J. Robb - Purity in Death

"Nice bump to your ratings."

"I'm going to let that pass," Nadine said after a moment. "Because you've got a dead cop, and another-one I consider a friend-who's hurt. And I'm letting it pass because, yeah, this is going to be a nice bump to the ratings. You're here right now, reading this before I go on the air because I respect you, because you're someone else I consider a friend, and because I happen to believe justice doesn't have shortcuts. If you don't respect me and my purpose, then I've made a mistake."

Eve turned away, kicked a small sofa with enough force to make Nadine wince. "You're the only reporter I've been able to stand, on a professional level, for more than ten minutes."

"Oh my. I'm so very touched."

"Friendship's a separate issue. Let's just stick with the program for now. You're good at your job, and you play it straight."

"Thank you. And right back at you."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to do a happy dance knowing you're going to be broadcasting this crap. Guardians, my ass. You can't put a damn halo on murder."

"Good one. Can I quote you?"

Fury leaped into Eve's eyes. "This is off the record."

"This is all off the record," Nadine agreed calmly. "But you're going to want to go on the record very fast. I need a one-on-one with you, interviews with Whitney, with Tibble, with Feeney, McNab. I need to talk to Halloway's people. Family, friends, associates. I need a statement from the mayor."

"Would you like me to tie a bow around all that for you, Nadine?"

Nadine fisted her hands on her hips. "This is my area, and I know how to play it. If you want this story balanced, if you hope to spin it your way, I need airtime with all the key players."

"Eve." Roarke laid a hand on Eve's rigid shoulder. "She's right. She couldn't be more right. The majority of viewers will be fascinated by this group. They'll look at Cogburn and Fitzhugh-"

"Who's Fitzhugh?" Nadine demanded. "Are you talking about Chadwick Fitzhugh? Is he dead?"

"Shut up," Eve snapped. "Let me think."

"Let me finish," Roarke corrected. "They'll look at the people this group has executed and think: Well, it's no more than they deserved. They were parasites preying on our children."

"Like you," she said before she could stop herself.

Face expressionless, he inclined his head. "If you're hoping yet I'll work my way around to indignation over the death of a swine like Fitzhugh, you're doomed to disappointment. The difference is I saw what happened to a young cop today. What happened to Ian, what might have happened to Feeney. To you. That changes the complexion of this pompous, egocentric, and self-serving statement. But some who hear it will consider this purity group heroes."

"Heroism isn't achieved by remote control," Eve snapped.

"If you keep spouting sound bites like that off the record," Nadine said, "I'm going to break down and cry."

"Then show them up for cowards," Roarke told her. "Let the public see the grief Halloway's family is feeling because their son was an innocent victim. A cop who died in the line of duty because of something this group started. You let them see McNab, young, eager, wounded. You need to use the media as thoroughly, as skillfully as they will."

"I need to find them, I need to stop them, not play Who's Spinning the Media Wheel now."

"Lieutenant." Roarke squeezed her shoulder. "You need to do both."

"I need that disc."

Nadine ejected it, held it out. "This is the original. I've already made a copy for myself." She smiled as Eve snatched it out of her hand. "It's going to be such fun working with you."

"I don't give you anything on record until I've cleared this with Whitney."

"Go ahead, give him a call. I'd say we could all use some coffee."

"I'll give you a hand with that." Roarke strolled out of the room with her.

Eve took a moment to calm down. She hated knowing Nadine was right. She would have to fight part of this battle on the airwaves.

She used Nadine's 'link to wake up her commander.

"She's been in there a long time." Nadine poured a second cup of coffee.

"You wouldn't break the story at this time of morning." Because Nadine was puffing on one of her herbals, Roarke indulged himself with a cigarette. He preferred real tobacco. "You'll wait until six to maximize the viewing audience and ratings, catch your competitors unprepared, and thoroughly screw up their first-of-the-day broadcasts."

"You're good at this."

"I've some experience with manipulation."

"I'm giving her ten more minutes, then I have to call into the station, block the time, do the prep, call in an electronics expert. I don't suppose you'd-"

"I think not. That would be skirting right over the line Eve's already drawn in her mind over this. But I can recommend a couple of names if you don't have anyone particular in mind."

"I was thinking Mya Dubber."

"She's excellent. A solid handle on electronics and a pleasant way of communicating technical jargon in simple terms."

"She works for you, doesn't she?"

"In a freelance capacity, yes."

Unable to sit any longer, Nadine stood up to pace. "She's cutting me close on this. I've got research to do, copy to write, interviews to set up. This story's going to blow everything else off the air. Who's next? That'll be one of the questions. And they'll keep tuning in until there's an answer."

"And my cop will work herself into the ground to try to beat that answer, so there is no next."

"That's why you have to respect her. And that's why she always makes a damn good story. Are you two butting heads over this one?"

He blew out a lazy stream of smoke. "Not heads so much as philosophies. It's more difficult for her to accept mine than it is for me to accept hers. We'll work through it."

"I appreciate you backing me up on this."

"I didn't do it for you," he stated calmly. "I did it for her."

"I know. I appreciate it anyway." Nadine spun around as she heard Eve come in. "Well?"

"You'll get your one-on-ones with me and Whitney asap. The mayor will draft a statement that may be read by the deputy mayor. That's not decided yet. He or she will do some questions, pending approval. We're not going to contact Halloway's family at this hour and add to their distress. If, in the morning, they're willing to speak with you, we'll arrange it. The same goes for Feeney. He had a rough one today," she said before Nadine could speak. "I'm not waking him up for this. You can interview McNab at our place, pending medical clearance. I'll let you know as soon as I can. Chief Tibble will also draft a statement, and consider an interview after he's reviewed all the data. Take it, Nadine, because that's the best you're going to get."

"Have some coffee. I need to make a call and change into wardrobe. We'll do the one-on-ones with you and Whitney in studio. One hour."

She got through it, toeing the departmental line throughout the interview. If Nadine wasn't thrilled with the content of the interview, she knew it wasn't the words that would make the segment. It was Lieutenant Eve Dallas herself, looking pale and exhausted and absolutely steady.

To Eve's surprise, Mayor Steven Peachtree arrived just as she was going off-camera. At forty-three, he projected both a youthful and steady image. He was dignified and handsome in a conservative gray suit with a broadcast-ready blue shirt and a tie, perfectly knotted, in tones of both gray and blue.

He came in looking alert and grim with a small entourage of smartly dressed aides he ignored the way you ignore your own shadow.

"Commander." He nodded to Whitney, and was close enough now that Eve noted the faint smudges of lost sleep under his eyes. "I felt this needed to be addressed personally, and swiftly. I'm told you've also been consulting with Chang re official statements."