The Border Part Five Read Free Page A

that existed just beneath the surface. Then again, he had a sneaking suspicion that most of them did know, even if they didn’t want to admit as much. Reaching down, he tapped twice on the ground with his knuckles.
    Finally, he saw a familiar car pull up nearby, and a moment later he smiled as he saw Jane arriving for work. As soon as they made eye contact, she stopped with a worried look in her eyes.
    “Hey, sister-in-law,” he said, hauling himself to his feet, “I think we need to have a chat.”
    “Ben -”
    “About the Border,” he said firmly, interrupting her as he took another drag on his cigarette. “We need to talk about the Border. Now .”
    ***
    “So basically the police have got nothing,” Daniel muttered, as he finished reading Jack’s latest editorial for the following day’s paper. “Apart from two dead bodies, I mean. It’s kinda sad when the media’s better at solving crimes than the cops.”
    “It’s not sad,” Jack replied, leaning back in his chair, “it’s completely natural, especially in the modern age. We’re more motivated than they are.”
    Daniel turned to him with a frown.
    “The police are just trying to keep the town safe,” Jack continued, “whereas guys like you and me, we’re catering to the public’s need for information. We’re keener so we work harder, our readership expects regular updates.” Glancing at his laptop, he brought up an old window. “Website hits are twenty times what they’d usually be around now. We could make as much online ad revenue in a month as we usually make in a year, and that’s money that’ll go right back into the newspaper to help it survive.”
    “So you’re just chasing clicks?”
    “I’m doing my job,” Jack said firmly. “I’m getting to the truth, which is what a journalist should always be doing. I can’t help it if I’m good at that.”
    “Either that or the cops around here are dumb-asses,” Daniel pointed out, before pausing. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that, I know Jane’s not a dumb-ass.”
    “She’s doing her best,” Jack replied, “but my money’s always on a journalist to get to the bottom of things before a cop.”
    “And you really think the identity of the killer is gonna be revealed in the next couple of days?” Daniel asked. “I mean, at the end of this editorial you make some pretty bold claims, it’s almost like you’re promising some big revelation in one of our upcoming issues.”
    Jack nodded. “I’m certain of it.”
    “So who is it? Do you know?”
    “I…” He paused. “I have a very strong suspicion. Not really a suspicion, actually, more like… knowledge that still requires a little more proof.”
    “From looking at your wife’s phone and emails, stuff like that?”
    “No, and -” He glanced at the door. “Keep your voice down, okay? Stuff like that isn’t for general consumption. It’s technically illegal.”
    “Sure, boss, but…” Looking down at the copy again for a moment, Daniel finally sighed. “Well, at least you can relax about your brother now.”
    Jack frowned. “What do you mean?”
    “Well, I know you kinda suspected maybe he was the killer, but obviously you don’t anymore.”
    “Why don’t I?”
    “Because you seem so relaxed,” Daniel continued. “I mean, if you think you know who the killer is, obviously you don’t think it’s Ben, or you wouldn’t be acting so…” He tried to think of the right word. “I don’t know, victorious. You’re obviously very relieved.”
    “It’s a complicated situation,” Jack muttered, turning to his laptop and logging in to the paper’s CMS. “Anyway, enough talking for today, you need to get back to work on those other stories. And don’t forget I need you to go knock on the Maitlands’ door, see if they’ll say a few words about Hayley. We need to use her as the human face of this tragedy, she’s more appealing to the public than Mel.”
    “More appealing?”
    “More photogenic.