Scoop

by Rene Gutteridge

  Chapter 25

  Hugo waved Hayden in. “Ready for another exciting night?” he asked without much excitement in his voice. He knew Hayden would have enough for both of them.

  “I am.”

  “I’ll have a script ready for you in a little while.” He put down his pen and papers to focus on her. “Hayden, not to put any unneeded stress on you, but you do realize that this is sweeps week, which is one of the four most important weeks in our year?”

  “Yes, Mr. Talley.”

  “But I don’t want you think about that,” he said. “I just want it to be in the back of your mind. Sometimes knowing something like that can help you kick it up a notch.”

  “Or have a complete breakdown,” Hayden said.

  “Uh…”

  “I’m teasing you, Mr. Talley. I’ll be fine,” Hayden said with a definitive wink. “I actually came to see how you were doing.”

  “Me?”

  “I know Gilda is a friend of yours. You must be worried about her.”

  Hugo looked down. Was he worried? About her? Or how it affected the station? After all, her disappearance had solved numerous problems for him. He’d known Gilda for years, but he wasn’t sure he would call her a friend. They’d shared a lot of laughs together, but also many arguments. The most social time they’d spent together was the annual Christmas party, which ended up being canceled three years ago because of the likelihood that someone would end up going on the air drunk.

  “I’ll tell you who I’m worried about,” Hugo said. “Sam. I’m going to need him in here as soon as he arrives.”

  “Yes sir. I’ll tell him. Now, back to you. Have you considered our discussion about your medication?”

  Hugo stiffened. “Medication” sounded so…medical. He didn’t think of it that way. He thought of it more like his anticoffee. Coffee stirred him up, and the Blue Pill calmed him down.

  “Mr. Talley, you can do this. You’re just going to have to start trusting God. When you trust God, there’s nothing to fear. Not even death.”

  Not even death. He wasn’t afraid of death, apparently, because Friday he’d prayed that by some miracle he would just drop dead. God must not have been handing out miracles that day.

  She held out her hands like she was holding a baby bird. “Just like this,” she said with a smile. “He will hold you in his hands. It’s not that bad things won’t happen. I had to learn that lesson when my parents died. He will take whatever happens and make you stronger, put you in places you never thought you’d be, and bring joy where there was none before.”

  Hugo’s head was pounding, and he frantically rubbed at his temples, a cue most people would take that they were being annoying. But there Hayden stood, holding out her cupped hands, as if perhaps Hugo wasn’t getting it.

  “Right,” he said, trying to smile and agree so she would go away. His doctor had told him that this particular pill had no side effects if he quit cold turkey. Maybe Hugo could take up smoking again instead. Except this was a smoke-free building, so he’d have to go outside all the time.

  Hugo looked up at her wide eyes. “Hayden, I appreciate the sentiment. I really do. But I’m just not spiritual like you, okay? One person can burn incense and feel warm and fuzzy inside. I burn incense and just see smoke and smell funny things.”

  “I don’t actually burn incense, Mr. Talley,” Hayden laughed. “But I do read my Bible. Do you have a Bible? I will get you one if you don’t.”

  Hugo held up his hand. “You know, Hayden,” he said, trying to be gentle, “it’s kind of an unspoken rule around here that we don’t discuss our religious beliefs.”

  “Really? Why?”

  “Well…” Hugo didn’t really know why. It wasn’t separation of church and state. Maybe it was separation of church and everything that wasn’t church. “It makes people nervous.”

  “Why would it make you nervous?” Hayden blinked. She really seemed not to know.

  “It’s just kind of uncomfortable, you know? I mean, I don’t really pray and go to church, so when you tell me that I should, it makes me feel weird. I mean, not me. People in general.”

  “That’s because they know they should be going. If I came in here and told you to go see a movie tomorrow night, and you didn’t want to, then you wouldn’t go. You wouldn’t feel uncomfortable about it, would you?”

  She wasn’t letting up, and he was a teapot ready to spew. He wasn’t going to be spewing water, either.

