Arthur Hailey - Evening News

"I don't think so.”

"Are the police involved?”

"Very much so, and they've called in the FBI. Our man Fisher has a statement from the Larchmont chief.” Checking her notes, the news director read aloud the chief's statement, Bert Fisher's query, and the chief's words, "That's an okay quote.”

"Run that past me again.” LaSalle was frantically typing as he spoke.

The WCBA news director did so, adding, "We've heard that WNBC is onto the story, though a tad behind us. Look, we'll go with this at noon anyway, and I'm considering breaking into programming now. But I thought, since this is family . . .”

Before she could finish, LaSalle snapped, "Don't do a damn thing over there. The brass will be in on this. And if anybody breaks it, we will.”

* * *

Taking seconds only, Ernie LaSalle debated his options.

He had several.

One was to take whatever time was necessary to first contact Crawford Sloane, who might or might not be in the building, then personally and gently as possible convey to Crawf the frightening information. A second was to pick up the red reporting phone in front of him and announce to the entire News Division the kidnapping of the Sloane family, after which urgent action to make an on-air report would undoubtedly begin. The third was to issue an order to network master control that CBA News would "take air” in approximately three minutes, interrupting network programming with a special bulletin. LaSalle was one of a half-dozen people who had the power to authorize such intrusion and, in his judgment, the news just received was not only preeminent, but of immense public interest.

He made his decision, opting for the second choice. Influencing his judgment was the knowledge that another New York station, WNBC-TV—owned by NBC network—was on the Larchmont scene. Undoubtedly NBC News would receive a report swiftly from their affiliate, just as CBA had. Therefore there wasn't time for humane niceties. As for going on the air at once, there were plenty of other people around, including the News Division president, Les Chippingham, to make that decision.

I'm sorry as hell to do this to you, Crawf, LaSalle thought, then picked up the red reporting phone.

”National desk. LaSalle. The earlier reported kidnapping at Larchmont, New York, has been confirmed by the local chief of police who has called in the FBI. According to police, the reported victims are Mrs. Crawford Sloane, young Nicholas Sloane and . . .” Despite his resolve and professionalism, LaSalle found his voice breaking. Steeling himself he continued.”. . . and Crawford's father, who were violently seized and driven away by unknown persons. WCBA has reliable on-scene coverage, details available here. NBC is believed to be working on this story, though we have a slight lead. National desk recommends taking network air immediately.”

* * *

Horror and consternation swept through the News Division like a tidal wave. Everyone stopped working. Many looked at each other, asking silently, Did I really hear that? When confirmation was forthcoming, unanswerable questions sprang to lips: How could it happen? Who would do such a thing? Is it a kidnap for ransom? "at do the kidnappers want? What are the chances the police will catch them quickly? Oh god, how must Crawford feel?

One floor above the newsroom, senior staffers at the Horseshoe were equally appalled, though their shock lasted only moments. After it, out of habit and discipline, they were galvanized to action.

Chuck Insen, as senior producer in the building, left his office on the run. All his newsman's instincts told him that the national desk advice to take network air immediately would be followed. When that happened, Insen's appointed place was in the broadcast control room four floors below. Reaching a bank of elevators, he jabbed a down button with his thumb.

Impatiently awaiting for an elevator, Insen's mind overflowed with sympathy for Sloane, their differences for the moment totally erased. He wondered: Where was Crawf? Earlier, Insen had seen him briefly in the distance and knew that he and Les Chippingham had had their heads together in Sloane's office for reasons Insen already knew. Presumably Crawf was somewhere in the building and must have heard the hot-line call. Which raised a crucial question.

When urgent breaking news was deemed significant enough to interrupt the network with a special report, it was the evening news anchorman—in CBA's case, Crawford Sloane—who faced the cameras. If the anchorman wasn't on the scene he would be sent for, with any available correspondent filling in until the anchor arrived. But, Insen realized, there was absolutely no way Sloane could be expected to handle this sudden, harrowing news about his own family.

At that moment a "down”elevator arrived and the business correspondent of CBA News, Don Kettering, prepared to step out. Kettering, middle-aged with a thin mustache and looking like a well-to-do businessman himself, opened his mouth to say something but never got started. This was because Insen shoved him back inside the elevator and hit the B I button for first basement. The elevator doors closed.

Kettering spluttered, "What the—”

“Hold it,” Insen said.”You heard the speakerphone just now?”

"Yes, I'm damn sorry. I was going to tell Crawf—”

“Where you're going,” Insen said, "is on the air. Get to the flash studio and take the hot seat. Crawf can't do this. You're available. I'll talk to you from the control room.”

Kettering, a quick thinker and an experienced general reporter before he became a business specialist, nodded. He even seemed a little pleased at the prospect.”Do I get some briefing?”

"We'll give you all we have so far. You'll get maybe a minute to do a quick study, then ad-lib. More will be fed to you as it comes in.”

"Right.”

As Insen left the elevator, Kettering pressed a button which would take him upward to the broadcast floor.

Elsewhere, other activity was in high gear, some proceeding automatically.

In the newsroom, the Northeast assignment editor was rounding up two network camera crews and correspondents. Their instructions were to proceed post haste to Larchmont and obtain pictures of the kidnap scene as well as interview police and any witnesses. A mobile transmitting van would follow right behind.

In a small research department adjoining the Horseshoe, an offshoot of a larger research library in another building, a half-dozen people were hastily assembling a computer biography of Crawford Sloane and the few known facts about his family, few because Jessica Sloane had always insisted on privacy for herself and Nicholas.

From somewhere, though, main research had acquired a photograph of Jessica which was coming through on a fax machine; a graphics editor hovered over the machine, waiting to remove the picture and convert it to a slide. Printing out from another computer was the war record of Crawford's father, Angus Sloane. There would be a photo of him too. No picture of Nicky had been located so far.

A research assistant grabbed all the material available and ran down a flight of stairs to the flash facility studio where Don Kettering had just arrived. Right behind research, a messenger from the national desk brought a printout of Bert Fisher's Larchmont report, received from WCBA-TV. Kettering sat down at the studio's central desk and, blocking out all else, immersed himself in reading. Around him technicians were arriving, lights coming on. Someone clipped a microphone onto Kettering's jacket. A cameraman framed Kettering in his lens.

The flash facility was the smallest studio in the building, no bigger than a modest living room. It had a single camera and was kept for occasions such as this when it could be activated and ready in rnoments.