The First Lead
1690 Words
CHAPTER TWO
THE FIRST LEAD
Lyra
My car idled outside the Ashwood Chronicle while the morning rush streamed past without me.
The photograph rested between my fingers as I read the words for what felt like the hundredth time.
“If you keep digging…
“Who are you?” I murmured, the words slipped out before I could stop them.
Whoever had left the photograph hadn’t just been watching the crime scene.
They’d been watching me.
I flipped the photo over and over, as though the answer might suddenly appear on the blank side.
The parking lot was busy with people going in and out of their cars, I kept the photo in my notebook before stepping outside.
The moment I pushed through the glass doors,
the newsroom swallowed me whole.
Phones rang over one another until the entire newsroom sounded like controlled chaos.
Someone from printing was already shouting across the room.
Coffee had become less of a drink and more of a survival strategy.
A photographer sprinted past, carrying two cameras nearly knocking me flat.
”Sorry!”
“Bennett.”Jonah appeared out of nowhere, walking backwards with a stack of folders balanced against his chest, wearing the same smug grin he seemed to reserve for me.”Please tell me, you didn’t bring more paperwork.”
“Worse.”
“What?”
“I brought a story.” The smile vanished from his face so quickly I almost laughed.
“Mr Martin in his office?” I asked dashing past him.
I made my way towards Mr Martin’s office, and I was about to knock when his assistant bursted through the door with a look on her face that told me, this was not a good time. When is it ever?
“Yes, Mr Derek, I will have my people working on it right away…”, he motioned for me to take a seat while answering his call.
Once he was done, Martin didn’t even look up from the papers across his desk. He signed one document then another, didn’t even spare me a glance.
“If this isn’t worth interrupting my morning, Bennett, I’m assigning you obituaries for the month.”
”So, good morning?” I smiled.
“Convince me.”
“I got a call before sunrise.”
He raised an eyebrow but kept reading.
“A body.”
“So?”
“No blood.”
His pen stopped moving.
I took that as permission to continue.
“The victim was found in Ashwood Forest.”
Silence.
“Deep claw marks covered the trees.”
Still nothing.
“I’ve covered every animal attack in the last month.”
Now he finally looked at me.
“And?”
“They’re connected.”
He leaned back.
“That’s a hell of a statement.”
“I know.”
He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Can you prove it?”
…
“No.”
He nodded once.
“Then don’t print it.”
He slides me a file,“Write two stories.”
I frowned ”Two?”
He nodded. ”The first is what we know, this one gets published, give me six hundred words. Facts only. I want it online in 45 minutes.”
Then pointing at the file. “For the second, find me evidence to prove your theories. Bennett, we work with facts, we print the facts, this file contains every detail about the previous attacks.”
My fingers closed around the thick file with police reports sticking out but he didn’t let go. ”If you’re wrong…”
I waited “…you’ll embarrass this paper.”
Another beat.
“If you’re right…”
He tapped the file.
“This is the biggest story Ashwood has seen in decades.”
“Thank you sir, I’ll bring you proof.” I heaved a sigh of relief.
“See that you do. Anything else?” He asked, leaning back on his chair.
My hand hovered over my notebook where the photograph was. ”No sir that’s all.”
“Alright then, get to work.”
I dropped into my chair and looked around the newsroom.
Chaos.
Phones ringing.
Deadlines.
I loved every second of it.
It was easier to lose myself in everyone else’s stories than sit alone with my own thoughts.
I just didn’t know what I was trying to outrun.
Shaking my head, I tried to focus and opened a blank document.
My fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Body found in Ashwood Forest.
No.Too dramatic.
I deleted it.
Police Investigate Death in Ashwood Forest.
Better.
I pulled my notebook closer. Petals. Moonlight. Grief. My eyes lingered on the last word before I flipped the page.
Crime scene notes.
After a grueling 30 minutes, I submitted the article to Martin.
“You wrote ‘animal attack.”
“Because that’s what it looked like.”
“No.”
He crossed out the sentence.
“That’s what you think it looked like.”