  “Hayden, I’m just going to have to be very clear about this, okay? You have to respect my personal beliefs. I appreciate your concern for me, but we’re at work, and I don’t want to have these discussions anymore. I’ve got work to do and more important things to worry about than my eternal destiny. I’ve got a ten o’clock newscast to put together, starring a woman who doesn’t know the first thing about being an anchor.” He gestured playfully toward her to try to take the sting out of it all. Strangely, she didn’t look stung.

  “Then Mr. Talley, I will be your friend. And I will still pray for you. Underneath, I know there’s a man who wants to be happy. But you’re right. I can’t make you believe in God.” She smiled warmly and left.

  That was the weird thing. Despite what he said, she made him want to believe.

  “Can you drive a little faster?” Ray asked Beaker. He never had to tell that to Jim, the live truck operator, when he was at the wheel.

  Beaker scowled at him. “First of all, I’m ten over. Second of all, if I’m not mistaken, there’s a cop in the back of the van.”

  Ray looked back at Mack and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. It’s the news business. It’s all about getting there first.”

  “I’ve heard it a thousand times,” she said. “And I always tell people you can’t get there at all if you’re dead.”

  As Ray checked his watch, he felt Beaker let off the gas. They were about six blocks away.

  “So how long has your anchor been missing?” Mack asked from the back of the van.

  “A few days. She didn’t show up for work on Friday, the day after she’d gotten a Botox treatment that…didn’t go well.”

  “And now they suspect foul play?”

  Ray had to choose his words carefully. He figured police officers everywhere had some code or brotherhood or sisterhood or siblinghood. He wasn’t sure how sensitive Mack might be to critical remarks, plus he didn’t want to blow it with Hayden by ticking off her sister.

  “The police captain’s all about getting his mug on the tube,” Beaker blurted out. “He likes to create stories when there aren’t any, just so we can interview him. In exchange, he gives us the first interview on any real story. Yeah, there’s an underbelly to the news business. Shocking.”

  Ray cut his eyes to Beaker, but he didn’t have much time to react, because the condo complex was up ahead. As they pulled up, to Ray’s relief he could see Captain Wynn walking out of Gilda’s condo.

  Ray jumped out of the van before it stopped and rushed toward the captain. When the captain spotted him, his face turned stern. Ray was going to have to grovel, and under the circumstances that was not going to be a problem.

  “I am so sorry, Captain,” Ray said, pulling out his pad and pencil. “We had a hang-up at the station. Beaker is getting the camera set up, and we’ll be ready in less than five minutes.”

  “Sorry, Ray, my work’s done here. I’ve got other things that need attention.”

  “Captain Wynn, please accept my apology. It’s been a crazy day, and I had to take an important phone call right before we were set to leave. Can we please set up the camera and do a quick interview?”

  “No.”

  “Then what about giving me some quotes?”

  The captain laughed. “You’re really desperate, aren’t you, Ray?”

  “Look, if you don’t do it for me, then do it for Hugo Talley.”

  “I don’t owe Talley any favors.”

  Ray was losing control of the situation quickly. He had to get something. �
�Can you just tell me what happened in there? What did you find?”

  “You want to know what happened in there? Watch Channel 10. I granted them the interview ten minutes ago.” Captain Wynn moved past Ray, got into his car, and drove off.

  Beaker came around the side of the van, carrying all the equipment. “Where’s Captain Wynn?”

  Ray looked around. “Where’s Mack?”

  Beaker pointed to the condo. “There.”

  “Come on,” Ray said, realizing the condo door was still open and a couple of officers were finishing up.

  As they approached, Ray could hear Mack talking with one of them. “Hey, Ray, this is Officer Platt,” Mack said. Ray shook his hand. “I was just talking with him about what they found.”

  “We’re finishing up here,” Platt said.

  “Officer Platt,” Ray said, “would you answer a few questions?”

  Platt shuffled his feet. “I can’t really do that. The captain does the interviews.”

