When he got into the police van at the entrance to the hospital, he saw the deputies looking at him strangely. On the way to the courthouse, the paddy wagon made a five-mile detour to throw off any news reporters or TV news people who might be following. But as it swung around Front Street into the cruiser entrance of the Franklin County Jail, a young woman and a man with a TV camera stepped inside just before the sally-port door closed behind them.

“All right, Milligan,” said the driver, opening the door.

“I’m not getting out,” Billy said. “Not with tnat TV camera and that reporter there. If you don’t protect me here in jail, I’m gonna tell my‘lawyers as soon as I get in.”

The driver turned and saw them. “Who are you?” “Channel Four News. We’ve got permission to be here.” The driver looked at Billy, who shook his head defiantly. “My lawyers told me not to get near any reporters. I’m not getting out.”

“Well, he won’t come out while you’re here,” the officer told the reporter.

“We have a right—” the woman began.

“Its a violation of my rights,” Billy called from the van. “What’s going on here?” another officer shouted from inside the security gate.

The driver said, “Milligan refuses to get out while these people are here.”

“Look, folks,” Sergeant Willis said, “I’m afraid you’ll have to leave so we can get him inside.”

When the TV cameraman and the reporter stepped outside the sally port and the steel door clanged down, Billy let Willis lead him out through the doors. Inside, black-shirted sheriff’s deputies gathered to watch Milligan being brought in, and Willis made a path for Billy to go through.

Sergeant Willis took him up to the third floor. “You remember me, son?”

Billy nodded as they stepped out of the elevator. “You were pretty decent to me.”

“Well, you never caused me no trouble. Except them toilets.” Willis handed him a cigarette. “You’re a pretty famous man.”

“I don’t feel famous,” said Billy. “I feel hated.”

“Well, I seen Channel Four out front and Channel Ten and ABC and NBC and CBS. There’s more TV cameras and reporters out there than I’ve seen in a lot of big murder trials.” They stopped at the barred exit to a small anteroom, beyond which the court passage gate would lead him to the Franklin County Hall of Justice.

The guard at the desk nodded to him. “Almost didn’t recognize you without your mustache.” Then he pressed the buzzer to call the central control room and tell them to stand by and unlock the court gate for Milligan.

The court passage door opened. The court escort braced him against the wall and frisked him carefully.

“All right,” the man said, “walk on ahead of me down that passageway to the courthouse.”

When they reached the seventh floor of the Hall of Justice, Judy and Gary joined them. They noticed that Billy’s mustache was gone.