Evening News

by Arthur Hailey

  Angus had had a good singing voice once; now, like the rest of him, it was weak and quavery. But the words were clear in his mind, their recollection sharp . . .

  I'll be seeing you

  In all the old familiar places

  That this heart of mine embraces all day thru...

  Jessica joined in, her memory finding the lyric from somewhere. A moment later, Nicky's young tenor was added.

  In that small cafe,

  The park across the way,

  The children's carousel,

  The chestnut trees, the wishing well.

  I'll be seeing you

  In every lovely summer's day,

  In everything that's light and gay,

  I'll always think of you that way,

  I'll find you in the morning sun;

  And when the night is new,

  I'll be looking at the moon

  But I'll be seeing you!

  For Angus, the years fell away. Jessica's spirits lifted. For Nicky, briefly, the anguish from his bums was eased.

  13

  From the moment on Wednesday afternoon when Harry Partridge announced his decision to leave for Peru early the following day, the CBA News special task force moved feverishly into high gear.

  Partridge's accompanying decision—to open the floodgates of information some thirty-six hours after his departure—resulted in meetings and consultations during which a priority program covering the next three days was structured and approved.

  Immediately ahead, to be written and partially recorded overnight, was a report anchored by Partridge which would dominate the National Evening News on Friday. This would contain all that was known concerning the Sloane family kidnapping, including the latest information about Peru and Sendero Luniinoso; identification of the terrorist, Ulises Rodriguez alias Miguel; the caskets and the undertaker, Alberto Godoy; Amazonas-American Bank and the alleged murder-suicide, now suspected to have been a double murder, of Jose Antonio Salaverry and Helga Efferen.

  However, before any preparations began, Harry Partridge visited Crawford Sloane in the anchorman's office on the fourth floor. Partridge still felt that Sloane should be among the first to be informed of any new development or plan.

  Since the kidnapping thirteen days earlier, Crawford Sloane had continued to work, though at times it seemed he was merely filling each day and his heart and mind were not immersed in work at all. Today he appeared more gaunt than ever, his eyes more tired, the lines on his face even deeper than a few days earlier. He was conferring with a woman writer and a male producer and looked up as Partridge appeared.”You need to see me, Harry?”

  When Partridge nodded, Sloane asked the other two, "Do you mind leaving? We'll finish later.”

  Sloane waved Partridge to a chair.”You look serious. Is it bad news?”

  "I'm afraid it is. We've established that your family is out of the country. They're prisoners in Peru.”

  Sloane slumped forward, elbows on his desk; he rubbed a hand across his face before responding.”I've been expecting something like this—or rather, dreading it. Do you know who has them?”

  "We believe Sendero Luminoso.”

  "Oh god! Not those fanatics!”

  "I'm leaving for Lima in the morning, Crawf.”

  "I'll go with you!”

  Partridge shook his head.”We both know you can't, that it wouldn't work. Besides, the network would never allow it.”

  Sloane sighed, but didn't argue. He asked, "Do we have any idea what those Sendero jackals want?”

  "Not yet. I'm sure we'll hear.” A silence followed, then Partridge said, "I've called a task force meeting for five o'clock. I thought you'd like to be there. After that, most of us will work all night.” He went on to describe developments during the day and the plan to broadcast all information that they had on Friday.

  ”I'll be at the meeting,” Sloane acknowledged, "and thanks.” Then as Partridge rose to leave, "Do you have to go right now?”

  Partridge hesitated. He had a great deal to do and time was short, but he sensed a desire on the other's part to talk. He shrugged.”I guess a few minutes won't make any difference.”

  There was a pause before Sloane said awkwardly, "I'm not sure I know how to say this, or even if I should. But at a time like this you get to thinking about all kinds of things.” Partridge waited, curious, as Sloane continued.”Anyway, Harry, I've been wondering what your feelings are about Jessica. After all, years ago you two were pretty close.”

