A Womanizer Reforms

During the past hour he'd heard 'teasers' announcing an exclusive news story that the city museum had been closed as a precaution against possible partial collapse of the roof.

He admired the total professionalism of Macy as the item ran for eleven minutes and was worthy of such major treatment. Filming showed people being ushered out of the building, the harassed director calling Macy a bitch and then later the museum board chairman apologizing on behalf of the stressed director and Macy smilingly accepting the apology and acknowledging stress was to blame. There was a cut and she was then filmed wearing a red hardhat with a cameraman being shown corrosion of the metal bearing structures holding the stylized roof panels and back outside the museum again, still wearing her hardhat, talking to the chief investigating engineer and the chairman Mrs Knowles who was flanked by two attorneys.

"What is the estimated cost of roof reinstatement?"

One of the attorney's spoke to Mrs Knowles who said the estimates were currently being audited.

"Well a ballpark figure then? Five million? Ten Million? Fifteen million?"

The two attorneys conferred briefly with Mrs Knowles who said, "Going on the best information available sections of the roof will have to be replaced and many existing members will have plates bolted through them once the material that has precipitated metal corrosion has been removed. The figure is expected to be more than $5 million but less than $10 million."

"Is there negligence involved in the placement of that insulation material that failed to perform as expected?"

Without consulting, Mrs Knowles said, "It is too early to attribute any blame for this shocking discovery. We are all distressed about it and our professionals involved in designing, building and supplying materials for the roof of our fine museum and burning the midnight oil looking for answers and having forensic tests made. That is all we wish to say at this juncture. Thank you."

"Mrs Knowles?"

"Yes Macy."

"I wish you to know that we at Channel 4 sympathize the predicament you were in but make no apology for pushing hard to break this story. We are proud of our city museum because it's an icon building and know you'll get it back in A1 condition."

"Thank you Macy," Mrs Knowles said, showing emotion for the first time.

Hal called Macy and congratulated her on a great story.

"I did my best but felt it was a real bitch pushing so hard to get it."

"You did what you had to do. Well tomorrow I face the lions, presenting my preliminary plan to senior executive for internal organizational change with your father's approval required. No significant spending is involved so the plan doesn't require board approval."

Macy said sweetly, "Do you want me to be there to hold your hand?"

"What do you think Debra would think about that?"

Macy cut the call wanting to hit the jerk but then she sighed. She'd provoked that response. In future she must pretend Debra Paglia didn't exist. However her interest was intense and next afternoon she went to the library to return her mother's two big books on home décor.

As she waited at the desk she looked up at the mezzanine admin floor and saw the chief librarian, a golf buddy of her father's looking down at her and waving, signaling coffee.

She went up and Mark Brown greeted her warmly, kissing her and poured coffee.

"I hear you have a new deputy."

"Yeah, a female much to relief of our librarians who are ninety something percent female. Debra replaced a male. Would you like to meet her?"

"Oh she'll be busy."

"Nah we sit around here on our butts reading."

He picked up the phone and spoke to Debra and as she entered Macy rose for the introduction.

They sat and Debra said, oh I know a huge fan of yours, Hal Pearson?"

"Oh yes Hal, I worked with for eight days I think it was. He's a nice guy."

They chatted and to her astonishment Macy found she was not talking to a femme fatale. Debra was actually very sweet and likeable. She tried ever so hard not to think of this librarian being in bed with Hal.

"Are your interests in library general Debra or do you have a particular focus?"

"Debra is highly specialize in child reading and we all know that is the foundation to child learning. She has a PhD in education and a masters in library."

"Well you have a wonderful children's section here and in fact this library always has. As a kid I visited the library at least once a week in the old building in Manners Street that had been a brewery."

"How interesting. Yes children used to have something we call library loyalty and properly engendered it can prevail a lifetime. Today children are converting to read on-screen and that's so sad because they do that at home on the Internet. As you will know the library used to be a social center for kids where they met their buddies."

"But you must have a DVD collection for kids?"

"Yes we do but most of the budget goes on meeting demands of adults. If we only had a big basic stock we could delete incrementally and use a modest budget to update."

