The Cost of Commitment - KJ2

by Lynn Ames

  Kate tried to focus on the page in front of her.

  Katherine Kyle, the disgraced television news anchor who appeared on the cover of Time magazine as a hero one day and as a lesbian lothario on the front page of the tabloids the very next day, is at it again. Kyle, the current spokesperson for the state prison system, went public yesterday with the identity of her girlfriend, the woman with whom she was photographed in a compromising position on a Caribbean beach last May.

  The woman is none other than Jamison Parker, 24, a writer of some repute for Time magazine. It was Parker’s cover story about her earlier this year that catapulted Kyle to media stardom.

  “What makes this so interesting,” according to Tom Daigault, a media and ethics expert at New York University, “is the question of the relationship between Ms. Kyle and Ms. Parker at the moment the story was written. If they were an item at the time, it would raise serious ethical questions about the objectivity of the piece.”

  A careful review of the timeline by the Post indicates that the pictures of Kyle and Parker in an intimate pose on the beach were taken prior to the release of the Time cover story.

  A request for comment from Vander Standislau, managing editor of Time, went unanswered.

  Governor Charles Hyland, who hired Kyle after the photo scandal, told the Post, “Katherine Kyle is one of the finest, bravest, most honest people I know. She deserves every accolade she received at the time of the tragic capitol bombing. I read the Lynn Ames

  Time magazine story when it came out. I thought it was very accurate, fair and balanced.”

  The governor added that he had no intention of asking Kyle for her resignation.

  Kate slapped her hand down on top of the paper. “Damn it. Damn it all to hell.” She picked up the phone.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Scoop.”

  “Oh, hey. I don’t suppose you’ve gotten to the Post yet, Kate, have you?”

  “’Fraid so.”

  Jay sighed heavily. “I just got off the phone with Trish. I’m leaving for the city in half an hour. I’ve got a 1:00 meeting with Trish and Mr.

  Standislau.”

  “Oh, Jay,” Kate breathed. “Did Trish give you any indication where things stand?”

  “No. She was pretty quiet.”

  “It’ll be all right, honey,” Kate said, trying to reassure both of them.

  “Do you want me to go with you?”

  “That’s very tempting, sweetheart, but no. I have to do this on my own.”

  “Are you coming right back here?”

  “I guess that depends on how the meeting goes.”

  “Will you call me afterward?”

  “Of course, Kate.”

  “Okay. Jay?”

  “Yeah?”

  “I love you. We’ll get through this, together.”

  “I know we will. I love you, too, Kate.”

  Kate held onto the receiver long after Jay had hung up. She didn’t like the tension and sense of dread in her lover’s voice. Furthermore, she really didn’t like not being able to do anything to make it go away.

  The Cost of Commitment

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  he air in Vander Standislau’s penthouse office was chilled, which Tdid not help Jay to feel an

  y more relaxed. This was her first trip

  to the big boss’s suite—the first time, in fact, that she had been in his presence for more than a passing moment at a cocktail party.

  He was an imposing man, big and burly, with a salt-and-pepper brush cut, coal black eyes, and a moustache. His suit was immaculately tailored, charcoal gray with a white shirt, red tie, and matching diamond cuff links and tie tack.

  The office mirrored his stature—larger than life. The walls were papered to resemble a South American rain forest, the trees and birds seemingly lifelike. Jay knew that the managing editor was fascinated with that part of the world; he had taken several trips there just in the few years she had worked for him. There was a picture on his desk of him dressed in camouflage, a huge macaw on his arm, and another of him using a machete to cut his way through dense underbrush. And, to Jay’s astonishment, there was a diploma sitting on the credenza from her college alma mater.

  Jay tried hard not to fidget in the uncomfortably stiff visitor’s chair.

  She stole a glance at Trish, who sat next to her in a similar chair and who looked no more comfortable than she felt. When Jay had arrived at the office, Trish had already been upstairs for nearly an hour. The fact that Jay hadn’t been able to talk to her editor before this meeting only added to her unease.

  “Ms. Parker, I’m afraid you’ve placed us in a bit of an unusual position.” His voice was a smooth, rich baritone. “While I am not averse to defending our stories, or our writers, I must say, you’ve put us in a bit of a bind.”

  “I’m so sorry, Mr. Standislau, I never intended for this to happen.”

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  He leaned forward suddenly in his chair. “For what to happen, Ms.

  Parker? To take up with the subject of your story, to write a story about your paramour, or to have it splashed across newspapers everywhere?

  What exactly,” he ground out, “is it that you wished to prevent?”

  Jay wanted nothing more at that moment than for the floor to open up and swallow her whole. Trish shifted subtly in her chair and gave her an imperceptible nod, as if to say, “Time to defend yourself, kiddo.”

  “Sir,” Jay said, “I’d like to clear the air about what happened last May and the story I wrote.”

  “By all means, Ms. Parker, please do.”

  “Sir,” she unconsciously wiped her palms on her skirt, “I first met Katherine Kyle in college, but we were never formally introduced. I had quite lost track of her until I saw her on television the night before the bombings. After the second explosion and the subsequent coverage, I went down to the scene to see if I could find her.”