  So that was it: A secret thought voiced after all this time. Partridge chose his words carefully, knowing this moment was important.”Yes, I do care about Jessica, in part because we were close—as you put it —years ago. But mostly I care because she's your wife and you're my friend. As for anything that once existed between Jessica and me, it finished the day she married you.”

  "I suppose I'm saying this now because of all that's happened, but there were times when I used to wonder about that.”

  "I know you did, Crawf, and there were times I wanted to tell you what I just did; also that I never had any resentment, either about your marrying Jessica or making it big at the anchor desk. No reason why I should. But I always had the feeling that if I did say it, you wouldn't have believed.”

  "You're probably right.” Sloane paused, considering.”But if it's of any interest, Harry, I believe it now.”

  Partridge nodded. Enough had been said, and he needed to go. At the doorway he turned.”I'll do my damnedest when I get to Lima, Crawf. I truly will.”

  * * *

  On reaching Sloane's office, Partridge had noticed the absence of FBI Agent Otis Havelock, whose presence had been so prominent for a week after the kidnapping. While pausing outside at the Horseshoe, where he informed Chuck Insen of the task force meeting, Partridge asked about the FBI man.

  ”He's still around a lot,” the evening news executive producer said, "though I think he's following other leads.”

  "Do you know if he's coming back today?”

  "I've no idea.”

  Partridge found himself hoping the FBI man would continue whatever he was doing for the remainder of the day. If he did, it would be easier to keep the knowledge of tonight's activity and Partridge departure tomorrow restricted to a few people at CBA only. On Friday, of course, assuming word was released in advance that CBA would have new revelations on its evening news, the FBI would probably demand to know what was going on and would have to be stalled until broadcast time. But Partridge would be in Peru by then, and someone else would have that responsibility.

  Just the same, he decided coping with the FBI was one more item to be factored into plans for the next two days.

  * * *

  The five o'clock meeting in the task force conference room was well attended. Les Chippingham and Crawford' Sloane were there. Chuck Insen stayed for fifteen minutes, then left because the National Evening News first feed was looming close, and another Horseshoe producer took his place. Partridge was at the head of the long conference table, with Rita Abrams beside him. Iris Everly, who had produced a kidnap segment for the evening news—though it contained none of that day's new material—arrived several minutes late. Teddy Cooper was present, having spent the day with the temporary researchers who were still visiting local newspaper offices to review classified advertising—so far with no positive result. Minh Van Canh came in, as did producers Norman Jaeger and Karl Owens. A new, face at the table was Don Kettering's. Jonathan Mony had stayed on and was introduced around. Various support staff members were in attendance.

  Partridge began with a summation of what had happened during the day, his intention to leave for Peru early the next morning, and the decision to broadcast everything they knew on Friday evening's news.

  Les Chippingham cut in.”I agree with everything you've said, Harry, but I think we should go one step further and do a one-hour News Special, also on Friday night, covering the whole kidnap sequence at length, including the new material.”

/>   Around the table there were murmurs of approval as the news president continued.”I remind you we have a prime-time news show already scheduled for the nine o'clock slot which we can yank. You guys sound as if you have plenty to fill an hour.”

  "Plenty and more,” Rita Abrams assured him. A short time earlier she had screened the silhouette interrogation of Alberto Godoy and viewed Don Kettering's interview with the American-Amazonas bank manager, Emiliano Armando, which had just come in. She was enthusiastic about both.

  After the screening there had been a discussion between Rita, Partridge and Kettering as to whether the funeral director's identity should be protected after all, since during his antagonistic termination of the interview, Godoy voluntarily brought his face into light and camera range. There was a temptation to reveal his face on television since protecting Godoy's identity could clearly cause the network trouble. Yet because of the original agreement with him, some complex ethics were involved.

