js&cs.thebridge-第54章

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the　AFC　east。　The　game　was　tied　up　10…10　with　six　minutes　left　in　the　first　half；　Helen　was　out　of　town　visiting　her　mother；　and　the　Eagles　had　the　goddam　ball　on　the　thirty…yard　line。
　　It　was　no　time　to　reach　out　and　touch　someone。
　　The　phone　rang。　〃Jesus　Christ；〃　Chris　bitched；　〃not　now！〃
　　The　ball　snapped。　The　defensive　line　rushed　in。　The　phone　rang　some　more。　〃For　chrissakes；　leave　it　go！〃　said　Tom。
　　〃Better　not；〃　Chris　sighed。　〃You　never　know。〃
　　He　hauled　his　pudgy　middle…aged　bulk　off　the　couch　and　backed　into　the　kitchen；　trying　like　hell　to　keep　his　eyes　on　the　screen。　It　didn't　work；　the　cord　was　just　long　enough　to　afford　a　view　of　the　sofa。　Chris　fumbled　for　the　phone；　picked　it　up。
　　〃What？〃　he　said；　utterly　uncordial。　〃Hello；　I　can　barely　hear　you。　Oh；　Laura！　Uh…huh；　uh…huh；〃　he　said；　listening。
　　In　the　den；　Tom　was　bouncing　up　and　down；　yelling；　〃No！　No！　No！　No！〃　and　tearing　out　what　little　hair　he　had。　Chris　listened　carefully　if　impatiently；　nodding　his　head　as　if　to　hurry　the　conversation　along。　〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　said。　〃Yes；　yes。〃
　　On　the　TV　the　crowd　suddenly　roared。　Tom　joined　them。　Chris　cast　a　baleful　look　at　him。　〃Hold　it　a　sec；　let　me　talk　to　Tom；〃　he　said；　cupping　the　receiver　to　his　chest　and　craning　his　head　around　the　corner。
　　〃It's　Laura；〃　he　related　to　Tom。　〃She　says　there's　a　big　story　breaking。　She　wants　to　know　if　she　should　break　programming　to　do　a　special　bulletin。〃
　　〃What；　are　you　nuts？〃　Tom　said　incredulously。
　　〃She　says　it's　pretty　serious；〃　Chris　said；　concerned。
　　〃So　is　a　pass　intercept　and　a　sixty…yard　touchdown！〃　Tom　countered。　〃Look；　the　Giants　are　ahead　now！　How　serious　can　it　be？〃
　　Chris　shrugged　I　don't　know。　He　looked　a　little　concerned。　〃She　says　she's　still　waiting　for　a　report　back　from　Kirk。　Apparently　it's　got　something　to　do　with　a　toxic　spill　of　some　sort。〃
　　〃Tell　her　to　sit　on　it；〃　Tom　replied　very　carefully；　as　if　to　leave　no　room　for　doubt。　〃And　we'll　deal　with　it　after　the　game。　If　there's　a　problem　we　need　verification。　We　don't　want　to　start　a　panic。〃
　　Chris　nodded　and　dutifully　relayed　the　message；　Laura's　reply　damned　near　drowned　out　the　Budweiser　mercial　now　on　the　screen。　Chris　winced。
　　〃Laura；　I　。。。　no；　Laura；　it's　just　。。。　Laura　。。。　〃　He　looked　to　Tom。
　　〃Let　me　talk　to　her；〃　Tom　sighed；　and　stood；　donning　his　official　I　am　the　boss　demeanor。　Chris　yielded　the　phone　gladly。
　　〃Laura；〃　Tom　said；　his　voice　measured　and　cadenced。　〃Listen。　We're　already　on　this。　I've　spoken　with　Emergency　Management　and　they've　assured　me　that　we'll　have　full　information　in　time　for　the　six　o'clock　report。〃
　　〃Tom；　there　is　no　six　o'clock　report；〃　Laura　blurted。
　　〃I　know　that；〃　Tom　replied　testily；　covering　his　butt。　〃Look；　I　told　you　already。　We're　on　top　of　this。　In　the　meantime；　there's　no　point　in　inciting　a　panic。〃
　　Laura　began　to　object。　〃Laura；　trust　me；〃　he　interrupted。　〃You're　not　alone。　We're　working　on　this。　Just　sit　tight；　and　we'll　get　back　to　you　in　plenty　of　time。
　　〃Remember　the　Heidi　Bowl；〃　he　added；　then　hung　up　without　saying　good…bye…a　blunt　and　economical　quashing　of　the　debate。
　　Tom　turned　and　handed　the　phone　to　Chris　to　hang　up。　Chris　looked　confused。　〃You　said；　'we're　already　on　this；'〃　he　said。　〃Are　we？〃
　　Tom　looked　at　him　as　if　studying　a　moon　rock。　〃I　spoke　with　Werner　Blake　less　than　an　hour　ago。〃
　　〃How　did　you　know　to　call　him？〃　Chris　asked。
　　〃I　didn't；〃　Tom　replied；　grabbing　another　beer　out　of　the　refrigerator。　〃He　called　me。〃
　　Tom　got　a　fresh　pilsner　glass　and　sauntered　back　out　into　the　den。　Chris　followed；　obviously　unfortable　with　this　new　knowledge。　〃He　called　you？　Don't　you　find　that　a　little　odd？〃
　　〃Werner's　a　good　man；〃　Tom　said。　He　poured　his　beer；　careful　not　to　spill　a　drop。　〃We're　in　the　Chamber　of　merce　and　the　Jaycees　together。　He's　responsible　for　bringing　several　of　the　station's　key　sponsors　in。　Whatever　the　hell　is　going　on；　I'm　sure　he's　right　on　top　of　it。〃
