Jeffery Deaver - Hard News

Outside the woman's office the secretary looked up at Rune in horror. "Who are you?" Her voice was high in panic. "How did you get in here?"

"Sorry, got lost," Rune said gloomily and continued toward the dark-paneled elevator bank.

The elevator doors had just opened when Rune heard a voice like steel on stone. "You," Piper Sutton shouted, pointed at Rune. "Back in here. Now."

Rune hurried back to the office. Sutton, close to six feet, towered over her. She hadn't realized the anchor-woman was so tall. She hated tall women.

Sutton slammed the door shut behind them. "Sit."

Rune did.

When she too was seated Sutton said, "You didn't tell me it was Randy Boggs."

Rune said, "He's not famous. You said you weren't interested in somebody who wasn't-"

"You should've given me all the facts."

Rune looked contrite. "Sorry. I didn't think."

"All right. Boggscould be news. Tell me what you've found out."

"I read the letter. And I watched those tapes-of the trial and one somebody did of him in prison a year ago. He says he's innocent."

Sutton snapped. "And?"

"And, that's it."

"What do you mean, 'that's it?' That's why you think he's innocent? Because hesaid so?"

"He said the police didn't really investigate the crime. They didn't try to find many witnesses and they didn't really spend any time talking to the ones they did find."

"Didn't he tell that to his lawyer?"

"I don't know."

"And that'sall? Sutton asked.

"It's just that I… I don't know. I looked at his face on the tape and I believe him."

"Youbelieve him?" Sutton laughed again. She opened her desk and took out a pack of cigarettes.

She lit one with a silver lighter. Inhaled for a long moment.

Rune looked around the room, trying to think up an answer to defend herself. Being studied by Piper Sutton knocked most of the thoughts out of her head. All she said was "Read the letter." Rune nodded toward the file she'd given the woman. Sutton found it and read. She asked, "This is a copy. You have the original?"

"I thought the police might need it for evidence if he ever got a new trial. The original's locked in

my desk."

Sutton closed the file. Said, "I guess I'm looking at quite a judge of human character. You're, what, some justice psychic? You get the vibes that this man's innocent and that's that? Listen, dear, at the risk of sounding like a journalism professor let me tell you something. There's only one thing that matters in news: the truth. That's all. You've got a goddamn feeling this man is innocent, well, good for you. But you go asking questions based on rumors, just because you get some kind of psychic fax that Boggs is innocent, well, that bullshit'11 sink a news department real fast. Not to mention your career. Unsupported claims're cyanide in this business."

Rune said, "I was going to do the story right. I know how to research. I know how to interview. I wasn't going to go with anything that wasn't…" Oh, hell: corroborated orcollaborated! Which was it? Rune wasn't good with sound-alike words. "… backed up."

Sutton calmed. "All right, what you're saying is you have a hunch and you want to check it out."

"I guess I am."

"You guess you are." Sutton nodded then pointed her cigarette at Rune. "Let me ask you a question."

"Shoot."

"I'm not suggesting that you not pursue this story."

Rune tried to sort out thenots.

Sutton continued, "I'd never suggest that a reporter shouldn't go after a story he feels strongly about."

Rune nodded, wrestling withthis batch of negatives.

"But I just wonder if your efforts aren't a little misplaced. Boggs had his day in court and even if there were some minor irregularities at trial, well, so what?

"But I just have this feeling he's innocent. What can it hurt to look into it?"

Sutton's matte face scanned the room slowly then homed in on the young woman. She said in a low voice. "Are you sure you're not doing a story aboutyou?"

Rune blinked. "Me?"

"Are you doing a story about Randy Boggs or about a young ambitious journalist?" Sutton smiled again, a smile with a child's fake innocence, and said, "What're you concerned with most-telling

the truth about Boggs or making a name for yourself?"

Rune didn't speak for a minute. "I think he's innocent."

"I'm not going to debate the matter with you. I'm simply asking the question. Only you can answer it. And I think you've got to do a lot of soul-searching to answer it honestly… What happens if-I won't say it turns out he's innocent because I don't think he is – but if you find some new evidence that can convince a judge to grant him a new trial? And Boggs gets released pending that trial? And what if he robs a convenience store and kills the clerk or a customer in the process?"

Rune looked away, unable to sort out her thoughts. Too many tough questions. What the anchorwoman said made a lot of sense. She said, "I think he's innocent." But her voice was uncertain. She hated the sound. Then she said firmly, "It's a story that's got to be done."

Sutton gazed at her for a long moment, then asked, "You ever budgeted a segment on a news program? You ever assigned personnel? You ever worked with unions?"

"I'm union. I'm a camera-"

Sutton's voice rose. "Don't be stupid. I knowyou're union. I'm asking if you've ever dealt with the trades, as management?

"No."

Sutton said abruptly, "Okay, whatever you do, it isn't going to be as sole producer. You're too

inexperienced."

"Don't worry, I'm, like, real-"

Sutton's mouth twisted. "Enthusiastic? A fast learner? Hard working? Is that what you were going to say?"

"I'm good. That's what I was going to say."

"Miracles can happen," Sutton said, pointing a long rudder finger at Rune. "You can be assistant producer. You can report and you can…" Sutton grinned, "'like' write the story. Assuming you write more articulately than you speak. But I want somebody who's been around for a while to be in charge. You're way too-"

Rune stood up and put her hands on the desktop. Sutton leaned back and blinked. Rune said, "I'm not a child! I came here to tell you about a story I think is going to be good for you and for the Network and all you do is insult me. I didn'thave to come here. I could've gone to the competition. I could've just sat on the story and done it myself. But-"

Sutton laughed and held her hand up. "Come on, babes, spare me, please. I don't need to see your balls. Everybody in this business has 'em or they'd be out on their ear in five minutes. I'm not impressed." She picked up her pen, glancing down at the document in front of her. "You want to do the story, go see Lee Maisel. You'll work for him."

Rune stayed where she was for a moment, her heart pounding. She watched as Sutton read a contract as dense as the classified section in the SundayTimes.

"Anything else?" Sutton glanced up.

Rune said, "No. I just want to say I'll do a super job."

"Wonderful," Sutton said without enthusiasm. Then: "What was your name again?"

"Rune."

"Is that a stage name?"

"Sort of."

"Well, Rune, if you're really going to do this story and you don't give up halfway through because it's too much work or too tough or you don't have enough chutzpah-"

"I'm not going to give up. I'm going to get him released."

"No, you're going to find thetruth. Whatever it is, whether it gets him released or proves he kidnapped the Lindbergh baby too."

"Right," Rune said. "The truth."

"If you're really going to do it don't talk to anybody about it except Lee Maisel and me. I want status reports regularly. Verbally. None of this memo bullshit. Got it? No leaks to anyone. That's the most important thing you can do right now."

"The competition isn't going to find out."