  In the end, it was decided that since Godoy had not known, technically, what he was doing, the original pact must be honored. To make sure the decision was safeguarded, Partridge erased on an editing machine the portion of tape showing Godoy's face, so it could not be retrieved with outtakes later. At this point the erasure was not a legal offense, though it would be if done after official inquiries were begun.

  Everyone at the conference room table realized the decision to have a one-hour special was relatively easy since the primetime hour in question belonged to the News Division anyway; therefore the network's programming brass need not be consulted. The show originally scheduled for nine o'clock Friday was "Behind the Headlines,” a newsmagazine on which Norman Jaeger was normally a producer and to which he would undoubtedly return when this present work was over. Chippingham. decided privately that he need not report immediately to Margot Lloyd-Mason on the change, though sometime during Friday he would advise her of what was coming up that evening.

  From there, other decisions flowed.

  Partridge announced that Minh Van Canh and Ken O'Hara, the sound mail who had been present at the Dallas Fort Worth air crash two weeks ago, would accompany him to Peru.

  Rita, glancing down the table at Chippingham, added, "Les, the assignment desk has chartered a Learjet for Harry and the others, out of Teterboro at Six A.M. tomorrow. I need your okay.”

  "Are you sure Chippingham, conscious of mounting expenses, had been about to continue, ". . . there isn't a commercial flight available, “when he caught sight of Crawford Sloane's steely eyes fixed on him. Changing his mind, the news president said tersely, "I approve.”

  Rita, it was decided, would remain in New York for overall supervision of the Friday evening news report and one-hour special, with Iris doing general production on the first, Norm Jaeger and Karl Owens on the second. Then, during Friday night, Rita would follow Partridge and the others to Lima, with Jaeger taking over in New York as senior producer.

  Partridge, who had discussed the subject earlier with Chippingham, disclosed that after his own departure, Don Kettering would head the kidnap task force in New York. Temporarily, Kettering's business correspondent duties would be handled by an assistant.

  However, Partridge pointed out, neither the National Evening News report of Friday nor the one-hour special later—on both of which he would be featured—should convey any hint that he had already left for Peru. In fact, if it could be made to appear at some point that he was broadcasting live—though without actually being deceptive—so much the better.

  While other networks and the print press were unlikely to be deceived by such tactics, anything that might lessen their own urgency in dispatching reporting teams to Peru would be an advantage. From a practical point of view, apart from competitiveness, Partridge stood a better chance of making investigative headway alone, instead of amid a swarm of other reporters.

  Which led to the question of security.

  Everything that would happen through that night and the next two days, Les Chippingham declared, must not be discussed, even with others in the News Division who were uninvolved, and certainly not with outsiders, including families. The criterion for discussion was: Need to know.”And that's not a request; it's an order.”

  The news president continued, looking in turn at everyone around the table.”Let us not do or say anything that could release our news prematurely and deprive Harry of the twenty-four hours' lead time he so clearly needs. Above all, remember lives are at stake"—he glanced toward Crawford Sloane,'very special lives, close and important to us all.”

  Other security measures were arranged.

  Tomorrow and the next day, while a studio and control room were being used to produce the one-hour News Special, security guards would be posted outside, admitting only those persons on a list to be compiled by Rita. Also, the normal studio output line would be disconnected so that no one beyond the studio and control room could view on a monitor what was happening inside.

  It was agreed, however, that on Friday morning security would be relaxed slightly, to the extent of doing broadcast promotional advertising during the day. This would advise viewers that important new information about the Sloane kidnapping would be revealed on that evening's National Evening News and the one-hour special. Also during the day as a professional courtesy, other networks, news wire services and the print press would be advised of the same thing, though no details would be disclosed.

  At length, Partridge asked, "Is there anything else, or can we get to work?”

  "One more detail.” It was Rita, a touch of mischief in her voice.”Les, I need your approval for another Learjet, this one for Friday night when it's my turn for Peru. I'm taking an editor—Bob Watson—and an editpak. Also, I'll have the bankroll.”

