The Evening News (34 page)

Havelock seemed surprised
.”
Part of my job is to protect Mr. Sloane
.
Besides, you're investigating the kidnapping. Right
?
”

"Yes
.”

"Then we have the same objective, to locate Mr. Sloane's family. So
anything you people discover, such as what goes up there"-he gestured to
the "Sequence of Events
”
board-"the FBI needs to know as well
.”

Several others in the room, among them Leslie Chippingham, had fallen
silent
.”
In that case
,”
Rita said, "it should be a two-way deal. Can I send a
correspondent, right now, over to the FBI's New York office to examine all
your reports that have come in
?
”

Havelock shook his head
.”
I'm afraid that isn't possible. Some are
confidential
.”

"Exactly
!”

"Look, folks
.”

Havelock, aware of the growing attention around the room
,
was clearly trying to be restrained
.”
I'm not sure you fully understand
that we're dealing with a crime. Anyone with knowledge has a legal
obligation to pass it on, in this instance to the FBI. Failing to do so
could be a criminal offense
.”

Rita, seldom long on patience, objected, "For chrissakes, we're not
children! We do investigations all the time and know the score
.”

Partridge added, "I should tell you, Mr. Havelock, that I've worked close
to the FBI on several stories and your people are notorious for taking
all the information they can get and giving back nothing
.”

Havelock snapped, "The FBI isn't obliged to give anything back
.”

His
earlier restraint was gone
.”
We're a government agency with the power of
the President and Congress behind us. What you people seem to be doing
here is setting yourself up as competitors. Well, let me advise you that
if anyone impedes the official investigation by withholding information
,
they're likely to face serious charges
.”

Chippingham decided it was time to intervene
.”
Mr. Havelock
,”
the news president said, "I assure you we are not people
who break the law. However, we are free to do all the investigating we
want and sometimes we're more successful at it than what you call the
'official investigation.'
"What's really involved here
,”
Chippingham
continued, "is something
called 'reporter privilege.' While I admit there are some gray areas
,
what's important is that reporters can investigate, then protect their
sources unless a court rules otherwise. So you see, it would be an
infringement on our freedom if we allowed you to have instant, total
access to whatever comes in. Therefore I must tell you that while we're
glad to have you here, there's a limit to your clearance and a line you
may not cross-right there
.”

He pointed to the conference-room doorway.

"Well, sir
,”
Havelock said, "I'm not sure I buy all that, and you won't
mind if I discuss the whole matter with the Bureau
.”

"Not in the least. I'm sure they'll tell you we're acting within our
rights
.”

What Chippingham did not say was that CBA, like any news organization
,
would make its own decisions about what to reveal and when, even if it
meant ruffling some FBI feathers. He knew that most others in the News
Division felt the same way. As to possible consequences, the network would
have to deal with those as and if they happened
.
After Havelock had left to make a phone call, Chippingham told Rita, "Call
the building superintendent. Ask for some keys to these offices and keep
them locked
.”

In the privacy of Partridge's office, he and Sloane began their interview
with a tape recorder running. Partridge covered the now familiar ground
,
repeating earlier questions in more detailed ways, but nothing new emerged
.
At length, Partridge asked, "Is there anything in your mind, Crawf, even
down in your subconscious that you might have to search for, something that
could vaguely relate to what has happened? Is there the smallest incident
you might have wondered about, then dismissed
?
”

"You asked me that yesterday
,”
Sloane answered thoughtfully. His attitude
to Partridge had changed noticeably over the past twenty-four hours. In one
sense it was friendlier. In another, Sloane was less wary of Partridge
,
even relying on him mentally in a way he never had before. Strangely
,
Sloane was almost deferential, as if seeing in Harry Partridge his greatest
hope of getting Jessica, Nicky and his father back
.”
I know I did
,”
Partridge said, "and you promised to think about it
.”

"Well, I thought last night and maybe there is something, though I can't
be sure, and it's only the vaguest feeling
.”

Sloane spoke awkwardly. He was
never comfortable with hazy, unformed ideas
.
Partridge urged, "Keep talking
.”

"I think, before this happened, I might have had a feeling of
being followed. Of course, it could be I'm thinking this way after discovering there was a watch on the house . .
.”

"Forget that. So you think you were followed. Where and when
?
”

"That's the trouble. It's so hazy I could have made it up, maybe feeling
I had to find something
.”

