arrow to number 1822. She rapped on the door and waited for Kelly to answer. A moment later the door opened.
“You have to help me—” Jane began. Then she realized that the man standing before her wasn’t Kelly. It was someone she’d never seen before. And he was wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. “I’m sorry,” Jane fumbled. “I must have gotten the number wrong.”
“Who is it, Bryce?” Jane heard Kelly’s voice. “Is that my laundry?”
“No,” the man Jane now assumed to be Bryce said. “I believe it’s your author.” He moved out of the way as Kelly appeared in the doorway
“Jane,” he said. “Aren’t you supposed to be doing your Entertainment Weekly interview?”
Jane nodded. “That’s why I’m here,” she said, glancing inside the room where Bryce was looking through the wardrobe.
Kelly noticed her stare. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have introduced you first. Bryce, this is Jane. Jane, this is Bryce. My partner.”
The last word hit Jane like cold water. Partner, she thought numbly as she realized what it meant.
“I forgot you two have never met,” Kelly continued, oblivious to her shock.
Bryce slipped a shirt on. “I love your book,” he said.
“Thank you,” said Jane. She turned her attention back to Kelly. “We have a problem,” she said. She then explained the situation.
“Is that all?” Kelly said when she was done. “Don’t worry. This happens with every big book. Some crackpot starts a rumor that the author plagiarized the book. He fires off letters to various magazines and tries to cause trouble. Usually it’s some wannabe who thinks he’ll get attention or money by causing a stink.”
“But she says she doesn’t know who sent the email,” said Jane.
“That’s actually good news,” Kelly told her. “That means it’s just someone with nothing better to do. Here’s what you do. Tell this woman—what’s her name?”
“Farrah,” said Jane.
“Farrah?” Kelly and Bryce said in unison.
“Something about her mother,” said Jane. “So, what do I say?”
“You tell her that we’re aware of the emails and that they’re being sent maliciously by someone who has a grudge against you. Tell her our legal department is handling it. That will shut her up. She won’t write anything about it if she thinks she might get in trouble for spreading unfounded claims.”
“That’s it?” said Jane.
“That’s it,” Kelly said. “Sometimes living in a litigious country works to your advantage. Now go, before she gets even more suspicious. Here,