  “And you were in Albany for an interview with the governor at the time, correct?”

  “Yes, sir. I was supposed to sit down with the governor for a cover piece the day the bombings occurred, but, as you can imagine, the interview was postponed.”

  “I see. Go on.”

  Jay found it hard to believe that Trish hadn’t already filled Standislau in on all of the details, but she didn’t think it appropriate to point that out at that moment.

  “I found Ms. Kyle after the coverage had ended and persuaded her to see a doctor for her injuries. I accompanied her. When the morning news shows wanted her as a guest the next morning, she offered to give me a ride back to the city, where my interview with the governor had been rescheduled for later in the afternoon.”

  “Very handy.”

  His tone angered Jay. She sat up a little straighter in her chair and met his gaze unflinchingly.

  “I was grateful for the generous offer. I conducted the interview with Governor Hyland, which appeared on the cover, as you know, the week before Ka—Ms. Kyle’s story. When I handed in the Hyland story, I was assigned to write a story on the new breed of journalists, focusing specifically on Ms. Kyle.”

  “And you made no mention, at the time, of your relationship to the subject?”

  “Beyond a passing acquaintance, I had no relationship with the subject at the time I was given the assignment.” Jay knew she was walking a fine line. What she had said was the truth, technically speaking. She also knew, however, that her feelings for Kate ran far The Cost of Commitment

  deeper than acquaintanceship from the outset. In her mind, though, she had two objectives: protect Trish, and defend her own integrity as a journalist.

  Standislau stared at her hard. Then he turned to her editor. “Ms.

  Stanton, is that your recollection as well?”

  “Yes, sir. That is my impression, and I have no reason to think otherwise.”

  He evaluated her for a moment, his dark eyes boring into her before he returned his attention to Jay.

  “Con
tinue.”

  “Yes, sir. I returned to Albany to conduct the research and interviews necessary to put together the story. I spent a good deal of time with Ms.

  Kyle, as well as with her associates, colleagues, and friends, trying to get an accurate picture of her personality, her journalistic style, and her philosophy.”

  “And during that time you became romantically involved with her?”

  Jay was annoyed at the interruption and at the assumption.

  “No, sir. I did not. Mr. Standislau, I take my responsibilities as a journalist very seriously. I went to Albany to do a job, and that’s exactly what I did. I conducted extensive research, interviewed coworkers, bombing victims, Ms. Kyle’s superiors, viewed hours of archived footage, and wrote what I think is a very balanced, very fair piece. If you disagree, then I will submit to your judgment. But I imagine that if you hadn’t liked the story, or thought it was somehow biased, you would have said so at the time and the piece would have been killed.”

  There was a stunned silence in the room. Jay’s jaw clicked shut, but her eyes remained defiant. Trish gave her a ghost of a smile before her face resumed its neutral expression. Vander Standislau’s mouth was set in a grim line.

  “You are quite right, Ms. Parker,” he said deliberately. “Had I suspected any personal agenda, I most certainly would have pulled the story and disciplined you accordingly. I do not deny that the piece was a brilliant bit of work. In fact, even after rereading it in the current light, I would proudly hold it up to scrutiny as a fine example of journalistic excellence.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, Jay saw Trish’s mouth twitch as she attempted to suppress a smile.

  “However, Ms. Parker, that is not the point here.” He leveled his intense gaze upon her once again. “You have made us vulnerable to all manner of allegations of impropriety, and in the process, you have called into question our integrity as an impartial source for news and information. That is unacceptable.”

  “Yes, sir.” Jay faced him squarely, prepared for the worst.

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  “What do you suggest we do about that, Ms. Parker?”

  “I would not presume to tell you, sir, how to run your business.”

  “Yes, I see.” Standislau appeared lost in thought for a moment. “All right. This is the way we’ll play it for now. I will issue a statement on behalf of the magazine standing by the story and by you.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  He held up a hand. “For now, Ms. Parker.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I will also indicate that our investigation into the matter continues.

  That way, if I find that any of what you’ve told me is not true, or if other facts come to light that do not support your version of events, I have room to maneuver. Do you understand my meaning, Ms. Parker?”

  “Yes, sir. I assure you that what I’ve told you is the truth.”

  “For your sake, you’d better hope so, Ms. Parker. In the meantime, I suggest you take a couple of weeks off until this whole matter dies a natural death.”

  “Yes, sir.” Jay’s voice sounded dejected even to her own ears.

  “Cheer up, Ms. Parker, you’ll continue to get paid during your absence.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I want you to understand, Jamison.”

  She looked up quickly at the use of her first name.

  “I think you’re one of the finest journalists we have here. You made a very serious mistake by not coming forward at the outset to explain the nature of your relationship with Katherine Kyle, even if it began after you had completed the research for the story.”

  Jay was unable to hide her surprise at the sudden realization that Standislau had known the truth before she had even begun to answer his questions.

  As if to confirm her thoughts, he said, “I am aware of the fact that you informed Patricia of your relationship after the story was released.

  The fact that I was not made aware of the circumstances at the time is something Ms. Stanton and I have already discussed.”

