"Ronald? Are you listening to me?" Placing her hands on her hips, the 23
year old blonde gave her editor a look.
"Of course I am, but I think you need to listen to me," He motioned for her to have a seat as he looked up from his e-mail. "Everyone wants to write 'real news', kid. There are people out there who would kill for the opportunity...just like there are people who would kill for your job."
"My job?" Mary took the seat that had been offered. "I'm a theatre critic."
"For the New York Times." He couldn't repress his smile. Mary Sullivan was one of the best staff writers he had and truth be told, he liked the girl. She reminded him a lot of himself when he first started out...only he had been stuck writing obituaries. He just wasn't sure she was ready to write real news. Oh sure, she was capable...but emotionally? He didn't know if he was quite ready to send her out to meet harsh reality.
"Come on...just give me a chance. I'll write you the best article you've ever seen. Come on, Ronald. Please. Please..."
"If I say yes will you stop giving me that look? My four year old niece can't make puppy dog eyes as well as you can...."
"Well I've had years of practice. But yes, if you agree I will stop making you feel guilty using just my facial expressions."
"Fine. Fine. I'll give you a shot." He shook his head, amused. "Let's see.I won't make you cover the political press conference.that's just mean. What about..no, no that won't work..you could check out..no.." As he was talking, he was searching through his e-mail, looking at the various leads. "Ahhhh.here we go." He turned back to Mary. "Corrupt cops." He handed her the e-mail he had printed out. "I want you to investigate those 4 officers and see what you can find out. Think you can do that?"
"Do I think I can? Ronald, please.." She was smiling, but her smile faded as she looked down at the names: Tyrone Davis Jr., John Sullivan, Maurice Boscorelli, Faith Yokas. Was he serious? He couldn't be serious.
"Problem?"
"Are you sure.are you sure these are the right names?"
"Positive." He nodded.
"But my father's on this list."
"I know." And he had known. He was testing her. Seeing if she could do it or if she would let her personal feelings get in the way. It was cruel, yes, but it was also life. "If you don't think you can do this, I ca."
"No, no. I got it." She stood. "Is it okay if I get out of here? Take the rest of the day to make a game plan?"
Ronald nodded, "Of course. Main thing is to get the story. Just check in every few days, okay?"
"Okay."
"Mary?"
"Yeah?"
"I have faith in you. You can do this, kid."
Well that makes one of us, she thought to herself as she left the office. If it had been any other article she'd agree with him one hundred and ten percent. But this.this was diffirent. This was her dad. He couldn't be corrupt. And Ty. The same Ty she had known since she was 4. The same Ty she had been dating since college. Him? Corrupt? He was annoyingly non-corrupt. And sure, Bosco was an asshole. Everyone knew that. But he wasn't corrupt. Where was Ronald getting this information? That was a question to consider.
Of course, the bigger question was what was she going to do? Well she knew the first thing she was going to do; she was going to go home and get out of these heels.
"Of course I am, but I think you need to listen to me," He motioned for her to have a seat as he looked up from his e-mail. "Everyone wants to write 'real news', kid. There are people out there who would kill for the opportunity...just like there are people who would kill for your job."
"My job?" Mary took the seat that had been offered. "I'm a theatre critic."
"For the New York Times." He couldn't repress his smile. Mary Sullivan was one of the best staff writers he had and truth be told, he liked the girl. She reminded him a lot of himself when he first started out...only he had been stuck writing obituaries. He just wasn't sure she was ready to write real news. Oh sure, she was capable...but emotionally? He didn't know if he was quite ready to send her out to meet harsh reality.
"Come on...just give me a chance. I'll write you the best article you've ever seen. Come on, Ronald. Please. Please..."
"If I say yes will you stop giving me that look? My four year old niece can't make puppy dog eyes as well as you can...."
"Well I've had years of practice. But yes, if you agree I will stop making you feel guilty using just my facial expressions."
"Fine. Fine. I'll give you a shot." He shook his head, amused. "Let's see.I won't make you cover the political press conference.that's just mean. What about..no, no that won't work..you could check out..no.." As he was talking, he was searching through his e-mail, looking at the various leads. "Ahhhh.here we go." He turned back to Mary. "Corrupt cops." He handed her the e-mail he had printed out. "I want you to investigate those 4 officers and see what you can find out. Think you can do that?"
"Do I think I can? Ronald, please.." She was smiling, but her smile faded as she looked down at the names: Tyrone Davis Jr., John Sullivan, Maurice Boscorelli, Faith Yokas. Was he serious? He couldn't be serious.
"Problem?"
"Are you sure.are you sure these are the right names?"
"Positive." He nodded.
"But my father's on this list."
"I know." And he had known. He was testing her. Seeing if she could do it or if she would let her personal feelings get in the way. It was cruel, yes, but it was also life. "If you don't think you can do this, I ca."
"No, no. I got it." She stood. "Is it okay if I get out of here? Take the rest of the day to make a game plan?"
Ronald nodded, "Of course. Main thing is to get the story. Just check in every few days, okay?"
"Okay."
"Mary?"
"Yeah?"
"I have faith in you. You can do this, kid."
Well that makes one of us, she thought to herself as she left the office. If it had been any other article she'd agree with him one hundred and ten percent. But this.this was diffirent. This was her dad. He couldn't be corrupt. And Ty. The same Ty she had known since she was 4. The same Ty she had been dating since college. Him? Corrupt? He was annoyingly non-corrupt. And sure, Bosco was an asshole. Everyone knew that. But he wasn't corrupt. Where was Ronald getting this information? That was a question to consider.
Of course, the bigger question was what was she going to do? Well she knew the first thing she was going to do; she was going to go home and get out of these heels.