  “Has he ever told you not to talk to reporters?”

  “No, but he’s never told me to talk to them either.”

  “See? I doubt its a big deal. I just need a few basic quotes for the camera. Nothing big.”

  Platt looked uneasy. “I’m not sure.”

  “Come on. Wynn always gets his face on camera. It’s not like he’s the only one who does the work around here, right?” Ray hoped this angle would work.

  “I have acne.”

  Ray looked at Mack for help. Mack smiled at Pratt. “That’s understandable, Officer. But there’s a woman missing, and any information the public could use to help find her could save her life.”

  Suddenly Pratt’s acne didn’t seem so important. He looked at Ray, who tried to communicate through intense eye contact that Pratt could be a hero in this situation. Pratt’s startled eyes caused Ray to dial it back a notch and try to look as casual as Mack.

  Pratt glanced into Gilda’s condo. “Look, we’re supposed to be wrapping it up here. So let’s make this quick.”

  Ray nodded and waved Beaker over. It took them about four or five minutes to set up the tripod and get the microphone ready. Finally Ray asked, “You ready?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Officer Pratt, what did you find when you entered Ms. Braun’s condo?”

  “We found a sliding-door lock around back that had been picked.”

  “Any evidence of a struggle?”

  “No.”

  “Anything pointing to foul play other than the door?”

  “No.”

  “What about inside of the condo? Any evidence that she left on her own accord?”

  “It’s hard to say. There don’t seem to be clothes missing from her closet, and her house looks to be in order. That’s all I can say at this time.”

  Ray said, “May we get a few shots from inside the condo?”

  “Absolutely not. It’s private property.”

  “Where does the investigation go from here?”

  “You’ll have to speak to Captain Wynn about that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, we need to secure the scene and leave.”

  “Sure,” Ray said, stepping aside as the officer went to his car to get something. He looked around. “Where’s Mack?”

  “She was standing right here a minute ago.”

  Ray peeked into the condo, but it was dark and he couldn’t really see anything except light coming in through the drawn shades.

  Beaker had turned and was capturing the officer by his car. He said, “Are you sure we have enough footage here? It doesn’t seem like we have enough.”

  “We’ll make it work,” Ray sighed, still looking for Mack. Great. Now he’d lost Hayden’s sister. He really knew how to win ’em over.

  “Hey.”

  Ray turned to find her strolling out of the condo. “Get what you need?”

  Ray nodded, glancing to make sure the other officer was still at his car. “What were you doing?” Ray whispered.

  “Figuring out where your Gilda is.”

  Chapter 26

  Roarke walked into the conference room, closing the door behind him. “What’s going on?”

  “You’re not going to believe this.”

  “Why can’t we meet in the break room? Someone brought cookies.”

  “Sit down,” Ray said.

  Roarke carefully sat down in his chair. “You look serious, dude.”

  “It’s unreal.” Ray lowered his voice and told him about the Electric Horseman.

  “You think Green is the one calling in?” Roarke asked.

  “I don’t know. Whoever it is, he’s using a voice scrambler.”

  “Really?” Roarke’s mouth dropped open.

  “I’m going to get to the bottom of it. The voice said to tell no one.”

  “You’re telling me.”

  “I know.” Ray paused. “And one more thing. Hayden’s sister found out some interesting things about Gilda.”

  “What?”

  “She went into the condo while we were interviewing the police officer. She checked around as quickly as she could. She noticed two things the police overlooked. One, all of Gilda’s makeup and moisturizers were gone. Makeup is one thing a woman won’t leave behind if she’s got any time at all to plan.” Roarke raised an eyebrow. “I’m just telling you what Mack said.”

  “What else?”

  “The officers said no clothes were missing, but Mack noticed a sack at the top of Gilda’s closet. She climbed on a step stool. The sack was labeled ‘summer clothes,’ but when Mack looked inside, there was nothing there.”

  “You’re saying Gilda went on vacation? That’s impossible! Nobody’s allowed to go on vacation during sweeps weeks.”