Macy's mind was grinding over. "Mark could I bring in a film crew and talk to you and Debra about this? It might start something for you."

"Yeah okay but just talk to Debra. She's the specialist."

"Oh I would welcome that. God Macy I've seen you on TV many times and you smile a lot but appear hard and determined. I had no concept of you being so sweet."

"If I softened I might not progress with the interviews like I do."

"You possibly could consider adopting a two-dimensional technique. Teachers are taught to use a soft-firm approach to use as appropriate. Last night I saw you breaking that museum roof story against what must have been considerable resistance. I couldn't help thinking that chairwoman must have felt like murdering you and then right at the end you sympathized with the woman and I half-expected her to cry."

"Mrs Knowles cry? I don't think so."

Back in the newsroom Macy ran the last bit of the clip of the museum story and carefully watched Mrs Knowles' reaction and realized she'd missed it. Her gentle parting comment had penetrated to Mrs Knowles' emotional core.

Jesus.

Two nights later Hal and Debra were cuddled on the sofa watching TV news and Macy presented the final item.

"God it's Macy Law interviewing you in the library with a little kid on your knee with a book."

"Yes so it is."

"You didn't tell me your knew Macy?"

"I didn't until she visited the library three days ago. She knows Mark through her father and was having coffee when Mark called me in to meet her. We got talking and this is the result."

Hal couldn't believe it. He would have half-expected Macy to beat up Debra, well perhaps not physically hit her, when they first met. He'd been working on orchestrating that first meeting between those two women at the appropriate place and appropriate occasion but so far had come up with nothing, probably because he was out of his depth.

When the interview was other he asked casually, "What do you think of Macy?"

"She's lovely. She must have been a delight to have working with you."

"Yeah she was okay," he said and began stroking Debra's thigh to get her mind on to something else.

The next evening Channel 4 reported two DVD wholesale supplies had each offered to donate children's DVDs to the library and chief librarian Mark Green said the two companies had each agreed to supply 200 DVDs immediately. The library would also be gifted 500 CDs of children's books to be read on-screen and the library would be acquiring ten CD electronic readers for the children's library. The library's children reading specialist, new deputy librarian Mrs Debra Paglia, was delighted about those acquisitions intoned the newsreader, saying a role of a children's library included being a safe place social center for youngsters.

Macy heard that report and after presenting her piece live went to her desk and looked for news stories about Debra Paglia's appointment. There it was in black and white. Mrs Paglia's husband was heading a three-year research program at Oxford University, England, and still had two years to go returning between semesters to be with his wife.

Oh what a disgusting adulterer Hal Pearson, Macy thought. Trust him to find the perfect temporary solution to satisfy his sexual needs with the one woman instead of cavorting around and seducing every woman in sight to earn the title of a 21st century Don Juan. She hoped Hal and Debra could keep the lid on their naughty behavior.

* * *

"Oooh I love that big dick pushing into me," Debra cooed. "You know you are performing a noble duty to ensuring my sex organs remain in great working order during what otherwise would that periods of forced hiatus."

"Say what you wish, you have a great cunt."

"Oooh spoken like a filthy seducer. I wish I had big tits like Macy Law and you could then also fuck them."

Hal blew.

"Oh Hal that was early. Don't abandoned me now."

When they were eating late dinner Debra said, "You know I really like Macy. What she did with me has indirectly resulted in patronage of our children's library soaring beyond belief. We've had to install a coffee station for the mothers and guardians. You and I are going out for lunch on Sunday. Could we invite Macy and her partner?"

"Yeah why not," almost choked the horrified Hal. "I'm not sure if she has a guy to bring."

"I don't mind if she's gay."

Hal did choke and was told to chew his steak properly.

He managed to say he'd never seen Macy with a partner of either sex.

"Well she must be getting sex from someone?"

Christ, thought Hal, he hadn't thought about that.

"Well it's your idea give her a call and tell her it will be okay to come unaccompanied. We could than come back here and have a threesome."

"God Hal, you can be so disgusting. Um do you think she'd be interested?"

"I wouldn't think so," Hal said, thinking what a great idea he'd just come up with. He attempted not to think of Macy's bloated tits or even her tits not under sexual stimulus. He thought it would be best to think of nothing.

