Hard News (Rune 3)

"I just didn't think. I didn't think it would matter."

"Didn't ... think." Sutton stretched the words out for a vast second.

"I'm really--"

Sutton turned to Maisel. "So, what's the next step?"

"Nighttime News."

The lawyer winced. "It's a New York story. Can't we justify keeping it local?"

Maisel said, "No way. Time and Newsweek'll cover it. You know what the other nets are going to do and forget about the Times. They'll crucify us. It'll be understated but it'll still be a crucifixion."

"We'll have to preempt them," Sutton said. "Put it on the News at Noon, then do a piece at five and have Eustice do it at seven. We tell all. We confess. Not a single word of excuse or backpedaling."

Krueger said, "God, that'll hurt."

Maisel sighed.

The lawyer asked Rune, "You have any idea where Boggs went?"

"All I know is like he came from the South. Atlanta was where he was born and he lived in Florida and North Carolina but other than that ..." She ended in a shrug.

The lawyer said, "I'm going over to our law firm and brief the litigators, just in case." With a fast, curious glance at Rune he left the office. Sutton stared at the Daily News. Lee Maisel played with his pipe and sat in a slump. He was uncomfortable. Rune looked into his eyes, though his darted away quickly The disappointment she saw hurt her more than the hatred she felt gushing from Sutton.

Oh, how could I do it?

He believed in me and I let him down.

Sutton looked at Rune. "Don't talk to the press about what happened. You've already blabbed your mouth off, I see." Waving her arm at the newspaper.

Rune said, "I didn't say anything. The police must've told the reporters."

"Well, all I'll say is, the Network is going to be in d

eep shit for this and heads are probably going to roll. If you make things worse for everybody because you can't keep your mouth shut, then you'll be opening yourself up to a big fat fucking lawsuit. You understand me?"

Rune nodded.

There was a long pause, broken by Sutton's saying, "Well, I guess that's it. You're out of here."

Rune stared at her, blinked. "Just like that? Today?"

"Sorry, Rune," Maisel said. "Today, yes. Now."

Sutton added, "And don't take any files or cassettes with you. That's our property."

"Do you mean I should go back to my job at the O&O?"

Sutton looked at her with a disbelieving smile.

Rune said, "You mean, I'm like totally fired."

Sutton said, "Like totally."

SAM HEALY WOKE UP AT EIGHT THE NEXT MORNING when Courtney emptied a box of Raisin Bran in their bed.

The noisy cascade didn't wake Rune up.