  Jay felt a pang of regret for the tongue-lashing she imagined her friend had already received.

  “I also appreciate that you were willing to try to stand on your own and protect your editor. That says a lot to me about who you are as a person. I like that kind of loyalty and nobility, Jamison.”

  “Thank you, sir.” She tried to keep the agitation out of her voice.

  “Jamison, it is not mine to approve or disapprove of your lifestyle.

  Your choices might not be mine, but your private life should be your own. Having said that, if I ever discover that you have crossed that line The Cost of Commitment

  and made the personal professional again or vice versa, I’ll fire you in a heartbeat. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  His voice gentled somewhat. “Good. I suspect that this whole matter is going to get more difficult for you before it gets easier, Jamison. I want you to know that my door is always open to you. I’ve weathered a fair amount in my time, and if I can shed some light or offer some assistance, I’ll do that, as long as it doesn’t reflect badly on this magazine or its writers. Patricia assures me that you’re a quick study and that you are unlikely to make the same mistake twice. I hope she’s right about that.”

  Jay smiled for the first time. “I’ll probably make plenty of new ones, sir, but not the same one, and never quite so spectacularly, again. I promise you that.”

  “Good.” Standislau laughed. “I want you to call me once a day while this story is still hot. Where it involves the reputation of the magazine, we’ll strategize together. That way, neither one of us will be surprised at what gets printed.”

  “I can’t vouch for what the tabloids might do, sir.”

  “Can anyone, Jamison? Can anyone?” In dismissing her he added,

  “Good luck. I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”

  “Thank you, sir.” She rose from her chair and, with a fleeting look at Trish, left the office.

  It was another twenty minutes before Trish came back downstairs, looking glum and resolute. “I figured you’d still be here, kiddo.”

  “Trish, I am so, so sorry for getting you in trouble.”

  The editor held up her hand to forestall further apologies. “Don’t, Jay.

  I had choices at the time, and I made them. Perhaps I exercised poor judgment in not sharing what I knew of the situation with Standislau then, but who in the world could’ve foreseen this mess.”

  “I should have gone to him myself. Better yet, I should’ve disclosed that I knew Kate when you assigned me the story in the first place.”

  “Jamison Parker, you’re going to drive yourself nuts with the should haves. Let it go. There’s nothing either one of us can do to change that now. What’s important is how we handle what’s coming.”

  “Okay.”

  “Both Vander and I have already had eight phone calls apiece from news outlets wanting everything from your work history, to a list of every story you’ve ever written, to comments on Time’s ethical standards.”

  Jay groaned. “And?”

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  “And we discussed it at length. Vander will issue a statement on behalf of the magazine saying that you have an exemplary record with Time. It will state that we are satisfied that you wrote a fair and balanced piece on Katherine Kyle, that a preliminary investigation confirms that you did not have an intimate relationship with your subject at the time you were assigned the piece, and that any relationship began after the research, interviews, and story outline had been completed.”

  Jay contemplated this. It was probably the best she could hope for under the circumstances. “Is that all?”

  Trish added gently, “It will also say that you’ve been suspended for two weeks for failing to disclose a potential conflict of interest.”

  “Oh.” Even though she’d heard Standislau tell her she would not be working the next two weeks, t
he wording of the statement struck her like a fist in the chest. Jay had always prided herself on her journalistic integrity; now everyone would question her work.

  As if reading her mind, Trish said, “Jamison, I want you to know I have complete faith in you and your character. I wouldn’t hesitate for a second to give you the most important story on the list, knowing you’d do a great job with it.”

  “Thanks, Trish. I’m sorry I put you in a situation where you felt you had to say that. It never should have happened in the first place.”

  “You’re right.”

  Jay’s head snapped up in surprise at the bluntness of the comment.

  Trish shrugged. “If you had told me up front that you knew Kate, I probably would have questioned you about your relationship to her and maybe assigned the story to someone with no potential personal bias. But that’s water under the bridge now, kiddo. Some lessons are learned the hard way.”

  “Yeah,” Jay answered dejectedly.

  “Hey. Chin up, kiddo. It’s not the end of the world. It could’ve come out much worse.”

  “It’s not over yet.”

  “No,” Trish put her hand on Jay’s shoulder, “it’s not. But Vander and I agree that you have a great future in front of you with this magazine.

  We just need to weather this storm.”

  “That may be easier said than done.”

  “Maybe. But you can bet that Vander and I are going to do everything we can to make sure we all get through this in good shape.”

  “I appreciate that, Trish.” As if it had just occurred to her, Jay asked,

  “Did you get suspended, too?”

  “No, Vander decided that suspending me would raise more questions about who knew what and when.”

  The Cost of Commitment

  “He’s right about that,” Jay murmured. “No one outside of the three of us, and Kate, of course, knows that I told you about what happened immediately after the fact.”

  “Exactly. So I get to stay on the job. But don’t think I didn’t get more than an ass chewing. My ears are still ringing, in fact.”

  “I’m so sorry, Trish.”

  “No. No more apologies from you, kiddo. Let’s just move on, okay?”