Firefly Lane (Firefly Lane 1)

Holy cow.

Tullys heart was pounding. Shed never been invited into this office, never even met Maury Stein, the big kahuna on the morning show.

The office was huge, with two walls of windows. Falling snow turned everything outside gray and white and eerie. From this vantage point, it felt vaguely like standing inside a snow globe, looking out.

"This one will do," Edna said, cocking her head toward Tully.

Maury looked up from his work. He barely glanced at Tully, then nodded. "Fine. "

Edna left the office.

Tully stood there, confused. Then she heard Edna say, "Are you epileptic? Comatose?"

Tully followed her out into the hallway.

"Do you have a pen and paper?"

"Yes. "

"I dont need an answer, just do as I ask and do it quickly. "

Tully fumbled into her pocket for a pen and found some paper on a nearby desk. "Im ready. "

"First off, I want a detailed report on the upcoming election in Nicaragua. You do know whats going on there?"

"Certainly," she lied.

"I want to know everything about the Sandinistas, Bushs Nicaraguan policy, the blockade, the people who live there. I want to know when Violeta Chamorro lost her virginity. And youve got twelve days to get it done. "

"Yes—" She stopped herself from saying maam just in time.

Edna came to a stop at Tullys desk. "Youve got a passport?"

"Yes. They made me apply for one when they hired me. "

"Of course. Well be leaving on the sixteenth. Before we go—"

"We?"

"Why the hell do you think Im talking to you? Do you have a problem with this?"

"No. No problem. Thank you. I really—"

"Well need immunizations; get a doctor here to take care of us and the crew. Then you can start setting up advance interview meetings. Got it?" She looked down at her watch. "Its one oclock. Brief me on Friday morning at, say, five A. M. ?"

"Ill get started right now. And thank you, Edna. "

"Dont thank me, Hart. Just do your job—and do it better than anyone else could. "

"Im on it. " Tully went to her desk and picked up the phone. Before shed even finished punching in the number, Edna was gone.

"Hello?" Kate said groggily.

Tully looked at the clock. It was nine. That meant it was six in Seattle. "Oops. I did it again. Sorry. "

"Your goddaughter doesnt sleep. Shes a freak of nature. Can I call you back in a few hours?"

"Actually, Im calling to talk to Johnny. "