Dead Man Running by Barry Davis Read Free Book Online Page B

skintight sweater – his warmest smile.  She smiled back and Elias made a mental note to get her digits before he left the building. 
    Maybe she'd be willing to do him in a broom close t ?
    He sure could use the release – Wiley's adventure was all over YouTube and this was his twelfth interview where he attempted to explain away what the human eye could clearly see.
    The fine Latina appeared again.  "Thirty seconds, Mr. Turnbull," she said.  Her voice was husky and it turned Elias on.
    Elias nodded and smiled.  He heard a voice in his ear bud counting down then he heard the voice of Wolf Blitzer.  A monitor underneath the camera that faced him featured Blitzer standing in his "Situation Room". 
    "Our guest tonight in the Situation Room is Elias Turnbull, chief of staff for Democratic congressman Benjamin Wiley.  Congressman Wiley is an I nternet sensation this evening following the posting of this video on YouTube."  The picture splits in two – Blitzer on one side, the accident video on the other.  "As you can see it apparently shows the congressman being hit by a car, then miraculously mending his broken leg and continuing down the street."
    "I have to say Wolf, the congressman did not mend his leg .  H e straightened his leg.  He then got up and continued on his walk."
    "You're telling me, Mr. Turnbull, that this collision did not break the congressman's leg?"
    Elias' monitor showed a recurring loop of the accident, NFL style with super slow motion.  Wiley's leg clearly bends at a supernatural angle.
    "The congressman walked down the street to his appointment at a neighborhood elementary school.  There he danced with a classroom of school children.  Tell me how he did all that with a broken leg?"
    "Can you tell us how he survived the accident at all?"
    Elias ducked his head, his contrition having to substitute for his boss'.  He looked up, making eye contact with the Wolf Monitor.
    "Wolf, as you know, Reverend Wiley recently admitted to a drug problem."
    "Yes, I recall.  He made some unfortunate remarks at the New York City prayer breakfast.  Are you saying he was under the influence this morning?"
    Elias nodded.  "Unfortunately, yes, Wolf.  The congressman had a group session with his fellow addicts and someone spiked his latte with a cocktail of PCP and LSD."
    "Wow, so that's how he was able to walk away from such a horrendous accident?"
    "Yes.  But he was able to walk off the accident and gamely continued on his schedule to spend time with the children."
    "Mr. Turnbull, that sounds almost heroic."
    Elias smiled.  "Wolf, it's not heroism if it's what you do every day.  No sacrifice is too great when it comes to Congressman Wiley and the babies of our community."
    Blitzer, sensing this rooster going t o full feather mode, knew his 'b ig interview' was a dud. His producer was buzzing in his ear to end this mess.  There was a story hitting the wire about Sarah Palin banging an NBA player and the producer had the cleaning man from an Alaskan motel holding for an interview.
    "Elias, thank you so much.  I appreciate you coming on – you really cleared up this fake controversy."
    "No problem Wolf , thanks for the opportunity."
    The red light switched off the camera facing Elias.  He stood and the pretty technician switched her way over.  "Good job," she said.
    "Thanks," he replied.  "How about we do som ething later?"  He put his hand lightly on her wrist.
    The woman smiled.  "Sure," she said.  "Just bring one of those cocktails that your boss took.  Any shit that lets you get hit by a car and walk away has to be out of this world."  She jotted her cell number on a half sheet of paper. 
    Elias looked at her as she walked away.  He shook his head once, twice, finally through sheer will he left the room.  Before he hit the doorway he balled the paper in his hand and dropped it into a trash can.
     
    The next morning Wiley's limo pull ed in front of the World Affairs Club .  Mookie ,