by Bill Evans
The three-day drive was uneventful except for the occasional flirting with the truck drivers lucky enough to have Lisa’s convertible pass them. Normally she controlled her flirtatious side, but toying with truckers broke up the boredom of such a long monotonous drive.
She had arranged to share an apartment with Kristen Nesbitt, the morning anchor at the station. Kristen had been in Palm Springs just shy of a year. Jack paired the two together knowing Kristen was looking for a roommate. Normally Lisa wouldn’t take a roommate, but she wanted to do this move on her own, without the financial help of her dad. She appreciated her parents, but she no longer wanted to be daddy’s little girl. This was her time to figure out how to succeed on her own. She exuded confidence.
Pulling up to the Villa Apartments on Country Club Drive, she noticed a lot of emergency vehicle activity. The entry gate was open, so she headed to her new home, apartment 210. As she approached she saw police, fire, and ambulance crews congregated at her building.
Lisa parked her Mustang in the nearest visitor spot and headed to the center of the apartment complex. On the stairs a policeman stopped her to ask her where she was going. Lisa explained that she was going to number 210 to meet her new roommate. The police sergeant let her pass and she found herself standing in the doorway, watching the paramedics work over a bloodied body in the center of the living room.
A second policeman noticed the pretty brunette standing in the doorway. “Can I help you, miss?”
“What happened? Who is the girl?”
“Who are you, please?”
“Oh, I’m Lisa Addelson. I’m supposed to be moving in here with Kristen Nesbitt. Is that Kristen?”
“Are you a relative?”
“No. I just told you. I’m the new roommate.”
“That is Kristen Nesbitt. Does she know you?”
“We’ve never met. I just arrived in town.” Lisa wondered what the hell she had gotten into. “Can I talk to her?”
“John, can she talk to the victim for a minute?” the policeman asked the paramedic.
“Give us a minute. Maybe before we take her to the hospital.” These words weren’t all that comforting to the desert’s newest resident. Kristen was on the stretcher ready to be taken to the ambulance.
“Kristen, I’m Lisa, your new roommate. Is there anyone I can call?” Lisa took Kristen’s hand and squeezed it as if to say, I’m here for you.
“Call Jack Router, the news director. Your keys are on the counter.”
“I’ll call Jack and then meet you at the hospital.”
The paramedics took Kristen down the stairs as carefully as possible. Her face was bruised, but that was all Lisa could see. “What happened?” she asked the policeman at the door.
“We don’t know too much right now. There was a 911 call, and by the time we got here Ms. Nesbitt was on the floor. It looked like she was attacked.”
Lisa located Jack Router’s number in her purse and asked to use the apartment phone. “Mr. Router, this is Lisa, Lisa Addelson.”
“Hi. I didn’t expect to hear from you until this weekend. You get to town already?”
“Yes sir. I’m over at Kristen’s apartment. There’s a problem. Kristen’s been attacked and she’s on her way to the hospital.”
“Lisa, what happened?”
“I’m not sure. I just got here. The police and ambulance people were here working on Kristen. She’s on her way to the hospital.”
“What hospital, Lisa?”
Lisa asked the officer standing near her. “Mr. Router, she’s being taken to Eisenhower Medical Center. I’m going over there as soon as the police are done here.”
“Okay. I’m going over there right now. I’ll see you when you get there.” Jack hung up and out the door he ran. Jack felt like a father figure to a lot of the kids in the newsroom. He felt responsible for them.
The police were at the apartment another twenty or thirty minutes taking pictures and fingerprints. They also interviewed a few of the neighbors to see if there were any eye witnesses. Before the police left they gave Lisa their cards and told her they would be in touch. Lisa grabbed the apartment keys that Kristen had left for her. The police officer gave her directions to the hospital.
Lisa arrived at Eisenhower Medical Center within ten minutes. Jack Router saw her in the hallway. He recognized her from her audition reel. “Lisa, Jack Router. Sorry we’re meeting this way.”
“Does this kind of thing happen a lot?”
