The Father of Her Son - By Kathleen Pickering Page 0,50
boss’s jaw spoke volumes. They’d been friends for too long for Evan not to know when Steve was about to drop a bomb.
“Can we talk after the show? I’m not in the greatest mood right now.”
“Does it have anything to do with Kelly staying at your place?”
Evan punched the elevator key, its red light like a beacon to stop the conversation now. “What would Kelly have to do with my mood?”
A look of disbelief flooded Steve’s face. “You have the ticket to the hottest story in the country staying in your home and you’re reporting nothing. I don’t know about you, but if I was the top-ranking morning anchor in the state with no story, that woman would be messing with my mood.”
The elevator doors slid open. Evan ignored them, but Steve gestured for them to board the empty car. “Get in. It’s more private in here.”
When the doors closed, Evan rounded on Steve. “Look, I spoke with her. I have a strategy in place.”
“What does that mean? I need a story. Now.”
“She won’t talk now. She wants to protect Matt.” He met his boss’s hard gaze. “I don’t blame her.”
“Sounds to me like you are a little too close to the subject to be objective about your job.”
“I have a story in the works.”
The doors opened. Steve didn’t miss a beat. “You and I both know that if this involved any other person, you would have already aired two features—one from Campbell’s side, the other from Kelly’s. But no. You are stalling, and I have a show to run.”
Damn it all. Steve was right. Evan was stalling. The last thing he wanted was to admit that very fact. He sat in his chair at makeup. Tanya put a towel over his shoulders to protect his shirt and began their morning routine.
Steve leaned against the counter in front of him, arms crossed. “What do you know?”
“Campbell served Kelly with a court order for DNA testing. He’s going to take her down if he can. I’d like to set up a strategy to protect her.”
Steve released a long breath. “Evan, you don’t have the luxury to protect her. Get her to do an interview.”
“She refuses.”
“Then present your take on the situation. Challenge the senator to answer you live, on the air.”
“I thought of that.”
“Then what are you waiting for?”
“I want to put the bastard in jail. I don’t want to jump the gun and give him the chance to slip through loopholes.”
Steve’s antenna definitely perked up. “Why do you want to put Campbell in jail?”
Evan closed his eyes. He’d said too much. “The story runs deeper than you think, Steve. This is one time you will have to trust me. If you want a blockbuster story in which NCTV reveals the real story and saves the day, you’ll have to let me do this my way. Kelly has a lot at stake here.”
“Evan, listen to me. You’re not the cavalry. You are a morning show host with a conscience. Play on that, but you’d better say something leading and important this morning, or we’re going to have a problem.”
“Are you threatening me?”
Steve slapped a hand on his shoulder. “No, but I’ll tell you what. Dean is sawing at your ladder. He’s been getting some dirt on this situation and if you don’t report on...oh, even what you and Kelly had for dinner last night, I’m going to let Dean run with what he’s accumulating.”
“You wouldn’t!”
“Give me news, McKenna. I want a story. You have a direct line to Campbell. And so does Dean. Call Campbell. Find out his side of the story. Meanwhile, I want you to report your view of how this is affecting Kelly and Matt. First thing on the show. Before the Mormon interview.”
* * *
WHILE EVAN’S DOORMAN effectively kept reporters from the front of his building, Kelly didn’t have the same protection at Neverland. The limo driver pulled up to the curb only to have a clot of rabid religious picketers—mostly women wearing Campbell for President buttons—outside of Neverland chanting intolerance for what they believed was Kelly’s immoral behavior in seducing a good family man. One of the placards declared that she was unfit to raise a child.
Her blood chilled in her veins. The driver escorted her to the door to ensure no one would accost her. Angry right down to her toes that her personal life was being invaded and judged by strangers, once she entered Neverland Kelly sent Evan a heated text telling him what