He wrote:
Authorities have not released a cause of death.
Then he said:”Publish it.”
A notification appears on my screen.
Published.
It took less than a second.
The consequences would last much longer.
I stared at the single word for a moment.
Then phones started ringing.
Computers chimed one after another as the article went live.
One of the senior reporters muted the newsroom with a sharp whistle before reaching for the television remote.
“They’re holding a press conference.”
“At approximately 6:45 a.m., officers responded to reports of a deceased individual found in Ashwood Forest. The investigation remains ongoing. We are not releasing the victim’s identity pending notification of next of kin.”
“Looks like we beat them. ”One of my colleagues said.
Jonah walked past, looking at me,”Again? “ he said.
I settled for the smallest smile, I could manage, now all I have to do is go through with the second part and find out what the Police are hiding. I needed to go talk to that witness. Good thing, I sneaked out his address before I left the crime scene.
I grabbed my things to leave when someone stopped me. “Bennett.”
I turned around to see a senior reporter lift his coffee.
“Nice scoop.”
“Thanks.” I had never felt prouder of myself.
I’m about to head get in my car when my phone rang. It was Esme, my best friend since childhood.
“What’s up girl, I just saw the news and conveniently your name is listed in the article posted just 5 minutes before,you’re up to trouble again I see.”
“What can I say,I have a knack for these things.”I replied with a shrug.
“Okay, but whatever you’re doing, stay safe, this one seems serious.”
“Anyway, you skipped dinner last night.”
I groaned.
”Mom called you.”
“She always calls me.”
“Esme, you know my mom has been trying to get me to come for one of her matchmaking dinners with Ryan, of course I was gonna skip ,work’s kind of choking me up here.”
“Ly, She just wants to see you, plus you missed the last four dinners that were not matchmaking related at all.”
She sighed.”Listen babe, try to take a break for a while okay? Don’t tire yourself out.”
“Okay thank you, and I’ll try.”
“Also Ryan’s kinda cute, you two would make a cute couple, you know.”
“I don’t have time to date.”
“No, you don’t make time, big difference.”
“Okayy, Let’s discuss my non-existent love life some other time, I have to get back to work, bye Love you.”
I finally reached Mr Thomas’ address after some struggles, he lived in a remote area. My stomach grumbled, I really should find something to eat after this.
I walked up to the porch, it seemed really quiet. I peered through the window but I didn’t see anyone.
“Mr Thomas, hello?” I called while knocking.
No answer.
After a while, the door opens and a girl who looked like a teenager comes out.
“Who are you?”, she asked in a timid voice.
“Hello” I smiled politely at her. ”My name is Lyra and I’m looking for Mr Thomas Fenly. I would like to ask him some questions, is he home?”
She glanced nervously over her shoulder. “He wouldn’t wanna talk to you, Uncle says no more police.”
“I won’t be long-“
I heard heavy footsteps, then the door forced open.
“Missy, who in God’s name are ya talking to.”
Mr Thomas marched out with an angry look pointed my way.
His eyes were bloodshot.
His flannel shirt hung half-buttoned.
He looked like he hadn’t slept in ages.
”You, didn’t I see you this mornin’? I already told ‘em everything I know. Ain’t got nothing left to say. What is wrong with you people?”
“Sir, I’m not with the police, I’m Lyra Bennett, and I’m a journalist, I work with the Ashwood Chronicle, I promise I won’t take too much of your time-“
“I don’t care what you are girl, you’re all the same to me, now go back where you came from. Belinda!, lock my door and don’t you open ‘em up anymore for no police.” He walked back into the house.
“Wait,Mr Thomas-“
Belinda quickly followed behind, locking the door with a look on her face that looked like pity. I turned around in defeat ready to leave, when I heard the door quietly open again and Belinda hurried towards me and squeezed a piece of paper in my hand.
As quickly as she came, she disappeared into the house, I walked back to my car before opening the note.
“If you really want the truth…
Meet me behind the old oak tomorrow.
Come alone.”
- Writer