  There was a chuckle among insiders at the table and even a smile from Crawford Sloane. Rita was enhancing her chances of traveling by private plane, first by taking an editor and editpak, the latter consisting of bulky editing equipment, hard to transport otherwise. Second, it was considered unwise to travel commercially with large amounts of U.S. cash; though Rita hadn't mentioned the amount, it would be fifty thousand dollars. Yet hard currency was essential in a country such as Peru where local money was close to worthless and dollars would buy almost anything, including special privileges which were certain to be needed.

  Chippingham sighed inwardly. Inconsiderately, he thought, and despite their affair which continued to flourish, Rita had put him on the spot.

  ”Go ahead,” he told her.”Book it.”

  * * *

  Only minutes after the meeting ended, Partridge was at a computer terminal working on his co-anchor introduction for Friday's National Evening News.

  Several startling new developments, he wrote, have come to light concerning the kidnapping, fifteen days ago, of the wife, son and father of CBA News anchorman Crawford Sloane. Investigative reporting by CBA has led us to believe that the three kidnap victims have been transported to Peru where they are being held by the Maoist revolutionary guerrillas Sendero Luminoso, or Shining Path, who have terrorized large portions of Peru for many years.

  A motive for the kidnapping is not yet known.

  What is known is that a United Nations diplomat, using a New York bank account, supplied money to the kidnappers, which made the abduction, as well as other acts of terrorism, possible.

  Our extensive coverage begins, as so many other crimes begin, with money. CBA's business correspondent Don Kettering explained.

  It would be, Partridge reflected as he began to revise what he had written, the first of many similar introductions he must compose and record before leaving Manhattan for Teterboro Airport at 5 a.m.

  PART FOUR

  1

  It was still dark, and raining, a few minutes before 6 A.m. Eastern daylight time when a Learjet 36A took off from New Jersey's Teterboro Airport for Bogota, Colombia. Aboard were Harry Partridge, Minh Van Canh and Ken O'Hara.

  The 36A did not have the range for a no
nstop flight to Lima, but they would be in Bogota only long enough to refuel and hoped to reach the Peruvian capital by 1:30 P.m. Eastern standard time, which Peru stayed on all year round.

  Partridge and the other two had come directly from CBA News headquarters to Teterboro in a network car. During the busy night, Partridge managed to slip away for a half hour to the Inter-Continental Hotel and pack a bag. He hadn't wasted time checking out; someone from the network would do that in the morning.

  He had also asked the CBA News assignment desk to arrange some sleeping facility in the Lear and was delighted to find it ready. On the right side of the passenger cabin, two facing seats had been lowered to become a bed, with a mattress, sheets and blankets invitingly in place. It was possible for another bed to be made up on the opposite side, but Minh and O'Hara would have to work that out between them. In any case, he didn't think their night had been as arduous as his own.

  By the time they were in the air and on course, Partridge was asleep. He slept soundly for three hours, then awakened to find the cabin in semidarkness, someone having thoughtfully lowered all the window shades, though bright sunshine enough to see by—was visible around their edges. Across the cabin, Minh was curled up and asleep in a seat. O'Hara, also sleeping, was in another seat behind.

  Partridge checked his watch: 9 A.m. New York time—still only 8 A.M. in Lima. Reaching for a flight plan the co-pilot had brought before takeoff, he calculated it would be another two hours before the refueling stop in Bogota. The hum of jet engines was steady but quiet and there was no hint of turbulence. A phrase came to Partridge: a silky journey. Enjoying the luxury, he lay down again and closed his eyes.

  This time sleep did not come. Perhaps the three hours had been enough. Perhaps too much had happened in too short a time for him to rest for very long. On other occasions in the past he had found he needed little sleep during periods of stress and action, and this was such a time, or would be very soon. Yes, he was going into action—quite probably and literally into battle-and he felt his senses stir agreeably.