FIVE DAYS AGO

Jade West stretched her hamstrings after sitting cross-legged for the last two hours. She was tired but the icy concrete roof of the Garrett Parking Structure kept her alert. From this vantage she had a prime view of the front steps of the courthouse.

The verdict for the Collins-Quinn case was this morning and Barry told Jade that they needed to be first on the scene with pictures. She felt like a sniper preparing her camera, telephoto lens and tripod. Since this was a government building, Jade kept her and her equipment well hidden with an asphalt-colored tarp. From the ground, you couldn't see her. Just in case somebody thought she was a sniper.

Barry Edelstein, editor-in-chief of The Virginian, wanted to beat the larger newspapers and his star photojournalist Jade West just returned from an expose in South Africa. It was the first time she was pictured on the front page and it made her a hopeful for the Pulitzer but has yet to win it. Now the high profile divorce turned homicide of Hugh Collins and Jaycee Quinn got the country's attention. And if this was going to be decided upon in his town, Barry was not going to be outdone.

The bells rang at ten A.M. and that was the sign of the trial convening. The jury found in favor of Quinn in light of Collins' infidelities. They ruled her killing of one of the mistresses an act of temporary insanity. Jade didn't care very much about the trial. Nowadays, the process itself began to be enough for her. Sure she prided herself with the quality of her pictures and writing but nothing has come up since her return to the States that made her passionate. Jade took her exclusives, packed up her arsenal and got the hell out of Dodge.


FOUR DAYS AGO

Jade was doing research at her computer when Barry sits on the corner of her desk. She hated when people did that but gritted her teeth and endured when her boss did it.

"Jadey," he smirked. Two more things she hated but tolerated with him. That nickname and someone saying her name while smiling; usually means they want something.

"What's up?" Jade wasn't looking away from her monitor.

"Sorry, I was so busy yesterday. I never got a chance to tell you that those pictures were great. USA Today wishes their shots were this good!"

Jade can't not smile at praise for her talents.

"Listen, Jade" Barry's expression got more serious. "I know you probably are going to think this is beneath you but…"

"But?" Jade was growing impatient.

"Tori Vega."

That made Jade's fingers stop pushing the mouse and finally shift her eyeballs to her editor. "Sorry?"

"You know, that pop star that pissed everybody off? Tori Vega."

The name found its way out of the archives and managed to smack Jade in the face.

Jade stroked her hair in mock recollection. "Tori Vega….Tori…"

"Look, we both know that the two of you shared classes together or at least were in the same graduating year"

"I still don't understand what the big deal is about Tori, I mean Vega."

"Well, ever since that lawsuit broke out, Tori Vega became the most hated person in the country..."

Jade holds up her hand it silence him. "And this has what to do with me?"

"She's disappeared. No sign of her. Even on the Inter-webs. Months of just silence."

This puzzled Jade. She hadn't seen Tori Vega in some years but this didn't sound like her.

"People are asking: is she dead?" That thought actually made Jade a little sad for a second. There was a time she did envision Tori Vega out of the picture but the fact that she could be lying dead in a cavernous mansion was a depressing scenario.

Jade in haled and exhaled, "So, what do you want me to do?"

"What you do best. You can dig what most people want to stay buried."

But I never looked up a missing person before, Jade thought.

"Besides," Barry continued. "The fact that you're an old mate could help us get an interview."

Jade closed her eyes for about half a minute, pondering. "I want my expenses all paid for this time. Don't be cheap on me. I'm already putting my reputation on the line for this puff piece."

Barry rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "What do you need?"