"Do you think you made it up
?
”

Sloane hesitated
.”
No, I don't
.”

"Give me more details
.”

"I've a feeling I might have been followed sometimes while driving home
.
Also I have an instinct, and it's damned elusive, that someone may have
been observing me here, inside CBA News~-someone who should not have been
here
.”

"All this over how long a period
?
”

"Maybe a month
?
”

Sloane threw up his hands
.”
I simply can't be sure I'm
not inventing. In any case, what difference does it make
?
”

"I don't know
,”
Partridge said
.”
But I'll talk it over with the others
.”

Afterward, Partridge typed out a summary of the Sloane interview and
pinned it on the conference room "Miscellaneous
”
board. Then, back in his
office, he began the procedure known to all journalists as "working the
phones
.”

Open in front of him was his private "blue book"-a catalog of people he
knew worldwide who had been useful before and might be again. It also
included others he had helped by supplying information when they, in
turn, needed it. The news business was full of debits and credits; at
times like this, credits were called in. Also helpful was that most
people were flattered to be sought after by TV news
.
The night before, referring to the blue book, Partridge had made a list
of those he would call today. The names beside him now included contacts
in the Justice Department, White House, State Department, CIA
,
Immigration, Congress, several foreign embassies, New York's Police
Department, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa, Mexico's
Judicial Police, an author of real-life crime books, and a lawyer with
organized crime clients.
The ensuing phone conversations were mostly low-key and began, "Hi, this
is Harry Partridge. We haven't been in touch for a while. Just called to
see how life is treating you
.”

The personal mode continued with inquiries
about wives or husbands, lovers, children--Partridge kept notes of those
names too-then eased into the current scene
.”
I'm working on the Sloane
kidnapping. I wonder if you've heard any rumbles, or have ideas of your
own
.”

Sometimes the questions were more specific. Have you heard speculation on
who might be responsible? Do you think terrorist involvement is a
possibility,- if so, from where? Are any rumors floating, even wild ones?
Will you ask around and call me back if you hear anything?
It was standard practice, at times tedious and always requiring patience
.
Sometimes it produced results, occasionally delayed ones, often none. From
today's telephoning nothing specific emerged, though the most interesting
conversation, Partridge decided afterward, was with the organized crime
lawyer
.
A year ago Partridge had done him a favor--or so the lawyer thought. The
man's daughter, on a college trip to Venezuela, had been part of a messy
drug orgy that made U.S. national news. Eight students were involved; two
had died. Through a Caracas agency, CBA News had obtained exclusive
on-the-spot pictures, with close-ups of participants-the lawyer's daughter
among them-being arrested by police. Partridge, who was in Argentina, flew
north to cover the story
.
In New York, the girl's father somehow learned about the coverage, also the
pictures, and tracked Partridge down by phone. He pleaded with Partridge
not to use his daughter's name or image, arguing she was the youngest of
the group, had never been in trouble before, and national exposure would
ruin her life
.
Partridge had by that time seen the pictures; he knew about the girl and
had decided not to use her in his story. Ever. so, keeping his options
open, he merely promised to do the best he could
.
Later, when it became clear that CBA had made no direct
r
eference to the girl, the lawyer sent Partridge a check for a thousand dollars. Partridge returned the check with a polite note, and since then the two had not communicated
.
Today, aftei listening to Partridge's casual opener, the lawyer responded
bluntly, "I owe you. Now you want something. Tell me what it is
.”

Partridge explained
.”
I haven't heard anything, except on TV
,”
the lawyer said, "and I'm sure
as I can be that none of my clients are involved. It isn't the kind of
thing they'd touch. Sometimes, though, they get to hear about things that
others don't. Over the next few days I'll do some discreet asking around
.
If I find out anything I'll call you
.”

Partridge had a feeling that he would
.
At the end of an hour, when he had covered half the names on his list
,
Partridge took a break and went to the conference room to pour himself
coffee. Returning, he did what almost everyone in TV news did daily-went
through the New York Times and Washington Post. It always surprised
visitors to TV news centers to see how many copies of those newspapers
were around. The fact was, despite TV's own news achievements, a subtle
,
ingrained attitude persisted that nothing was really news until printed
in the Times or Post
.
The strong voice of Chuck Insen broke into Partridge's reading
.”
I bring tonight's lineup, Harry
,”
the executive producer said, entering
the office
.”
The word is, we'll do a split-anchor news. You're to be half
the horse
.”