  “I’m not saying anything. It just seems peculiar. And a little more planned. They did mention the back door being picked. You should talk to the police, Roarke, and tell them what you were doing. They’ll understand. I can back you up.”

  “Forget it.” Roarke stood and walked to the door. “Gilda wouldn’t leave for vacation during sweeps week and not tell anyone. I know her better than that.”

  Ray sighed. Roarke seemed to think he knew Gilda better than anyone, and Ray didn’t know how to tell him otherwise. But for now, he had to focus on the story. And the story was taking him back into the battlefield.

  Jill Clark pushed the door open to Hugo’s office. She caught him with his hand to his mouth and a pill bottle in the other hand.

  Hugo swallowed and stared at Jill. “Yes?”

  “You’ve still got me covering the sewage plant explosion. It’s sweeps week. I want to do something bigger.”

  Hugo sighed. Jill was such a whiner. She was also very competitive, and Hugo knew every move she made was a move to get to the top. But Chad had said the sewage plant story was old news. Maybe give it to the anchors, cut the segment, and move on.

  “What did you have in mind?” Hugo asked.

  Jill smiled. “You know one of Gilda’s stories investigated the diseases we can catch from animals.”

  “Yeah, well, Gilda’s not here, Jill, in case you haven’t noticed.” And as far as Hugo was concerned, the disease series had just about run its course.

  “Why don’t I do it?” She tried using her innocent smile to cover the devilish twinkle in her eyes. “Why not? I mean, the segment is edited and ready to roll. They’d just have to take off Gilda’s voice-over and put mine on. And I did help Gilda with the research. I hooked her up with my vet, who says you can catch the flu from your dog.”

  Hugo sighed. It would be one of their top sweeps stories, a week-long segment Gilda had thought up that everyone had really liked. And they had been advertising it last week. But still, just to hand it off to Jill? Something didn’t seem right about it.

  “We’re working under extraordinary circumstances,” Jill added. “Normally drastic measures wouldn’t be necessary, but if we have any hope of saving sweeps week, we’ll have to make some exceptions to the rules.”

  H
ugo held his head in his hands. Something about the effect of the Blue Pill tended to keep him from feeling his “gut.” It numbed his gut and any other emotion that might prompt him in the right direction.

  “Sure, why not,” Hugo said. “We’ll hit the sewage plant in the highlights and reinsert the animal-and-disease segment.”

  “Thank you!” Jill said, clasping her hands together. “You won’t regret this. I know we’re going to be pulling in a lot of viewers tonight because of it. Shall I tell the promo department to go ahead and run a new teaser with me?”

  “Sure.”

  “And one more thing, Mr. Talley, just to plant a bug in your ear. I’ve been thinking of a piece Ray and I could work on together.”

  “What are you talking about? You and Ray don’t do pieces together.”

  “I know. But maybe next week we could. A co-reporting kind of thing.”

  Why is she talking about next week? Hugo wondered. They were barely getting through this one.

  “I’ll talk to you about it later.” She smiled and left.

  Then he saw Ray walk by. He looked in a hurry. Hugo jumped out of his chair, raced around his desk, and stuck his head out the door.

  “Ray, come here.”

  Ray turned, looking guilty for some reason. He made an obvious effort to stroll. “Yes, Mr. Talley?”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Just doing some work.”

  “What kind of work?”

  “You know, just getting things ready for tonight.”

  “You interviewed Wynn about Gilda’s disappearance?”

  Ray’s face told an immediate tale, one that Hugo didn’t like very much. “Uh…Wynn was leaving when I got there.”

  “You didn’t get an interview with him?” Hugo felt his blood pressure rising.

  “No. But I did interview an officer on the scene who gave us plenty of good quotes. They wouldn’t let us inside the condo.”

  “What did they find out about Gilda?”

  “Nothing conclusive.”

  “Wynn told me the back-door lock had been picked. That doesn’t sound good.”