Read Online After All by Lynn Emery - Free Book Online

idea of beginning my series of investigative reports on
wrongdoing at the Housing Authority with at least two reports on
the conditions of public housing. Also, I'm going to profile some
of the residents from a human interest point of view. Mansur gave
me the green light.”Michelle's fingers flew over the
keyboard.”Brilliant, if I do say so myself.”
    “ Scoring one with the big
dog, smart move.” Earl let out a long whistled of appreciation. “Of
course, it going to piss Jason off big time.”
    “ How will I sleep nights,”
Michelle snorted. Ending a sentence, she saved the text.”How've you
been?”
    Earl's face screwed up into a frown.
“Awful. Cheryl is on this macrobiotic kick. Meals at home have
become torture. She quit speaking to me for an entire day when she
found an empty French fry bag in my car.”
    “ Hang in there, next week
it'll be something new.”
    “ That's what scares me.
Since she turned thirty-five, she's been obsessed with finding the
secret to staying young and healthy.”Earl sank down in a nearby
chair.
    “ She looks fabulous, always
has.”
    “ I tell her that, but the
fact that I'm five years younger bothers her now.”Earl took a deep
breath.
    “ Then keep telling her. And
show her, too. Nothing elaborate, but compliment her on her
everyday things she does for you. Even those meals.”
    “ I can't promise that,” Earl
laughed.
    “ Speaking of unhappy wives,
have you talked to Mrs. Bridges yet?”
    Earl moaned.” Oh boy, have I. She spent
the better part of an hour listing all his affairs, and everything
he's done to mistreat her for the past fifteen years. It took all
of my self-control not to cut her off and tell her I wasn't her
marriage counselor. I'm going to talk to her again, but it doesn't
look like she'll give me anything solid.”
    “ More advice, domestic
quicksand ahead. Don't get sucked in. A bitter spouse can be a
curse as well as a blessing. If she spends the next one or two
interviews ventilating about him without giving you something that
could lead to a story, you're wasting your time,” Michelle
said.
    “ And it was so promising.”
Earl's face lit up with renewed eagerness. “But I have a plan.
Maybe she'll give me the names of other people who might be willing
to talk. Maybe somebody he's taken advantage of and wants revenge.”
He rose.
    “ Keep hope alive.”Michelle
waved goodbye to him. She hated to tell him how skeptical she was
at his chances.
    “ Is Earl still dogging that
James Bridges thing?” Rexanne strolled in and put her large leather
bag on Gracie's desk. Sitting down wearily, she propped her feet on
another chair.
    “ Yeah, he's got my sympathy.
I think she's a woman scorned who wants to cause trouble for her
husband, but doesn't have one piece of usable information.”Leaning
back, Michelle took a break from writing.
    “ If anybody knows something,
it's her. It's a matter of how much she really wants to stick it to
her husband. She may want to keep him awake nights worrying. She
probably made sure he knows she's talking to Earl. How's your big
one coming along?”
    “ I'm on the right
track.”Michelle understood that she was referring to the one
potentially big story she was working on.
    “ Count your blessings. I've
been chasing my tail all morning with this follow-up on Senator
Jeansonne. He is one slippery rascal.” Rexanne raked fingers
through her dark auburn hair.
    Kate hurried over looking anxious.”Hi,
Rexanne. Say Michelle, Jason's been asking me if you've submitted
any footage for editing.”
    Michelle barely opened her mouth before
Rexanne interrupted.”Jason, how are you?”
    “ Fine,” Jason said warmly,
smiling at Rexanne briefly. With her standing at the station, he
was careful to always be cordial and respectful. Then he turned to
Michelle.”We need to talk. My office.”He walked away without
waiting to see if she followed.
    “ Sure thing, Jason.”Michelle
spoke in a false light tone even as she made an