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Pause。 Interference crackled on the line。
〃I'm afraid；〃 she said； louder than she would have liked； 〃that I have some bad news for you。 Yes； I said bad news 。。。 〃
Laura faltered a little and blinked back tears； tasting the bitter words on her tongue。
Not for the last time。
Forty
Blake was just finalizing his vacation plans when he realized he had forgotten to turn off the paper shredder。
His Lexus was already warming in the driveway。 His bags were packed and stowed in the trunk。 His emotions were likewise stashed away； until such time as he could once again afford the luxury。
At the moment； it was all he could do to keep them down。
Maybe it was because he never really expected for everything to e apart like this； one thread unraveling another until the old cheap…suit metaphor came chillingly true； maybe it was because he knew that his vacation could very likely turn permanent。
Either way； his world was ing apart at the seams； and that fact left him more than a bit rattled。 He was about to walk away from his house； his position in the munity； and virtually everything he valued in the world。 Forced to start over； by the skin of his teeth； which was just about all he'd have left。
That； and the attaché case full of kickback money he'd kept stashed away。 For that rainy day。
Which had finally e。
Blake finished his rounds on hold； cordless phone pressed anxiously to his ear。 Unfortunately； travel agents didn't work Sundays； but a quick scan of the phone book had yielded the direct ticketing numbers for several major airlines。 He was booking flights on all of them； just to be on the safe side。
In his study； the paper shredder was quietly humming near his desk； a garbage bag full of important ex…papers lay mulched beside it。 As he switched it off； the ticket agent came back on。
〃Mr。 Blake； you're confirmed on American flight 141 leaving Baltimore/Washington International at 5：45； changing in Miami to Viacao Airlines flight 61 for Rio de Janeiro；〃 the agent said； a model of pleasant efficiency。 〃Will anyone else be traveling with you？〃
Blake paused； proceeded to count off the number of people he honestly cared about in this world。 It didn't take long； in fact； if he were brutally honest he could do it on the fingers of one hand。 Or； more to the point； a single finger。
〃Just me；〃 he said。
Five minutes later； Werner Blake locked the front door for the last time； turned his back on a former life。
And froze； as the ACTION…9 News car pulled up。
〃Yes；〃 Kirk jubilantly hissed。 〃Thank you； Jesus 。。。 〃
The whole way up the hill； he'd been terrified that things just weren't going to pan out。 Blake wouldn't be there。 Blake would be dead。 Blake would somehow prove to be the Archangel Michael； and therefore impervious to harm。
But no。 There he was。 And； like a blessing from God； his engine was running and his trunk was open。 This was a man who was going on a trip。 Under major duress。
Blessed was not the word。 Kirk felt downright sanctified。
He was out of the car practically before it stopped。 Blake's eyes； in that moment； were huge。 Kirk would have given a million dollars to have captured that look； but it was gone forever。 By the time Kirk got the camera up and running； Blake was halfway to his car； and his face was made of stone。
Kirk knew better than to say a fucking word。 This was the kind of footage you ran as video verite…bona fide documentary footage…left to speak for itself and ask questions of later。 No way did you do anything other than walk as fast as you possibly could； never letting the subject escape for one second from the camera's gaze。
They were on an intercept course； a race to see who could make it to the open trunk first。 Blake was closer； by about twenty feet； but he could only move so fast without looking pretty goddamn silly on the tape。 Kirk； on the other hand； liked the urgency that moving fast gave the footage； it had a muscular； war…correspondentlike feel。
And the fact was； it did goose Blake into walking chust a leetle beet faster than one normally might。 Which was to say； stiff…legged。 Unnatural…looking。
Which was to say； guilty as shit。
Very nice； Kirk thought； grinning。 Now give us a nasty look。
But Blake was slick； a seasoned public official。 He wasn't about to acknowledge the camera； and his face gave nothing away。 Worse； he and his car were just slightly uphill； which meant that Kirk couldn't get that peek into the trunk he really wanted unless he moved just a little bit faster himself 。。。