Jack was impressed at how in control his newest reporter seemed, especially after such a dramatic welcome. “No, it doesn’t. Tell me what happened. No one here is saying anything.”
“I really don’t know much. The police said they got a 911 call and when they showed up they found Kristen on the floor beaten from an attack. I don’t know anything more than that.”
A doctor from the emergency room approached the two while they were talking. “Are you here with Ms. Nesbitt?” The two nodded.
“She suffered a severe beating. She’s going to be all right, but we’re going to keep her overnight. I’m afraid, though, that she lost the baby.” The doctor obviously didn’t realize that Lisa and Jack were not family. “You’re not going to get to see her right now because she’s resting, and we’ve medicated her. She’ll be able to go home tomorrow.”
The doctor walked off before either one could speak.
“Baby?” Jack said. “Lisa, did you know about a baby?”
“How would I know about any baby? I’ve never met Kristen before today.”
“I thought she might have said something while the two of you were talking the last couple of weeks. Maybe she didn’t know she was pregnant.”
“Do you know if she was seeing someone?” asked Lisa.
“I wasn’t aware of her dating anyone seriously. She was always busy with her career, it seemed. Look, I know you’re new and everything, but you can’t talk about this to anyone. Excuse me for a minute. I need to make a call.”
Jack walked to a private part of the room where he knew no one would hear his conversation. “Dick, its Jack Router. I thought you should know that Kristen Nesbitt was found beaten and she’s in the hospital. I don’t have more details than that right now. I thought you’d want to know.” Jack hung up and returned to Lisa.
“Lisa, are you going to be okay at the apartment tonight? I can arrange for you to stay in a hotel until Kristen gets out of the hospital if you want. In fact, you may not want to stay with Kristen at all after today’s incident.”
“I’ll be okay. I’m a big girl and I can take care of myself. I will see you Monday morning. Tomorrow I’ll come back to the hospital and take Kristen home. Does she have any parents or relatives that we should call?”
“No. She is pretty much alone. Her parents are dead and there aren’t any brothers or sisters. As far as I know there isn’t anyone to call. Look, I’m going to call one or two people from the station and have them call you. Maybe someone can show you around the town over the weekend. I’ll have someone contact you later tonight.”
“Mr. Router, you don’t need to do that. I’m okay.” The conversation ended as the two got to the parking lot. Jack left to go back to the station while Lisa got in her Mustang and drove back to her new apartment.
***
“Dugan, I need you to do some checking for me. Kristen Nesbitt is at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage. Get ahold of our people there and find out what happened to her. Check with our police friends and see what they can tell you. I want a full report as quickly as possible. Find out if the baby is all right.”
“Yes sir, Mr. Simpson. I’m on it.”
Stewart Simpson owned Madison Broadcasting, and his ABC station in Palm Springs was one of six television stations in the group. Dick called Stewart with the news about his morning show anchor as soon as he had hung up with Jack. The general manager never wanted the owner reading or hearing news about his station, or the people that worked for him, from any sour
ce other than him. What Dick didn’t realize was that Stewart Simpson had a lot of people feeding him information. Dick’s was the second call that the station owner received about the morning anchor’s condition.
***
Lisa got back to the apartment and started cleaning up from the altercation. She didn’t own furniture, but she had arranged for Rent-A-Center to deliver a bedroom set the day before she arrived. The two-bedroom apartment had the perfect layout for the two newspeople. The bedrooms were large, and each had a full bathroom.
Nielsen ranked Palm Springs 172 in size out of 210 television markets in the country. And there was a lot of money in the Coachella Valley, where Palm Springs was located. That fit Lisa’s ambition to a tee.
Palm Springs was known as the golf capital of the world, but the city itself had just one public nine-hole golf course and one dilapidated country club. All the growth had gone down-valley to Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Indian Wells and La Quinta. The desert had the opposite of wealth as well. Four cities made up the part of Palm Springs no one wanted to recognize; Indio and Coachella were on the eastern end of the valley and Desert Hot Springs to the north. Cathedral City, known as Cat City, was located between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage.
