thought about the pink Kaopectate tablets in her desk drawer. The third floor seemed very
far away.
“One more time.” Hammer looked at everyone.
“It will cost you.”
High heels snapped as she walked out. When she tried to reach Andy Brazil at home,
someone else answered the phone. The woman was either drunk or did not have her teeth
in, perhaps both. Hammer hung up and tried Panesa.
“Judy, I will not have my reporters intimidated, bullied …” Panesa jumped right in.
“Richard, I know,” Hammer simply said, staring out at the skyline, and discouraged.
“Please accept my apology and my promise that something like this will not happen
again. I’m also giving Brazil a special commendation for his assisting the police last
night.”
“When?”
“Immediately.”
“And we can put that in the paper,” Panesa said.
Hammer had to laugh. She liked this man.
“Tell you what,” Hammer said.
“You put that in the paper, but do me a favor. Leave out the part about why Brazil was
hiding in an alleyway.”
Panesa had to think about this for a moment. Generally, cops abusing their power,
harassing a citizen, was a much better story than something positive, such as a citizen
helping, or making a difference by doing the right thing, and demonstrating community
responsibility and being appreciated for it.
“Now listen,” Hammer spoke again.
“It happens again, then run it one-A, Richard, okay? I wouldn’t blame you. But don’t
punish the entire police department because of one asshole.”
“Which asshole?” Now Panesa was really interested, and maybe pulling Hammer’s chain
just a little.
“It’s been taken care of.” Hammer had nothing more to say about it.
“What’s Brazil’s phone number? I’m going to call him.”
This impressed Panesa even more. The publisher could see Brazil beyond glass. As
usual, Brazil was in early, working on something no one had asked him to do. Panesa
scanned a phone sheet and gave Hammer Brazil’s extension. Panesa thoroughly enjoyed
watching Brazil’s stunned expression when he snatched up his phone a moment later and
it was the chief of police.
“Judy Hammer,” the familiar voice was strong over the line.
“Yes, ma’am.” Brazil sat up straighter, knocked over his coffee, shoved back his chair and grabbed notepads out of the way of a tepid flood.
“Look, I know all about last night,” the chief went straight to the point.
“I just want you to hear from me that this sort of behavior is absolutely not condoned by
the Charlotte Police Department. It is not condoned by me and will not be repeated.
Please accept my apology, Andy. ”
Hearing her say his name made him warm all over. His ears turned red.
“Yes, ma’am,” was all he seemed capable of uttering, repeatedly.
He used words for a living, and were there any available when he needed them? He was
devastated when she hung up. She had to think he was lobotomized, a wimp, a dolt. He
could have at least thanked her, for God’s sake! Brazil wiped up coffee. He stared
blankly into his computer screen. She wouldn’t get on the phone if he called her back, he supposed. She would be off on other important things by now. No way she’d waste any
more time on him. Brazil was oblivious to the story he was writing about First Union
Bank’s minimal losses in a fraud case.
Tommy Axel, not so far away, typically, did not exist.
‘w Axel had been looking at Brazil all morning, and was certain Brazil’s feelings were
stirring. The guy was blushing even as Axel stared. That definitely was a good sign.
Axel could hardly concentrate on his Wynona Judd review, which was unfortunate for
her. What might have been a splashy story about her latest fabulous album was destined
for mindless jargon that no doubt would cost her millions in sales.
Axel had that power. He sighed, working up the courage to ask Brazil yet one more time
to do dinner, a concert, or a club with male strippers. Maybe he could get Brazil drunk,
get him to smoke a little dope, jazz him up and show him what life was about.
^^ tw Brazil was in despair as he glanced again at the phone. Oh, what the hell. What