You little sonofabitch！ Blake wanted to scream。 Not an option。 All he could do was get to the trunk。 Until then； he couldn't so much as let his eyelids flicker； much less track Bogarde's movement or plan his next move。
And the distance was closing now。 Seven yards； six。 He kept waiting for the prick to step in front of him； nail him with a tight closeup and say CHEESE 。。。 ！
And suddenly he heard the words 〃Excuse me；〃 and it was like a bolt from the blue。 Something sparked to brilliance in his mind； illuminated the path that he must choose 。。。
。。。 and before Kirk could say another word； Blake jumped； stopping and turning toward the camera with such genuine surprise on his face that； had Kirk not known it was utter bullshit； there'd have been no way of knowing。 Kirk found himself stopping； too； stunned into miseration。
〃JESUS； Kirk！〃 Blake yelled。 〃What's the matter with you？〃 Then he let out a perfectly modulated； natural…looking sigh； made of equal parts exasperation； laughter； and forgiveness。 〃You；〃 he continued； 〃scared the hell out of me！〃
And it played； that was the horrible thing。 The camera was utterly fooled。 Kirk could feel his boner of opportunity dwindle even as he spoke。 〃Mr。 Blake 。。。 〃
〃Werner；〃 Blake corrected him； stepping closer。 〃Good to see you； young man！〃 He leaned forward and out of frame to pat Kirk； too hard； on the shoulder。 Then； without warning； he turned back toward the car and started walking again： not too fast； but purposefully。
And Kirk realized that it didn't matter who got to the trunk first anymore。 In fact； Blake aimed wide of the trunk and straight toward the passenger side； all but inviting Kirk to follow。
〃I'm sorry I don't have time to talk；〃 Blake said； over his shoulder。 〃As you can see； I'm about to leave on a business trip 。。。 〃
The camera took its eye off of Blake to look in the trunk。 A couple of suitcases。
What did you expect？ Kirk screamed at himself。 Bodies？
Blake was really starting to enjoy himself now。 The expression on Bogarde's face was absolutely priceless。 He hated to leave just as it was getting good。 But he did； after all； have a plane to catch。
〃So if you'll excuse me 。。。 〃 he continued。
〃Mr。 Blake；〃 Bogarde interrupted； doing his best self…important Sam Donaldson routine。 〃Are you aware of the illegal dumping at Black Bridge？〃
〃My God； haven't you spoken with Tom？〃 Blake asked； looking puzzled。 〃I just talked with him less than an hour ago。 Everything's under control。〃
He opened the rear door； almost into the lens。 Kirk backed off； jerked the camera skyward。 Blake tossed his briefcase in and slammed the door。
〃Excuse me； Mr。 Blake；〃 Kirk pressed； 〃but what does that mean？ 'Under control'？〃
〃It means it's taken care of。〃 Letting a beat of annoyance slip。 〃Does your station manager know you're up here？〃
〃What about the allegations that Paradise Waste Dis 。。。 〃
〃Excuse me；〃 Blake said； stepping back and bumping the camera as he passed by。
〃 。。。 posal is illegally dumping toxic waste at Black Bridge？〃 Nearly apoplectic now。
It was all Blake could to to keep from smiling； though Strained Benevolence was the official emotion du jour。 〃Young man； you're not paying attention。 I've spoken to your boss； and there will be a full report for your eleven o'clock edition。 If you hurry； instead of wasting your time and mine； perhaps you'll get your scoop after all。〃
And then…just for Kirk and all the nice folks at home…he fired his best wink at the camera。
MOTHERFUCKER！ Kirk wanted to scream。 You corrupt old worthless motherfucking PUKE！
Not an option。 It wouldn't play on prime time。
But that wasn't even the worst。
The worst was that Blake was right。 He had been scooped； at the top echelon。 They knew about the dumping。 They probably knew about everything。 And They would decide how it played； including Kirk's role in its disclosure。
If any 。。。
And that was the ultimate conviction…deflator。 That was the death of the wind in his sails。 He didn't even know what he was standing here for anymore； aiming his camera at this fucking guy。 He didn't know why he didn't just go home。
Until Blake winked at him。
There was something obscene about that wink。 Kirk thought a second； then decided that； yes； obscene was the best word to describe it。 This was a man who was too smug for words； a man who knew he could not be beaten。
To Kirk； this was utterly unacceptable。
He started to think what if I nuke this guy？ Does anyone else have a scoop on THAT？ It was a liberating