“I will answer questions,” Ragen said.

Startled by the accent, Ekey hesitated. “I—I mean we— were asking … We wanted to assure the community that you—that Billy isn’t violent.”

“I would be violent only if someone would try to hurt Billy or to harm a female or a child in his presence,” Ragen said. “Only in such case I would intervene. Let me put it this way. Would you allow person to hurt your child? No. You would protect wife, child or any woman. If someone try hurt Billy, I would protect. But to attack without provocation is barbaric. I am not barbarian.”

After a few more questions, the reporters asked to speak to Arthur. Caul relayed their request, and they saw Ragen’s hostile expression change as if melting. An instant later it hardened into a haughty, thin-lipped frown. Arthur looked around, preoccupied, took a pipe from his pocket, lit it and blew a long stream of smoke. “This is quite mad,” he said. “What is?” Dr. Caul asked.

“Putting William asleep to bring us out on display. I have been trying my hardest to keep him awake. Its important for him to stay in control. However”—he turned his attention to the reporters—”to answer your question about violence, I can assure the mothers of this community that they do not have to bolt their doors. William is improving. He is gaining logic from me and the ability to express anger from Ragen. We are teaching him and he is consuming us. When William has learned everything we have to teach him, we shall disappear.” The reporters wrote quickly in their note pads.

Caul brought Billy back, and as he came out, he began to choke on the pipe. “God! That junks terrible!” he said, and threw it on the table. “I don’t smoke.”

Answering more questions, Billy said he did not remember anything that had happened from the time Dr. Caul had taken him into the other room. He spoke hesitantly about his aspirations. He hoped to sell some of his paintings and put part of his money into a child-abuse-prevention center.

As the Messenger staff left the room, Caul noticed all three looked quite dazed. “I think,” he said, walking with Billy back to AIT, “we’ve got some more believers.”

Judy Stevenson was busy on a case, so Gary Schweickart Drought the head of the public defender’s office with him to Athens to visit Billy. Gary wanted to know more about the writer who was going to do the book, and about L. Alan Goldsberry, the Athens attorney Billy had hired to handle his civil affairs. They met at eleven o’clock in the conference room, along with Dr. Caul, Billy’s sister and her fiance, Rob. Billy insisted he had come to his own decision, and that he wanted this writer to do the book. Schweickart turned over to Goldsberry a list of publishers, potential writers and a producer who had shown interest in the rights to the story.

After the meeting, Gary went off alone with Billy to chat briefly. “I’ve got another case that’s in the headlines now,” he said. “The twenty-two-caliber killer.”