Read Online One Way or Another by Rhonda Bowen - Free Book Online

on our hard drive here.” She smirked. “You never know who isn’t minding their own business, you know?”
    â€œYeah, I know.”
    They both remembered more than one story they had been working on that had been shut down halfway by Gordon, or had had its sources dry up without explanation. After that Naomi and Toni had practiced keeping the more high profile stories as independent of the office as possible.
    Naomi’s expression was pensive as she read through the piece Toni had spent hours putting together from Jerome’s interviews and information from the case she had been able to find in public records downtown. Toni was always nervous when she had to watch her boss read her work—even when she knew it was good. This time was no different.
    When Naomi leaned back and nodded, Toni knew she was done. But she had gone back to the pen-rolling routine without saying a word.
    â€œWell?” Toni probed when she couldn’t wait a moment longer. “What do you—”
    Naomi’s hand in the air made Toni stop short. Naomi swiveled her chair around to the window, her back toward Toni. Toni tried not to fidget as she watched Naomi go through what she knew was her mental routine for evaluating a story. Usually Toni never had to sit there as she did it. But the silence forced Toni to evaluate the situation herself. What if Naomi wouldn’t use the story on the front page? What if it got cut down to a three-paragrapher below the fold on the second page of the courts section? What would she tell Jerome? Adam? They already didn’t think much of her. This definitely would not help.
    It was just a story. They were just players. And when it was all over, everybody would walk away and go back to their life. So why then did the thought of disappointing Jerome twist her stomach into knots?
    â€œOkay,” Naomi said, swinging around. “This is good.”
    â€œGood?” Toni perked up. “How good?”
    â€œYou already know how good. Front page good.”
    â€œYes!” Toni squealed, bouncing in her chair. “I’m back!”
    â€œNo you’re not.” Naomi’s voice had too much caution for Toni’s liking.
    Toni deflated instantly. “What do you mean?”
    â€œI can’t publish this in your name, Toni,” Naomi said matter-of-factly. “It would be the absolute last straw. Gordon would have us both out on our behinds before the ink could dry on the first copies.”
    Toni fell back in the chair and covered her face. She wasn’t sure how much more of this she could deal with. “I can’t do this, Naomi.” Toni shook her head and stood. “I can’t live like this. If I can’t write stories that I care about here, then I might as well quit, and find something else to do.”
    Naomi rolled her eyes. “Sit down, Miss Drama Queen. I said we can’t publish this under your name. I never said we can’t publish it.”
    Toni blinked and sat down, not quite sure where her boss was going with this, but willing to hear her out. “What are you thinking?”
    Naomi leaned in closer and lowered her voice. “Would you consider publishing this under a different name?”
    â€œAs in giving it to another reporter?” Toni almost choked on the words.
    â€œNo!” Naomi’s face contorted in horror. “You know I don’t believe in that mess. I mean publishing under a moniker.” Naomi sat back. “I was thinking about something like Ann Armour.”
    Toni cocked her head to the side. She hadn’t thought of that. “Who would know?”
    â€œThat’s the thing,” Naomi said. “You couldn’t tell anyone. You would have to work on this as a freelance writer, do it on your own time, still keep up your other reporting from your beat and get paid for it separately. You and I would be the only persons who would know.”
    Toni chewed on her lower lip.