Justifiable by Dianna Love, Wes Sarginson Read Free Book Online Page B

his breath. “You deserve it. Should have expected something like this out of you after that last fiasco.” 
    Lehman’s voice had trailed off but Riley caught the insinuation. He ignored the stab in his gut every time someone referred to Detroit as if he’d been going after ratings when he met with the Kindergarten Killer. He’d have gladly handed off the story to another station and lost his job without a peep if they’d saved Sammy Dell.
    But Biddy’s future was at stake here, too, so Riley kept his eye on the goal and countered the slight with facts. “I’ve given you solid reporting for three months.”
    Lehman held up his hands, palm out. “I actually argued against firing you.”
    Huh? “Why?”
    “Because it sets a precedent for a news man to get canned over confrontations. I don’t want anyone making my people in the field a target just to get them fired.”  He paused, facing Riley straight on. “I back all my people, but not if they’re reckless.” 
    That isn’t what I’d call a vote of confidence, but it’s better than I expected . “So the board agreed?”
    “Not exactly. The board’s giving you a week’s suspension with no pay, but there’s no leeway on the terms of your probationary contract.”
    “Fine.”  Riley could live with that. He still had a story to turn in that would only get stronger once he figured out the connection between the judge and Sally Stanton.
    Lehman’s faced twisted with puzzlement. “You’re awfully confident for a guy one step away from getting canned.”
    Riley shrugged. “I’m meeting my contract commitment so far.”  All he needed was for the station’s PR department to show some balls and for legal to negotiate a quick settlement with the newspaper. With that, Riley would be back in the anchor seat in a day, maybe two. This whole fiasco might play into his favor for gaining that last point.
    In this biz, everything revolved around points and money.
    If the Stanton murder turned into a real story, he’d ace that last point and more. That would give him the power to negotiate a new contract with some meat to it.
    “I wouldn’t be so sure about meeting your contract commitments.”  Lehman said in a voice that almost sounded genuinely concerned. “If you don’t deliver three points in eight days you – ”
    “I know the contract terms,” Riley cut in. He had his sights set way beyond the probationary 90-day contract finishing up next week. Why would Lehman think he wouldn’t make that last point? “This thing with Henry at City Hall will kick up the last point, maybe more, if it’s handled right.”  
    Lehman lifted his eyebrows in a “not so fast, buddy” look.  “The board wants today’s incident downplayed so we don’t lose advertisers, too. We spent the first two weeks you were here dealing with picketers. The specials you did on the police and that charity event finally shut them up, but we lost a major advertiser because they felt our station had turned into a media circus of its own.”
    The advertiser was right. You brought me in to perform like a carnival freak . He kept his thoughts to himself and let Lehman finish his discourse.
    “To make that last point count, we have to also maintain our market share over the next eight days. And there’ll be fallout no matter how we spin it. Don’t think even Tom Brokaw could pull a ratings hike out of his ass in so little time.”
    “Don’t underestimate Brokaw,” Riley countered in a tone a hell of a lot calmer than he felt.  “Or me.”
    “You don’t understand. You’re out on unpaid leave for seven days. Still think you’re sitting pretty?” 
    What the hell? He thought he was only losing a week’s pay. Riley kept his temper wrenched under control, but every instinct warned him the tables were rotating in a way he wasn’t going to like. “You’re locking me out of reporting for a week when you could use this to boost the station? Does the board realize what