The Means by Douglas Brunt Page A

picture. Brooks and his offscreen and onscreen girlfriend Meadow Jones had taken a cabana here at the hotel. Once hotel management found the body, speculation has ranged from suicide to accidental overdose. Multiple sources now tell me another possibility exists. Murder. These sources also say that the scene in the cabana was very bloody and that there were strange wounds to the neck of Hugh Brooks.”
    Samantha pauses for the anchor to create a dialogue. “My goodness, Samantha. Do they have a suspect? Is Meadow Jones a suspect?”
    â€œAuthorities have not communicated that this is a murder investigation yet. A source close to the case confirms this is the direction they are headed. It also appears that Meadow Jones is cooperating with authorities and has complied with their request to remain available.”
    A crowd is forming around the front of the hotel on Collins Avenue. People are drawn in by the camera and the live shot, then stunned by Samantha’s report. People come up from both directions on Collins as well as come out of the hotel in hurried walks. It looks like a nineteenth-­century political stump speech.
    The UBS-24 program cuts to a few still shots of the cabana lined in yellow police tape. Samantha has one more piece of information that she’s been considering whether or not to use. Screw it, she thinks. It’s all unconfirmed. “This same source tells us that Meadow Jones may have taken and passed a private polygraph regarding the murder. I emphasize this is an unconfirmed report.”
    The anchor signs off from Samantha and chaos breaks out. In the next ten minutes, more than 250 airline tickets for Miami are booked by five television news organizations. Every news channel ends its ten p.m. broadcast with a mention of possible new developments from Miami Beach. The AP releases a wire announcing the possibility of foul play in the death of Hugh Brooks.
    The Miami chief of police slams down his phone and shouts, “ fuck. ” He calls an immediate press conference and wonders how that good-looking bitch got in front of his investigation. He thinks he should have gone public with more information sooner but he wanted the full forensics report back first to know whether the wounds could be self-­inflicted. TV sets around South Beach turn off and people walk out their doors to the Delano to see if they can get a look. Number 1685 Collins Avenue turns into a block party. Many come dressed as vampires as a tribute to Hugh and Meadow.
    Samantha heads back to her own hotel to prepare for a wall-to-wall day of reporting. It’s the biggest celebrity crime story in years and it’s hers. She’s a day ahead of the rest of the industry.

14
    Samantha has always been able to sleep when afforded the time to do it. This was useful practicing law when she was never afforded much time. She’s sound asleep when her mobile phone rings at 5:30 a.m.
    â€œHello?”
    â€œIt’s Connor Marks. I wanted to get you before you run off to do the morning show. Your report got a lot of pickup.”
    â€œI know.”
    â€œThe police announced a murder investigation last night.”
    â€œI saw that.” She’s almost all the way awake now.
    â€œI’ve read only the Washington Post and the New York Times so far. Both credit you with breaking the story.”
    â€œGood, I’ll check that out.”
    â€œI believe thank and you are the two words you’re looking for. And you’re welcome.”
    She laughs. “Thank you for the scoop.”
    â€œYou did a nice job and you looked great out there. And you were fair to us.”
    â€œI went with what I had. The police are probably a little ticked off with me.”
    â€œScrew them. I have another gift for you.”
    â€œOh?”
    â€œKatie Couric would pay us a million bucks for this, you know.”
    â€œMeadow Jones made twenty-two million bucks her last picture. She doesn’t