Read Online Death and Desire by P.H. Turner - Free Book Online

“If you want corn pudding for dinner, Eric’s gotta have some milk and cheese.”
    â€œSee, I knew Eric could cook up an old Scottish dish with these groceries! Frank wasn’t doing much business.”
    â€œYou find out who the old woman is?”
    â€œYanaha. Frank Aguirre’s going to put a word in for me. He’s the old-timer who owns the post.” The video was edited and paused on the timeline. “You ready for my voice-over?”
    â€œReady. I used the second take of you opening the story. You got two places to voice-over.” He handed me the microphone and backed out, shutting the door.
    Five minutes later the package was on its way to the server. I wanted to talk to Marty before he pulled it off and viewed it. I walked down the corridor rehearsing things to say to persuade Marty to run the story.
    His office was a jumble of papers and pizza boxes. I shoved one of the dying potted plants on his credenza over and perched on the edge. His wife marched in every week or two with a new one to decorate his office. “Just sent you the story about the mine reopening. Chavez gave a good interview. He talked about leach-pit mining and the environment.”
    â€œYou get any evidence of pot hunting? Pot hunting is your story, isn’t it?” he barked.
    â€œLouis got footage back in the canyons showing scarring on the canyon walls. Most likely it’s evidence of looted burial sites. You don’t dig many holes in the canyon walls to grade a road bed.”
    â€œYou need more than that to run a story about looting.”
    â€œI’ll get it. Give me some time.”
    â€œSo what’s this environmental crap you’re spouting at me?” He put his feet up on his desk and crossed his hands over his ample belly. “Convince me, McWhorter, to keep you on the payroll.”
    â€œI pull my weight around here,” I said easily. “I’m working three stories. The opening of the mine is an economics story because it brings jobs to the community.”
    â€œYou did that one. What else you got?”
    â€œUranium mining has some horrific effects on the environment and ultimately the health of the people who live around it.”
    â€œTell me about.”
    â€œThe uranium dust causes lung disease and people who are exposed to the radioactive isotope develop cancers.”
    â€œWhat else you got?”
    â€œThe mine’s got a side business looting burial sites and selling the pottery on the black market. Before you say ‘prove it,’ I’ve a couple of good leads.”
    â€œYou’re worth your pay, for now. Get me evidence your other stories exist.” He swung his feet to the floor. “You want to take one of these dying plants off my hands? The wifey doesn’t get it—I’m no botanist.”
    I selected a withered, crispy-brown plant and carried it back to my cubicle. Eric could resurrect it. He grew a riot of flowers in their yard. Louis was impatiently waiting for me.
    â€œMarty give the go ahead?”
    â€œYes, after the usual bluster. The Chavez interview will run tonight. The other one, we should talk about someplace else.”
    â€œCome over for a drink tonight. About seven, okay? Don’t bring the plant. Eric’s turned the house into a jungle like the yard.” He scratched his head and dropped his chin sheepishly. “Uh, Mac upsets Stumpy and we have a hard time getting him calmed down.”
    â€œI’ll be there without Mac.” I laughed. “I’m still sorry about that evening. How long has it been since you rescued that cat?”
    â€œEric rescued the damn cat, not me. Stumpy’s still not a joy to live with. Believe me, no one wants to live with a twenty-five-pound Manx that lives on the edge of rampage. I still insist we close him out of the bedroom at night. I have nightmares about something as big as a bobcat at my throat.”

    I did my best thinking