"How do you like working in our library, the truth now."

Debra began her delivery, probably thinking how unusual it was for a man being willing to listen to a woman speak at length.

* * *

In the tradition of many women who use their body to help promote their future interest, Macy looked in almost distaste and as the grunts of news director Marty Hanks subsided and he sank on to her heavily. Macy had gotten off moments before and as Marty lifted and pulled off his condom and threw it against the wall of the motel room with a splat that confirmed he'd successfully completed as well and was not just faking it.

"You're a great fuck."

"Thanks Marty. Um I have been invited to dine with a couple at a restaurant on Friday evening. Would you like to accompany me?"

"Christ no Macy. What if someone recognizes me and tells my wife they saw me out with a young chick."

"Oh. Macy felt as flat as Marty's inadequate penis.

"Macy, Elaine goes off on a month's vacation at the end of the month. I've been thinking of using you as the fill-in."

"Would you like to go again Marty?"

"No I'm shot. Weren't you listening?"

"Yeah of course. I was attempting to reward you. There are other more senior people ahead of me Marty."

"I know and no doubt I'll be hearing from them with vengeance. But I'm not fucking any of them am I?"

"Oh Marty, that's what I like about you. You are so direct and yet so sensitive."

""Huh?" Marty said, yawning.

Macy went home to the new apartment she'd moved into only a week ago. She was elated. This opportunity to anchor the news as the female of the duo had come at least a year ahead of schedule. That's if 'she received the nod. It could be touch and go because the pressure on Marty from those other bitches, um her hard-working and talented seniors, would be immense. She'd become well known but if she could raise her profile just a couple of notches she could walk into the temporary anchor spot unchallenged. Well that had to reply on chance; she had nothing up her sleeve.

On Thursday Macy bumped into a former classmate from high school on the sidewalk. Adam Andrews was back in the city on vacation and had only arrived that day. Macy invited him to dinner on Friday evening and he said okay and when she said it would be with another couple he baulked but became enthusiastic when she said if he performed well socially then she would reward him. As Adam was a junior lecturer at a college she expected him to hold up his end conversationally without a trouble.

Colin Black a cameraman who carried a handheld camera on his Harley-Davison for emergency call-outs sped past them and braked heavily.

He yelled back to them, "Macy hop on, it's a hostage."

"Jesus," she said and asked Adam to call her at Channel 4 later. She jumped on the back of the bike.

"No fucker was in the newsroom. They were either out or at lunch," Colin yelled. "Some woman with a sawn-off has bailed up the City Manager in his office. The entire building is being cleared."

"Good."

"What?" he yelled.

"Get us there before the police. If she hasn't killed him it's a fair chance she'd either making a political statement or wishes to negotiate some personal issue."

They mounted the footpath and rode straight up the steps to City Hall, Colin yelling to Macy to really hold on. When dismounting they saw two cops pushing people away from the precinct as they raced through the first set of doors only to be halted by City Hall security.

"Media," called Colin flashing his ID.

"Get back, out of the building," yelled a burly guard.

"Oooh its Marcy Law," said the female security officer.

"Ma'am we're here to try to save the City Manager from harm. This bitch who has him is probably only after publicity."

"Let them through Axel."

"Well if you guys get shot up don't blame me, " Axel said, standing aside.

Marcy had interviewed Gavin Robinson a couple of times and so raced in confidently to his office and found the door open. The city manager was sitting at his desk with a shotgun held against the side of his head.

Colin began filming.

Police and other emergency sirens were blaring and a helicopter could be heard overhead.

"Hi we are from Channel 4 TV, just me and a cameraman and we're not armed and come uninvited to talk to you miss. I'm Macy Law."

"Yeah I recognize you. I must say you are one cool bitch. I'm Mrs Leonie Jones. The council has put some sort of legal notice on our home for non-payment of taxes. This is so unfair. My husband is in bed with a broken hip and we are running out of money and the kids are complaining because the TV has been cut off. I've had enough and it's got to stop."

"Leonie stop this charade. Throw that kid's gun away and come with me on the steps out front where you can make a statement before the police take you away to question you. I'll then call my parent's attorney to represent you."