It was four o’clock in the afternoon when there was a knock on the apartment door. Lisa didn’t answer right away. She looked through the peephole and asked, “Who is it?”
“Lisa, its Greg Simmons. I’m one of the photographers at the station. I’ve got Terri Randall, one of our reporters with me. Jack Router wanted us to come by and check on you.”
Lisa opened the door and found two very good-looking people standing on the doorstep. Greg was barely thirty, Lisa guessed. He was the top photographer, putting him in charge of all the cameramen. Lisa knew from her journalism professor’s private instruction that having the right cameraman could make all the difference for a reporter. She would want to know Greg very well.
Terri Randal was a tall, long-legged, twenty-nine-year-old brunette beauty who was a dayside reporter at the station.
“I’m Lisa Addelson.”
Greg shook her hand, but Terri quickly turned the handshake into a full-on hug. “Guess you’ve had an exciting day already.”
Lisa smiled.
“Mr. Router wanted us to come over and invite you to join us this evening. We have one of the many Palm Springs charity events to go to and we’ve got an extra ticket. We thought it might be a good way for you to see the community.” Terri’s bubbly enthusiasm was hard to resist. “Come on. Say you’ll join us.”
“When is it?”
“We need to leave in about twenty or thirty minutes. Go ahead and clean up and we’ll get something to drink while we wait for you.” Greg’s comment about Lisa needing to clean up made her question whether or not she could get ready in thirty minutes. She would do her best. Besides, it beat sitting around her new apartment her first night.
“Give me a few minutes and I’ll be ready.” Lisa disappeared into her bedroom. It was almost exactly thirty minutes when she came out. Greg and Terri’s jaws pretty much hit the floor when they saw her. Lisa was as pretty as any girl in the desert.
“So, what’s the game plan?”
“Palm Springs is a little different than anywhere you’ve ever been. Tonight, we’re going to a grand opening of our new mall in Palm Desert.” Terri smiled. She knew the idea of going to a “grand opening” of a mall probably sounded extremely small town to Lisa.
“What do you mean the grand opening of the mall?” Lisa asked.
Greg jumped in because he considered himself somewhat of a historian on the Palm Springs market. He might have been trying to impress his new coworker as well. He would find out later just how out of his league she was.
“Ernie Hahn is a major developer and he decided he was going to build the desert a big new mall. He could have put it in Palm Springs, where everyone thought he would put it. Instead he built the mall in Palm Desert. One hundred and thirty-five stores and Palm Springs lost out. Some in the desert think this will be the death of Palm Springs.”
Greg didn’t know how true his words would prove to be. Palm Springs would never recover this retail loss. Not even Sonny Bono would be able to save the city from Mr. Hahn’s choice.
“Fantastic. We’re going shopping. I love it.”
“Not exactly,” Terri stated. “There is no shopping tonight. Only window-shopping because the stores won’t be officially open until tomorrow.”
“Get out of here.” Lisa couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Then why even have an opening if we can’t shop?”
“This is the desert. Tonight’s event is a fundraiser. They sold seven thousand tickets for tonight’s opening, at twenty-five dollars each.” Lisa’s eyes widened in wonder as they continued to explain. “This is how things are done here. Big events are put on all the time and usually to benefit local charities. Tonight will be a big one.”
Greg drove one of the station news cars because he was going to shoot some footage tonight. Lisa took it all in as the news vehicle pulled into the Palm Desert Town Center parking lot. The mall had four main anchor stores and each one had valet parking for tonight’s special premiere. Lisa was blown away.
“Valet parking? No shit?” Her choice of words made Greg and Terri laugh.
Terri was pretty, but Lisa was drop dead gorgeous. When Lisa exited the news vehicle, it was to the delight of the valet parking boys, who couldn’t help but notice both ladies’ legs. Greg handed two tickets over as they entered the mall. He wouldn’t need a ticket because he was working press.
