js&cs.thebridge-第43部分

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　　〃I；　uh；　heard　there　was　a　big　spill；　and　。。。　〃　he　said；　instantly　retreating。　〃You　mean；　you　don't　know？〃
　　She　was　playing　the　same　game。　Something　for　nothing。　Try　to　peek　at　the　other　player's　cards。　Don't　tip　your　hand。　Dougie　was　sniffing　around；　buddy…buddying　and　fishing　for　information；　the　public's　need　to　know　and　yadda　yadda　yadda。
　　〃Sorry；　Dougie；　can't　help　you；〃　she　said；　blowing　him　off。
　　It　was　a　tactical　decision；　Neither　of　the　other　networks　carried　the　AFC　games；　and　hence　both　had　six　o'clock　broadcasts。　Either　one　could　blow　them　out　of　the　water。
　　But　Dougie　was　forty…eight　miles　away；　in　Harrisburg；　and　while　CBS　kept　a　bureau　office　in　town；　it　was　closed　on　Sunday。　Neither　one　had　anyone　in　the　area；　and　Black　Bridge　was　nothing　if　not　extremely　local。
　　If　she　could　play　this　one　close　and　tight；　she　still　had　a　scoop。　The　public's　need　to　know　didn't　even　enter　into　it。
　　This　was　business。
　　Laura　hung　up；　cutting　the　game　short。　She　just　wasn't　in　the　mood。　She　felt　increasingly　sealed　away　from　a　world　that　was　getting　stranger　by　the　second。
　　And　she　was　scared。
　　Because　Roger　and　Toby　are　out　there；　aren't　they？　her　conscience　reminded　her。　Roger　took　Toby　to　Philly　to　see　his　first　football　game；　and　you　didn't　go　because　of　your　stupid　job；　and　you　hugged　Toby　and　didn't　kiss　Roger；　and　now　they're　there　and　you're　here　and　you　have　a　decision　to　make　。。。
　　〃Stop；〃　she　told　herself；　massaging　her　temples。　She　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　her　family　out　there　somewhere；　the　lifelines　that　could　be　cut　in　an　instant。　The　familiar　pastoral　space　between　Paradise　and　Philly　seemed　suddenly　alien；　foreboding　。。。
　　〃Stop　it。〃　This　was　stupid。　They　were　at　a　football　game；　for　god's　sake。　There　was　nothing　she　could　do　about　it　at　the　moment；　there　was　no　way　on　earth　to　page　someone　in　a　stadium　packed　with　eighty　thousand　people。　The　only　thing　left　to　do　was　to　keep　the　lid　on　here。
　　And　make　up　her　mind。
　　To　break　or　not　to　break　。。。
　　Not　so　simple；　she　realized。　She　just　didn't　know　enough　yet。　And　ugly　words　kept　floating　up　in　her　mind；　words　like　hysteria　and　mass　panic。　Laura　glanced　at　the　phone；　every　line　was　lit　up　like　a　goddamned　Christmas　tree。　Crank　calls　multiplying　with　every　passing　minute。
　　And　Laura　was　stuck；　understaffed；　uninformed；　with　little　more　than　a　very　bad　feeling　to　steer　by。
　　〃Fuck　this；〃　she　muttered；　checking　her　Rolodex　for　Tom　Huntington's　home　number。　Laura　knew　that　the　station　manager　and　news　director　were　sometime　drinking　buddies；　in　that　good　ol'　boy　way　that　men　exhibited　whenever　they　shared　power。
　　Laura　added　it　all　up：　it　was　deep　into　the　NFL　season　and　the　games　were　getting　semicritical　in　determining　who　would　go　to　the　playoffs。　Tom　and　Chris　were　both　Eagles　fans。　Chris　had　just　gotten　a　forty…inch　Mitsubishi　monitor　in　his　family　room。
　　If　her　instincts　were　on　target　she'd　find　them　together；　maybe　kill　two　birds　with　one　stone。　They　could　be　apprised。　She　would　be　covered。
　　Either　way；　her　butt　wasn't　the　only　one　that　was　going　to　swing　in　the　breeze。
　　Laura　reached　for　the　phone；　cradling　the　receiver　in　the　crook　of　her　neck　as　she　punched　one　of　the　line　buttons。
　　〃Hello！〃　said　the　caller：　a　male　voice；　anxious　and　strident。　〃Hello；　dammit！　Can　anybody　tell　me　。。。　〃
　　Click。　Laura　cut　him　off。　〃Sorry；〃　she　said　to　dead　air。　〃Nobody　can　tell　you　shit。〃
　　She　dialed　Tom's　number；　sat　back；　and　waited。　Miraculously；　the　call　went　through　the　first　time。　It　glitched；　buzzed；　as　it　patched　through；　some　kind　of　interference　in　the　signal；　groundwater　in　the　underground　cable　or　something。
　　The　phone　began　to　ring。
　　Laura　sighed　and　felt　the　tiniest　bit　better。　The　simple　act　of　getting　a　line　through　was　a　small　victory。
　　In　the　face　of　what　was　ing；　that　was　practically　the　only　kind　left。
　　
　　The　call　couldn't　have　e　at　a　worse　time；　as　far　as　Chris　Crowley　was　concerned。　Week　10　of　the　season；　with　the　Giants　and　the　Eagles　vying　for　first　place　in　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。