Chain of Souls (Salem VI) Read Online Free PDF Page B

away. "We got a goddamn paper to get out."
    John turned and went into his office, his mood suddenly far more buoyant than he would have thought possible a short time earlier. An hour later he had spoken to Sarah, reiterating the dinner invitation he had left on her voice mail the previous evening. She agreed to come over that night at seven. He had also contacted Chester Cabot who confirmed that neither the building in which the paper was located nor the printing presses would be offered for sale, in spite of the fact that the paper would no longer be publishing.
    "Am I to interpret these questions as an indication you intend to continue publishing some sort of paper independently?" Cabot asked.
    "That's probably a reasonable assumption."
    "Everyone who chooses to do this will be leaving quite a bit of money on the table. You included."
    "We are all able to do the math."
    "So be it. My client also wishes me to advise you that we will adhere very strictly to the laws relating to libel and defamation of character should you be tempted to try and seek some sort of misguided vengeance through the press."
    "Thanks for the
advice."
    John did his best to ignore his hangover and spent the rest of the day working with half his staff to put out a paper with a smaller number of articles than usual because the other half of the staff, including Amy, were involved in trying to lease computers and office furniture, as well as secure guaranteed printing contracts and office space. By the end of the day they had found a small, free weekly paper that was available in most shops and restaurants and was aimed primarily at the tourist industry. The paper's management was delighted to pick up a contract to print their daily circulation. Amy also found some space in a recently renovated warehouse a little ways from the heart of Salem that could be had for much less rent than was available in the city center.
    By the time he left the office for the evening, John had actually started to think setting up a new paper and maintaining their old subscription base was not only possible, it was starting to appear very doable. It made him feel good that, in at least a small way, he was getting back at Jessica Lodge, because the people who put out the
Salem News
day after day, year after year, weren't going to let the paper go out of business.
    Amy had left a little earlier because she needed to shop for the food for their upcoming dinner with Sarah. John finished up, said goodnight to the last folks in the newsroom then went to a wine shop and bought a couple bottles of good pre-chilled Chardonnay and two bottles of well-aged Oregon pinot noir. By the time he walked into his house, Amy had water boiling and a pile of vegetables on a chopping board.
    "What are we having?"
    "Veal chops and ratatouille. You want to start the grill as soon as you change your clothes?"
    John put the Chardonnay in the refrigerator and the Burgundies on the counter then went up to slip into blue jeans. A minute later he was back downstairs where he opened one of the chardonnays and poured a glass for himself and one for Amy.
    "Let's hope this goes well," he said, clicking his glass gently to hers.
    "Have faith in your daughter."
    "I do, but . . ." Instead of finishing the thought he went outside, put charcoal in the grill, and lit it. Most of his neighbors had gas grills, but John was stubbornly old fashioned and stuck to his time-honored tradition of real coals.
    He tried to shove down the nervous tremor that churned through his guts as he thought about the last conversation he'd had with Sarah in which Amy was the topic. What was that Sarah had said?
"It would be nice if you picked somebody a little closer to your age. She could practically be my sister."
Yes, that was it exactly. How was Sarah going to react tonight? He wanted to share Amy's faith in Sarah, but he didn't have a good feeling.

CHAPTER SIX
    AS HE WAITED FOR HIS COALS TO LIGHT, John paced around the house. Sarah