Lisa had seen bigger malls with nicer stores but never an opening like this one. Strolling musicians played on both the upper and lower levels. Red and white wine flowed as waiters and waitresses walked up and down the mall with endless glasses to offer the seven thousand guests.
“And no one is shopping,” Lisa said as she took a glass of chardonnay off the tray.
Terri took a glass of red and lifted it to toast the newest employee. “Welcome to your new home.” Greg didn’t have a glass. He took video of the toast to document Lisa’s arrival.
By 8:30, the three new friends had managed to walk both levels at least twice. Terri and Greg arranged to meet some of their station coworkers from the newsroom at Las Casuelas, a very fun Mexican Restaurant and bar in Rancho Mirage. The restaurant had a great outdoor patio, and it was a perfect late June evening for sitting outside. When the three arrived, three others were already waiting at the table.
There was Ron, another photographer. Bob Warren was the other co-anchor on the morning show. He looked to be in his twenties. Another very attractive person, Lisa thought. She was beginning to see a trend for the on-air people in this resort town.
The third person at the table was Andy Nixon, one of the reporters and, it appeared, everyone’s friend. Terri made the introductions, and everyone greeted Lisa with enthusiasm. She had obviously gotten the three gentlemen’s attention.
Margaritas were ordered, and the station stories began. Everyone at the table wanted to know what happened to Kristen. They would soon learn that Lisa wasn’t the typical newsroom gossiper. Anything they learned about Kristen they would have to find out on their own.
Lisa already had her one glass of wine for the night. She was disciplined, and this was something she would take with her through her career. In her mind, it wasn’t worth her career to ever be out of control. She would be the one calling the shots in her life, and that was a truth that was absolute, as far as she was concerned.
Lisa couldn’t wait until Monday when she would report to the station for her first day. The night at the restaurant flew by under the stars over the open patio. Lisa loved hearing the crazy stories from her new coworkers. One of the other surprises for Lisa was the entertainment, provided by legendary Hispanic singer Lalo Guerrero. Lalo called Las Casuelas a second home.
Tonight was a perfect introduction for Lisa. Greg drove back to Lisa’s apartmen
t by way of Frank Sinatra Drive. He wanted to show the valley’s newest resident Sinatra’s home, as well as that of former ambassador Walter Annenberg, who had a huge estate at the corner of Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope Drive. The Annenberg Estate was easily recognizable because of the giant pink wall outlining the property.
Lisa made mental notes, taking it all in. Frank Sinatra was one of her longtime idols, thanks to her mom and dad’s influences. That evening she told herself that she would make it a point to meet Mr. Sinatra and maybe get invited to his home. That was a goal she would reach sooner than even she thought. By the time her head hit the pillow that night, Lisa had a million ideas running through her mind. This was going to be a great place to launch her career and follow in the footsteps of her 1980s news idols, Joan Lunden, Linda Ellerbee, and Jessica Savitch.
***
Lisa got up Saturday morning around nine so she could get over to the hospital to hopefully bring her new roommate home. Kristen was alert and ready to leave when Lisa walked into the private room.
“Kristen, I’m—”
Kristen cut her off.
“I know who you are. You’re Lisa, my new roommate. Come over here and give me a hug.”
Lisa wondered what was with everyone always wanting to give her a hug. Is this a desert thing? She did as she was asked and the two hugged.
“The station must have really good health insurance if you get a private room,” Lisa said.
“I guess. I really don’t know. This is just what they gave me.” Kristen still had some bruising on her face, but Lisa could tell that here was another very striking, beautiful person. She was five foot six, with long blond hair and a face that lit up the room, even if it was bruised and beaten.
The nurse arrived with the wheelchair to take Kristen down to the exit. Lisa had the car ready, and within fifteen minutes the two were walking into their apartment.
“You want to talk about it?” Lisa asked. It was an awkward way to start their new relationship, but Lisa wasn’t afraid to speak about the elephant in the room. “The doctor thought I was part of your family and mentioned that you lost the baby. You should know that Mr. Router also heard that.”
