First to Die by Kate Slayer

trying to soften me up.
    "No, dammit," I shouted "Why would you air something like that?"
    "I know how to report" She said, trying to defend herself. "I used the word alleged."
    "Yes, you did, like an idiot. You know when you put alleged and killer followed by a name, you might as well say guilty." People want answers and somehow the word alleged disappears. I was out of my chair and pacing the floor. "Jesus, Ivy, he's not even a suspect. And he's a minor." When Bill Randall, Sr., gets a whiff of what she's selling, he's going to shove it right back in her face. Right along with a lawsuit. I leaned on the wall for support.
    "Everybody's a suspect until you lock somebody up."
    I couldn't believe she said that. "No, fruitcake, that’s not how it works and you know it." We were back to our usual bickering. "Yesterday, it was the poor homeless man and the day before that it was one of the kids from The Fins gang. This has got to stop."
    "I have to do my job." She huffed.
    "The only job you're worried about is getting ratings and shiny little statues." She had six of them on display.
    "That's not true."
    I think that she actually believed that. "Oh, please. Then retract it or whatever you do." It was a heavy request.
    "I'm not doing it." Her voice raised. I've got a good source that tells me differently," she snapped back at me.
    "Who?" I stayed calm.
    "Don't be stupid."
    Now I was pissed again. "Well, your source is feeding you inaccurate information." She wasn't gullible or naive.
    "Then give me something I can use." She knew that I wouldn't, but I didn't blame her for trying.
    "You know I can't disclose information in an ongoing investigation."
    "Any info about that creepy guy in my news report from last week?"
    "No, I already told you that." The scary man from her report was a mystery.
    "I have no choice but to work with my source."
    "Fine. If you don't fix it on the five o'clock, my next call is going to be to your boss." The threat was futile because her boss was a jackass and it would never happen. I had to try.
    "Are you coming over tonight?" Not anytime soon , I wanted to tell her.
    "No, I'm not. I'm so tired that I could pass out right here." That was the truth.
    "All right, Sam, but you’re going to miss out some yummy imported wine and filets, and Jason is stopping by." I’d already told her that I wasn't coming earlier in the week. She knew that I would be going into hibernation as soon as the weekend arrived. No matter what Ivy was serving, it would be elaborate. She had been planning this get-together for the past month. All the bells and whistles and it would be the topic of conversation until the next one.
    "I know. I don't have the energy to play nice."
    "When do your ever play nice?"
    I had to laugh. She was right about that. I had been in a pissy mood for days, and I was well aware of the damage I could do if I was cut loose on an innocent crowd.
    The rest of the afternoon was a blur of meetings and disagreements. The afternoon shift was making another attempt to go house-to-house in a four block area for more statements and alibi follow ups, collect any addition information and the hotline leads were being sorted and prioritized. "Thank you, everyone, and I appreciate you putting in the extra time," I said, inching my way out of the briefing room.
    "Will you be available this weekend if something happens?" Cole poked his head up.
    "Yes, of course," I yelled back. I’d alerted Jason and the rest of the crew that I was taking a two-day vacation. They knew what that meant. I wasn't answering the phone and I wasn't leaving the house unless it was going up in flames. "Don't call me unless it's an emergency," I yelled as Max and I headed to the back door of the station. If somebody wanted something bad enough, they wouldn't think twice about banging on my door.
    Neville shouted back from one of the cubicles, "Hey, what about my midnight coffee break?"
    Crap, I couldn't say no the guy who’d saved my life more