　　Tom　looked　at　Chris；　who　still　seemed　unswayed。　〃Look；〃　he　said；　shedding　the　cloak　of　officialdom；　〃nobody's　got　more　invested　in　this　munity　than　Werner　Blake。　He　had　ten　years'　experience　in　the　EPA　before　moving　into　the　private　sector。　If　something　were　going　on；　don't　you　think　he'd　know　about　it？〃
　　Tom　sat　back　and　kicked　up　his　feet；　turning　his　attention　back　to　the　TV；　where　the　Eagles　were　pushing　toward　the　twenty…yard　line。　Chris　weighed　his　consternation　a　moment　longer。　Then　he；　too；　settled　back　to　enjoy　the　game。
　　〃'Break　programming；'〃　Tom　harrumphed　and　sipped　his　beer。　〃What；　does　she　think　the　world's　going　to　end　before　the　game's　up？〃
　　The　TV　blared　forty　inches　of　light　and　color　and　sound；　contradicting　nothing。
　　
　　Laura　paced　the　newsroom；　a　portrait　in　frustration。　'Heidi　Bowl；'　he　said。　Remember　the　fucking　Heidi　Bowl。
　　Who　could　forget？　Everyone　who'd　ever　been　to　broadcast　school　had　had　that　one　drummed　into　them。　Some　of　the　details　had　faded；　but　the　message　remained　long　after。
　　It　was　in　the　early　sixties…'64；　she　was　pretty　sure…and　NBC　was　preparing　for　the　broadcast　premier　of　the　motion　picture　Heidi；　which　at　that　time　was　a　pretty　big　deal。　It　was　set　to　immediately　follow　a　pivotal　late…season　NFL　game…she　couldn't　remember　the　teams　right　now…that　was　going　overtime。
　　Now；　NBC　had　a　lot　of　money　tied　up　in　Heidi…related　advertising。　And；　as　it　turns　out；　the　underdogs　were　getting　their　asses　kicked　by　the　crowd　favorites。　No　surprises　there。　So；　with　ten　minutes　left　in　the　game；　NBC　yanked　the　plug　on　the　game　and　cut　directly　to　the　movie。
　　Of　course；　the　underdog　team　immediately　came　up　from　thirty　points　behind　to　obliterate　its　rivals。　And；　of　course；　none　of　this　was　captured　for　the　benefit　of　all　those　viewers　at　home。　In　the　resultant　flood　of　outraged　calls　and　letters…literally　thousands；　none　of　them　in　Heidi's　favor…and　in　the　wake　of　the　managerial　blood…bath　that　followed；　NBC　adopted　the　doctrine　that　was　instantly　writ　in　broadcast　stone：
　　NEVER；　under　any　circumstances　short　of　nuclear　war；　AND　MAYBE　EVEN　THEN；　do　you　EVER　preempt　a　football　game。
　　Or；　more　simply　put：　Remember　the　Heidi　Bowl。
　　Laura　clutched　the　receiver　in　one　white…knuckled　fist。　She　was　wired　so　tight　she　was　practically　humming。　Her　hands　were　tied。　Her　lips　were　sealed。　She'd　been　patted　on　the　head　and　sent　to　。。。　what？　Wait　for　some　predigested　bit　of　information　from　Werner　Blake　and　the　Paradise　Chamber　of　fucking　merce？
　　〃GAAARRGGH！〃　she　railed　in　rage　and　frustration。　She　felt　utterly；　ethically　promised；　it　was　her　experience　that　when　higher…ups　got　together；　it　usually　ended　in　some　kind　of　coverup。　One　dead　cameraman；　one　missing　cop；　more　busy　signals　at　the　EPA　and　PEMA；　and　a　loose　cannon　of　an　ex…reporter　out　there　doing　God　knows　what　to　God　knows　who　。。。
　　This　was　not　shaping　up　to　be　your　average　NFL　Sunday；　that　was　for　sure。
　　She　stopped；　the　levity　like　chalk　dust　on　her　tongue。　Yeah；　her　conscience　piped　up　again；　it　sure　isn't　every　day　a　real　live　twenty…two…year…old　cameraman　gets　ground　up　for　local　coverage；　alrightee　。。。
　　〃Stoppit；〃　she　whispered；　forcing　it　back　down。　It　wasn't　her　fault。　She　couldn't　have　stopped　him；　and　she　sure　as　shit　couldn't　bring　him　back。
　　So　what　fucking　good　are　you？
　　Laura　thought　a　moment　longer；　then　flipped　through　her　Rolodex　until　she　found　Clifford；　Mike　and　pulled　the　card。　On　the　back　was　the　little　in　case　of　emergency　contact　。。。　line；　on　it　was　typed；…Richard；　J。I。…Sheila；　E。　The　number　was　the　same。
　　God；　she　realized；　he　still　lives　with　his　parents。
　　Correction：　lived。
　　Her　conscience　was　a　bloodthirsty　thing。　Laura　swallowed　a　knot　the　size　of　her　fist　as　she　got　an　outside　line　and　dialed。
　　On　the　fourth　ring　a　woman's　voice　answered；　filtered　through　an　extremely　bad　connection。
　　〃Hello；　Mrs。　Clifford？〃　Laura　said；　her　voice　thick　with　suppressed　dread。　〃Hello？　Yes；　this　is　Laura　Jenson　over　at　WPAL。〃　She　paused。　〃I'm　afraid　。。。　〃
　　Pause。　Interference　crackled　on　the　line。
　　〃I'm　afraid；〃　she　said；　louder　than　she　would　have　liked；　〃that　I　have　some　bad　news　for　you。　Yes；　I