O'Neil Brothers: High Stakes Part 19

"They cant perform vasectomies. You have to be fudging this."

"Scouts honor. I added Stopp. Pat went to him to get snipped after their last kid."

A rare morning sun peeked in through the windows and made her cheeks glow and her eyes like emeralds. For a minute, he was stunned by her beauty.

Holding her stomach, she said, "That felt good."

"I hope so." He set the magazine aside. "It must have been a brutal couple of days."

"It was, though I was in and out of it." She bit her lip. "I got scared when I didnt get better." "You call anybody?" It made him mad that she hadnt, but he wouldnt upset her by ragging on her about it today.

Now her face sobered. Saddened. "My familys all in Orlando, as you know. Sams brothers sick, so he went to take care of him." She shrugged a delicate shoulder. "Just work people were left. And I didnt want them to see me barfing all over the place."

You should have called me. But he didnt say that. Instead, he wanted to make her feel better. "You know, I dont have many friends outside of Pat, Aidan, Liam and Bailey. And their spouses."

Now she rolled her eyes, but there was still a bleakness in them. "You dont have room for any more. There are a lot of people who love you and would take care of you at a time like this."

"Maybe you should think about what you give to your job. You work 24/7, Rach. That doesnt leave time for much else."

"I know. I usually dont stop long enough to worry about it." She looked weary again.

"Again, lets table the heavy stuff. You need to rest." He stood and removed the tray. "Ill close the blinds and you can take a nap." As the room darkened, she snuggled under the covers. "Dylan?"

"Yeah?" "Sit with me till I sleep."

"Sure."

As he watched her doze off, the heavy thoughts wouldnt leave Dylans mind. Jesus, he was falling for this woman! How the h.e.l.l could that have happened?

Rachel wasnt well enough to go to the studio until the end of the following week. Most of the aches and pains had faded; only a modic.u.m of weakness lingered, not enough to keep her home. Shed slept the weekend away, even when Rebecca and her mother tended to her. Now she walked into the news office, ready to work.

"Hey, there she is." Jeannie called out to her then she and Dennis strode over from their desks and hugged her. Others in the newsroom waved, and there was a rumbling of h.e.l.los. Jeannie asked, "How can you look so good after having been sick for days?"

"A lot of bed rest." And a bit of extra concealer under her eyes. She also wore a bright blue dress that always made her look good.

After chatting with them about the progression of her illness, she headed for her office and found Crane waiting for her. He rose from a chair when she entered and hugged her, too. "My favorite anchor." Hed called several times. Under his breath he added, "Thank G.o.d I dont have to work with Raskin anymore. Hes a picky b.a.s.t.a.r.d."

"Im glad to be back."

"Ready to get to work?" "Yes. I a.s.sume you and the staff have tonights show planned out. Just tell me what Im doing."

"Thats what I like about you. You take things head on."

Not everything , she thought, recalling her time with Dylan. Theyd never gotten back to the discussion about their feelings for each other, important now because they were supposed to be staying away from each other. When she woke up, he was gone and Rebecca was by her bedside. Though hed phoned during the week to see how she was doing, the calls seemed perfunctory.

"Theres big news." Crane picked up his iPad. "Bridgegate hearings start Monday. The subpoena responses were due last week." She caught the flas.h.i.+ng headline on his device.

"I guess I missed that."

"It just came down the pike. A member of the transportation staff who was implicated in her emails is giving testimony in court tomorrow."

Dropping down behind her desk, Rachel stared up at Crane. "How long will the hearings last?"

"These first ones are scheduled for three days until. But in the end, everything depends on whats revealed or what isnt."

"Exciting."

"Youre going up there."

"Me?"

"Since you broke the story, the bra.s.s thinks you should do as much of the story coverage as you can. Are you up for that?"

"Physically, yes. But I thought youd want me on air because I missed so much time."

"Littman can cover again. Her ratings were okay. You can do some cut-ins during your hour and tape segments at a local affiliate for the other NSMBC night shows. Lots of media exposure for you."

Her life would be completely tied up with this.

Maybe you should think what you give to your job. You work 24/7, Rach. That doesnt leave time for much else.

But she had no choice. Briefly, she wondered if shed get a chance to see Dylan during the week. They needed to talk. Then an idea hit her. Maybe, just maybe...

The cold streak in New York City broke, so before he went into CitySights, Dylan went out to run. Sun peeked through a few clouds, teasing the world with its presence as he headed down Liams street. Dylan had spent the last few days trying to catch up for the hours hed missed at the office. As he dodged pedestrians and stepped around piles of snow, he thought about how Rachels sister had come to her apartment around supper time the day he brought her home, ending Rachels need for him.

So Dylan had worked on a new column and did some more interviews for KPRAY. Hogan was with him and theyd had some guys nights watching Syracuse basketball games-it was March Madness-and eating b.u.t.tery popcorn. Remembering how the boy had once preferred cartoons and action-figure movies to sports, Dylans heart clutched at the notion of Hogan growing up.

Keeping his thoughts of Rachel at bay, hed postponed finalizing his decision about a second column for her, but hed have to make one soon. He was torn between portraying her as the hard worker she was, and underscoring the fact that most people were edited, or writing a scathing essay on how she did a good job but allowed her stories to be changed without fighting for them. This bent would portray her as, well, incompetent. Either way, the column would be milquetoast. Hed have to think of another angle if he was going after her. There also was the alternative to do no column at all, though the top dogs wouldnt go for that.

