Justifiable Homicide: A Political Thriller (Robert Paige Thrillers Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

there ever since, until a few days ago. I didn’t get where I am by backing down like some junior reporter.”
    “Did your boss give you any specifics about why they wanted you to drop the Rodriguez story?”
    “Yeah, he was quite specific. My boss’s boss’s boss got a visit from the FBI. They threatened him as well as the newspaper. They said federal law gave them the authority to shut down the newspaper and arrest anyone they want if national security is involved, and that the Rodriguez case involved national security. They said any further reporting about Rodriguez might give aid and comfort to the enemy, which is treason.”
    “What enemy?”
    “I asked Lasky that same question. He didn’t have an answer. All he said was that I had become a threat to the newspaper and that I had to go.”
    “Didn’t the newspaper raise any First Amendment concerns about free press and free speech?”
    “Maybe they did. I don’t know. I don’t talk to the people that high on the food chain unless I have to. They’re more concerned about the bottom line than they are about free speech or free press. I think most of them never even read the Constitution.”
    “So, what are your plans? What are you going to do about a job?”
    He leaned back in his chair, pondering his response. “I don’t know. If I stay in journalism, I’ll probably have to leave Miami. The Herald is the only game in town. Anything else would be a step down.”
    Paige decided it was time to ease back to a more casual discussion. Right about now each of the others he’d interviewed had handed him his hat. He wanted to keep Witherspoon talking in case the journalist thought of something else to reveal.
    “Are you married?”
    “Yeah. My wife has a good job in one of the offices downtown. If we move, she’d have to quit and find another job that probably pays a lot less. And the kids would have to make new friends in a new school.”
    “Being a journalist with integrity can cause problems.”
    He chuckled again. “Yeah. Maybe I’ll go to work for CNN—the Communist News Network. That way I won’t have to have integrity. I can just report the news the government wants me to report.”
    “Oh, I forgot to ask. Why did you use a different email account for your second email?”
    Witherspoon smirked. “You noticed that, huh? I think they’re monitoring my main email account. Just to be on the safe side—I don’t want to be one of those reporters who gets arrested, you know—I went to a local Internet café, created a new account just for you, and sent you the second email.”
    “Just for me? That’s considerate.”
    “You’re welcome. I probably wanted to meet with you more than you wanted to meet with me. Nobody else wants to talk about Raul Rodriguez. By the way, what’s the next step for you? Are you going to keep digging into this case? I exhausted all my leads before I got fired.”
    “It seems I’ve exhausted all of mine too. I don’t know what I’m going to do next. But one thing I do know—I’m not ready to quit. Raul was a friend of mine.”
    They exchanged pleasantries for a few minutes, then got up and walked out, Paige to the left and Witherspoon to the right.
    ***
    The two men parked in the black van across the street watched Paige as he exited Starbucks. Their electronic dish had monitored and recorded their conversation. The driver turned to look at the man operating the equipment.
    “Did you get it all?”
    “Yeah. Let’s go home. I think Paige is done for the day.”

9
    Sunny Isles Beach
     
    Paige and Sveta gazed at the Miami sunset from her terrace. He stood behind her, caressing her waist.
    His cell phone rang.
    “Hi, Bob. It’s John Wellington.”
    “John, it’s been a while. How are Sarah and the kids?”
    “Fine, thanks. Bob, I’d like to get together for a little chat. What’s your schedule like for next week?”
    “I’m only teaching on Tuesdays and Saturday mornings this semester, so any other day is