The city manager groaned, "A toy gun. I've been sitting here sweating and expecting to have my brains blown on with a toy gun."

"Stop your grizzling Mr Robinson," Macy scolded. "You should thank Mrs Jones for not arriving with a real gun. Give me the gun Mrs Jones."

The gun was handed over and Macy marched Mrs Jones out to the entrance and told her to place her hands on her head. Colin followed them, filming.

The two security guys opened the inner doors for them and Macy yelled to cops in amour charging up the steps to halt.

They stopped.

"I'm Macy Law from Channel 4 news and this is the gun this woman was using," she said, throwing it down the steps when it broke into pieces of plastic. Mrs Jones will make a statement and I'll then hand her over. Is that approved, officer in charge?"

"This is Captain Lucas, tactical commander. Yes I recognize you Macy. Please proceed."

Macy briefed Mrs Jones what to say.

"I am Mrs Leonie Jones of 26 Fulford Street. My husband and I have not paid our local taxes. He's home in bed with a broken hip and my kids and whining and we are running out of money and have been living on bread and soup. The Council has placed some sort of order on our home. I'm at my wits ends and came to talk to the city manager about our predicament but he refused to meet me so I went in an pulled out Owen's favorite gun."

Macy whispered to Mrs Jones she was doing great and briefed her what else to say.

"I'm sorry to have disrupted council business and public access to City Hall and I regret some fool called out the police in a full alert but I understand that's procedure. I don't think I'm pregnant," Mrs Jones concluded, coming up with that last bit herself.

Macy whispered to her to burst into tears.

Mrs Jones began bawling and Macy yelled, "Mrs Jones is okay. I'm bringing her down."

Police cameras and TV camera teams and Colin recorded Macy, her arm around Mrs Jones, escorting the offender down the steps when two policewomen took over and handcuffed Mrs Jones.

"Captain Lucas?"

"Yes Macy."

"Please make sure someone looks after Mr Jones and feeds him and the kids. I will call at Police HQ to make my statement as soon as I've filed my story for this evening's newscast. Thanks for turning up but I must say I'm very disappointed how long it took you guys to get here. I think you guys need to have a severe debriefing and try to find if any of you understand what a rapid response is. That's all."

"We don't require your criticism Macy and we want you down at our department now."

"Captain Lucas. Our Channel 4 outside broadcasting unit is over there sending this to air live as perhaps are two of our rival TV stations. You are threatening to prevent me do my public duty which is to prepare my report on this potentially serious hostage drama for our news bulletin. If you wish to anger the public by preventing me doing my job just for the conveniences of your officers to get my statement an hour sooner than waiting for me to complete my film voice-over, then so be it. The hostage drama is over Captain Lucas and you know it."

"Give it to him Macy," someone across the street yelled and people began cheering and chanting.

Captain Lucas took a brief call.

"Macy I have approval to give you ninety minutes in which to present yourself at the department and report to the desk senior-sergeant. This is an order Macy."

"Aye, aye Captain," Macy said saluting. "I must say your assault guys looked fiercely impressive. But speed it up next time. You only had to come round the block from the back of City Hall. The Mayor will be furious about this. Come on Colin but don't expect me to come down these steps on the back of your bike."

Davina had called Frank that Macy was involved in a hostage drama at City Hall but he and Hal were already watching. At the library chief librarian Mark Brown and his deputy Debra Paglia and half a dozen librarians were in Mark's office looking at the end of the drama being screened live.

"Oh my, listen to Macy telling off the Police captain," Debra giggled. "They are armed to the teeth and she's defying and berating them like Joan of Arc."

Mark Brown who'd just been stitched up for a date by Macy joined people crowded into a TV store watching the drama on display screens.

As it came to an end he said proudly to an elderly guy standing next to him: "I have a date with that TV reporter on Saturday night."

"That's unlikely son," said the man. "The Chief of Police will have her slapped in irons for discrediting the Police Department."

Macy arrived back at the TV station only to be ordered by the chief reporter to go to the Police Department immediately and try not to upset them any further. Somebody would do the voiceover for the promo to run during the two hours before News at Six and the presenter would do the voice-over for the news clip and then would interview Macy.