In any case, he had to keep an open mind, too.

His phone buzzed and he slowed down to a walk. "ONeil here."

"Dylan, this is Clive Mason."

His agent. "Hey, Clive." It had been months since he turned a proposal in to this man. Was there word on the ma.n.u.script?

"Good news, Dylan. Carolyn Jermaine, an editor at Franklin House, called me. Publis.h.i.+ng your columns in book form appeals to her. She has some ideas about how to put them together and she wants to talk to you about it all."

His heartbeat picked up speed. Was he really going to get a chance with a New York publis.h.i.+ng house? Holy cow! "This is great, Clive."

"It is. You may have to change a few things, but thats common in deals."

Everybody gets edited.

"What things?" he asked.

"Im not exactly sure. Jermaine wants to discuss this with you."

"You told her I wouldnt bring my sister into this, right?"

Clive cleared his throat. "I conveyed that you were reluctant to do so." When Dylan didnt respond, Clive added, "Arent you excited? Im guessing we have a ninety-percent shot getting a contract. This is good, especially with all the self-publis.h.i.+ng going on."

"Of course I am. Im ecstatic." He allowed the pleasure to surface within him, basked in it some and ignored the niggling of doubt he had in his gut. Sometimes he was just too pessimistic.

"Ive taken the liberty of scheduling an appointment with Jermaine at the end of next week. Shes going on vacation but will be back in the office on Thursday. Ill text you the deets."

"Ill be there. Thanks, Clive." "Hey, its your work she wants."

When he disconnected, Dylan started to run again. Excitement grew with every step and piled on top of itself. Good Lord, his life could change on a dime if Franklin House bought his book of columns. He slowed down again and punched in numbers on the phone he still held. Waited...

"Rachel Scott."

"Rach, this is Dylan. I have some good news."

"Me, too. You first." Her expectant, happy tone warmed him.

He told her about the press and his book.

"Wow, thats great. You mentioned you had a ma.n.u.script with an agent, but you didnt seem too hopeful."

"Because its been a while. But I might have a chance here."

"When do you meet with her?"

"Thursday. Whats your news?"

She told him about her a.s.signment on the subpoenas delivered to the staff of the governor across the bridge. "Im going over to cover the testimony, which starts Monday. I was thinking maybe you could come, watch me on the road, see how I work under pressure."

He read the subtext in her words. And be with me. He warred with himself for a few seconds. "I could do that."

She hesitated. "We might get some time to talk personally. Im staying over for three nights. Ill be involved with the subpoenas all day, but the hearings will be over by five. Then Ill tape a segment to run on all the evening shows."

"So youll be free at night."

He heard her little intake of breath. "Yes."

Deep in his gut, he knew what she was asking. It was time to talk about, do something about, what theyd both confessed at her house earlier in the week. Either that or commit wholly-again-to staying professional. The problem was, every time he vowed to stay away, something happened to bring them together. But he was on such a high note because of Clives call, he said, "Ill come, Rachel."

"And we can celebrate your potential deal. Ill take you out to dinner."

"No, no celebrating until somethings firmed up."

"All right. Shall we drive together?"

"We should go separately. I might have to come home sometime in those three days."

"For Hogan?"

"His mom is in town. Hes with her this week and next."

"Mmm. I was hoping..."

That Id stay overnight. Again, she didnt finish the sentence, but the subtext was clear.

"Well talk when I get there. Ill meet you at the statehouse Monday morning."

"The hearings start at ten. See you then."

It wasnt until he clicked off that he realized when hed gotten the call of a lifetime-a New York editor wanted his book-hed phoned Rachel first, before any of his family. The notion shook him. But he didnt call her back to cancel. This was a crossroads.

Chapter 13.

"On the advice of counsel, I a.s.sert my right to remain silent."

Rachel sighed and glanced at her watch. Almost noon and she had nothing to report for a segment. The transportation executive appointed by the governor was not answering questions from the Legislative Committee appointed by the state to conduct a hearing. Her cameraman, Tommy, had gotten footage of nothing but refusals.

"Hey." She looked up to see Dylan standing above her, back-dropped by the high-ceilinged s.p.a.ce with lots of wood and atmosphere. She scooted down on the bench, where shed saved him a seat. She noticed he wore a press pa.s.s as she did. When he sat, he leaned over and she got a whiff of his cologne. "How long has this been going on?" he asked.

"About an hour. They got started late, and after the first time taking the Fifth, the chair explained contempt parameters and tried different ways to persuade the guy to talk."

That chair asked in clipped tones, "Will this be your answer all day, Mr. Weinstein?"

The mans lawyer answered. "We respectfully request immunity and we will be glad to supply you with answers."

"You realize," the chair said angrily, "that you can be charged with contempt."

"We understand. That charge, however, will be appealed as my client has a const.i.tutional right to invoke the Fifth Amendment."

Shaking his head, the chair glared at them. "Then this hearing is adjourned."

The crowd buzzed after the committee members walked out. Some reporters huddled in closer to Weinstein and his lawyer, snapping pictures. Tommy was filming, but Rachel knew all hed get was, "No comment."

Sidling out of the row, behind Dylan, she scowled. "d.a.m.n, I was afraid the hearing would go this way. I wont have much to report."

"Is there a press briefing?" "Therell be something this afternoon. Ill get a tweet about the time and place. But Id bet my last lipstick this guy isnt going to reveal anything."