makeup
lights that lined the vanity mirror and finished applying her lipstick. She'd
always done her own makeup, having learned some of the best tricks of the trade
when she'd modeled in college. She blotted her lips on a tissue and inspected
them with a critical eye.
Since
her visit to the crime scene today, Kendall had reviewed the tape Mike had shot
and she'd written copy. The piece wasn't going to be more than thirty seconds
because there just wasn't much to say. She'd spoken with the surveyor who'd
found the body but he couldn't tell her much other than the body was female.
Then she spent several hours calling contacts at the medical examiner's office
and the police department but no one was talking. Frustrating.
Tonight's
lead story would be the construction on I-64. The other pieces included
post-holiday credit card debt, homes still without electricity after the Sunday
storm, and hot vacation spots. Her Jane Doe would be third on the story lineup.
Kendall
fluffed her hair, picked up her copy for the evening newscast, and headed
toward the hallway to the studio. The station, one of the oldest in the region,
was in the midst of a massive renovation. Walls were being torn out in the
front of the building; carpet was being pulled; and new, brighter paint colors
were being applied. The construction had made for a hectic few months, but the
station manager had said the changes were necessary. The building, wiring, and
broadcasting equipment were out of date. He'd promised the work would be
completed by summer.
The
renovation was a pain but the good to come out of it was her carpenter. He'd
worked on this job briefly and had come recommended by the job's project
manager.
Kendall
worked her way down the winding hallway and pushed through the doors into the
newsroom. The buzz of conversation greeted her. The news station was quiet most
of the day, but with ten minutes to airtime, controlled chaos ruled.
Computerized
editing stations divided the newsroom's large square footage. Reporters used
the stations to write and edit their stories. In the far right corner was the
blue screen designed to project weather maps. In another corner was the setup
for AM Virginia, the station's morning show.
Most
visitors were surprised when they first toured the station. They found it was
always much smaller than they expected.
On
her suggestion, they'd done away with the traditional anchor desk. Instead, she
gave her reports from the center of the newsroom. Brett had been resistant at
first but quickly discovered the new format gave the broadcast more energy. And
the change had reflected in the ratings. Viewers felt Kendall was approachable
when she wasn't behind the desk.
"Kendall,
time to get fitted for your mike," Larry the soundman, who had worked at the
station for several years, alerted her.
She
moved toward him as she glanced at her copy on the murdered woman. Larry fit
the miniature microphone to the lapel of her suede jacket and ran the wire to a
battery at her waistband at the base of her spine.
Today, Henrico County Police responded to a 911 call at James River near
the proposed River Bend development where construction crews discovered the
body of an unidentified woman. Her body had been dumped and so far police are
speculating on the cause of death....
An unidentified woman . The
phrase bothered her. The woman had a name and for some reason Kendall felt
remiss not knowing it.
"All
set," Larry said.
She
pulled her thoughts back. "Thanks."
"One
minute to air." The announcement came from the show's producer.
Her
belly fluttered, as it always did seconds before air. She didn't mind the
butterflies. They kept her on her toes.
"Thirty
seconds to air."
She
glanced at her producer and nodded.
An unidentified woman . The
phrase lurked in the back of her mind as she stretched the muscles in her face.
When the police released her name, she was going to do a profile on the woman.
Her
producer did the final five count
lights that lined the vanity mirror and finished applying her lipstick. She'd
always done her own makeup, having learned some of the best tricks of the trade
when she'd modeled in college. She blotted her lips on a tissue and inspected
them with a critical eye.
Since
her visit to the crime scene today, Kendall had reviewed the tape Mike had shot
and she'd written copy. The piece wasn't going to be more than thirty seconds
because there just wasn't much to say. She'd spoken with the surveyor who'd
found the body but he couldn't tell her much other than the body was female.
Then she spent several hours calling contacts at the medical examiner's office
and the police department but no one was talking. Frustrating.
Tonight's
lead story would be the construction on I-64. The other pieces included
post-holiday credit card debt, homes still without electricity after the Sunday
storm, and hot vacation spots. Her Jane Doe would be third on the story lineup.
Kendall
fluffed her hair, picked up her copy for the evening newscast, and headed
toward the hallway to the studio. The station, one of the oldest in the region,
was in the midst of a massive renovation. Walls were being torn out in the
front of the building; carpet was being pulled; and new, brighter paint colors
were being applied. The construction had made for a hectic few months, but the
station manager had said the changes were necessary. The building, wiring, and
broadcasting equipment were out of date. He'd promised the work would be
completed by summer.
The
renovation was a pain but the good to come out of it was her carpenter. He'd
worked on this job briefly and had come recommended by the job's project
manager.
Kendall
worked her way down the winding hallway and pushed through the doors into the
newsroom. The buzz of conversation greeted her. The news station was quiet most
of the day, but with ten minutes to airtime, controlled chaos ruled.
Computerized
editing stations divided the newsroom's large square footage. Reporters used
the stations to write and edit their stories. In the far right corner was the
blue screen designed to project weather maps. In another corner was the setup
for AM Virginia, the station's morning show.
Most
visitors were surprised when they first toured the station. They found it was
always much smaller than they expected.
On
her suggestion, they'd done away with the traditional anchor desk. Instead, she
gave her reports from the center of the newsroom. Brett had been resistant at
first but quickly discovered the new format gave the broadcast more energy. And
the change had reflected in the ratings. Viewers felt Kendall was approachable
when she wasn't behind the desk.
"Kendall,
time to get fitted for your mike," Larry the soundman, who had worked at the
station for several years, alerted her.
She
moved toward him as she glanced at her copy on the murdered woman. Larry fit
the miniature microphone to the lapel of her suede jacket and ran the wire to a
battery at her waistband at the base of her spine.
Today, Henrico County Police responded to a 911 call at James River near
the proposed River Bend development where construction crews discovered the
body of an unidentified woman. Her body had been dumped and so far police are
speculating on the cause of death....
An unidentified woman . The
phrase bothered her. The woman had a name and for some reason Kendall felt
remiss not knowing it.
"All
set," Larry said.
She
pulled her thoughts back. "Thanks."
"One
minute to air." The announcement came from the show's producer.
Her
belly fluttered, as it always did seconds before air. She didn't mind the
butterflies. They kept her on her toes.
"Thirty
seconds to air."
She
glanced at her producer and nodded.
An unidentified woman . The
phrase lurked in the back of her mind as she stretched the muscles in her face.
When the police released her name, she was going to do a profile on the woman.
Her
producer did the final five count
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