Change-up by John Feinstein Read Free Book Online Page B

guys in the bullpen last night—”
    “So he’s it,” Kelleher broke in. “Wow. You better get back here and write this right away so we can get it up on the Web before anyone else finds out.”
    The Internet had changed the newspaper business. There was no such thing as a first-edition deadline for the next day’s newspaper anymore. The writers were on twenty-four-hour call. If something happened that was newsworthy, they were expected to write it instantly to get it up on the Web. This was a perfect example.
    “We’ll be back in a few minutes and I’ll start writing,” Stevie said.
    “Good. Why don’t you come to my room with your computer? You can tell me about the Doyle kid gawking at Susan Carol while you write.”
    Stevie almost gagged when he heard that. He looked at Susan Carol, who he knew would pick up on anythinghe said in response. “Sounds good,” he said, keeping his voice as even in tone as he could. “I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
    He snapped the phone shut. He and Susan Carol walked the rest of the way to the hotel in silence.

6: MYSTERY MEETING
    IT DIDN’T TAKE STEVIE VERY LONG TO WRITE the story about Norbert Doyle replacing Ross Detwiler on the mound for game two of the World Series. Kelleher was delighted with the details of Acta walking up during breakfast to give Doyle the news while he was sitting with his kids.
    “You two really have a knack for walking into stories,” Kelleher said. “And this one doesn’t even involve getting yourselves into trouble, the way you guys usually do. You can write the profile on Doyle later and plug in details on how he pitches tonight for the late editions. Good job breaking this, though—no one else will have it, that’s for sure.”
    Stevie laughed weakly. “Better to be lucky than good,” he said.
    “Best to be both,” Kelleher said. “Tell me about the Doyle kids. Were they nice? Was David completely tongue-tied meeting Susan Carol?”
    Stevie shook his head. “Not exactly,” he said. “If anything, it was the other way around.”
    Kelleher looked up in surprise. “What? Susan Carol? I’ve never seen
her
tongue-tied.”
    “Me neither,” Stevie said. “David is really tall and really good-looking.”
    Kelleher waved a hand. “She’s been around good-looking guys before. I wouldn’t worry about it. You were jealous of Jamie Whitsitt, and there wasn’t anything to that, was there?”
    “No, there wasn’t,” Stevie said. “But Jamie was four years older than she was and not too bright. David is our age and smart. She went all Southern belle as soon as she laid eyes on him.”
    Kelleher shrugged. “Be honest, Stevie. Are there girls at school you think are good-looking? Of course there are. It doesn’t change the way you feel about Susan Carol. She was probably caught a little by surprise. It’s human nature, nothing more.”
    Stevie knew he was probably right. Still, he couldn’t shake the queasy feeling in his stomach.
    Once Stevie had filed his story, Kelleher suggested they take a walk through Faneuil Hall. “Where’s Tamara?” Stevie asked.
    “She went to tape something for TV,” he said. “ESPN keeps asking her to come on because they want to hire her.She knows it’s a really bad idea, but they’re throwing a lot of money around, and it doesn’t hurt to let the newspaper know they’re interested in her. And given what’s going on in the newspaper business, she has to give it some thought.”
    “I’m surprised they didn’t blackball her just for being married to you,” Stevie said.
    “Maybe they think I’d be less critical of them,” Kelleher answered, laughing.
    “I doubt that.”
    “Me too,” Kelleher replied. “Come on, let’s go.”
    Stevie tried to call Susan Carol, first in her room and then on her cell, to see if she wanted to go with them. There was no answer, which surprised him a little.
    “Maybe she turned her cell off to take a nap,” Kelleher said. “We’ll find her when we