Free When Day Breaks by Mary Jane Clark Page B

exactly, Larry.”
    “Not exactly what ?”
    “I don’t explain why Constance Young is dead. I only explain how she screwed me, how she ruined my life.”
    “Yeah, and you give a couple of other nice examples of what a viper she could be. Believe me, the media—and the public—are going to eat this up. We just need to get you booked on the morning shows.”
    Nobody should rejoice in the misfortune of another, but in this case, Jason thought as he hung up the phone, he was entitled to a bit of gloating. Constance Young had ruined his life, and now, not only had she gotten what she deserved, her death was going to reinstate him into respectability and fiscal security.

CHAPTER 19
     
    E ngrossed in thoughts about what had happened to Constance, Eliza was walking toward her office when she spotted Mack McBride coming down the hall. She could feel her heart start to beat faster and only hoped the heat she was immediately beginning to feel in her cheeks wouldn’t show. For a moment Eliza wondered if she could slip into her office and just pretend she hadn’t seen him, when the deep voice called out.
    “Eliza.”
    Too late to escape, she thought, arranging her face in a pleasant expression. As Mack drew closer, Eliza could tell that London was agreeing with him. He looked fit and as handsome as ever. Eliza braced herself as Mack reached her and kissed her on the cheek. Instantly she recognized the smell of his aftershave.
    “Mack.” Eliza smiled. “How are you?”
    “Can’t complain, I guess, except the KEY News anchor bigfooted me. I came all the way across the pond thinking I was going to get to sit in the big chair, and now I’m doing a story on water safety instead.” Laugh lines crinkled at the corner of Mack’s eyes. “I’m off to New Jersey now to shoot my stand-up at some suburban pool.”
    “Sorry about that,” said Eliza.
    “Not as sorry as I am,” he said. The smile on Mack’s face masked any real disappointment.
    “Unbelievable about Constance, isn’t it?” Eliza shook her head and shivered involuntarily. “It’s so terrible, so sad.”
    “Honestly?” Mack asked. “I was never really a fan, but it’s always tragic when someone so young dies. Constance was in her prime. But you want to hear something really sick that occurred to me?”
    Eliza nodded.
    “I bet Linus Nazareth isn’t sad she’s dead. I bet he’s glad.”
    “That’s a little cold, isn’t it?” asked Eliza.
    “Maybe,” said Mack. “But nobody leaves KEY to America unless Linus wants them to leave. And Linus didn’t want Constance to go over to the competition.”
    Eliza looked at Mack with skepticism. “I don’t know about that,” she said. “Linus laid on a little guilt, but generally he was pretty supportive when I left KTA for the Evening Headlines. ”
    “That’s because you weren’t going to compete with him on another network,” said Mack. “He liked the idea that ‘his girl’ was talented enough to take over the Evening Headlines after Bill Kendall committed suicide. After that whole thing, this news division was rocked to the core. I heard that Linus took plenty of credit for grooming you for the evening anchor chair.”
    “I heard the same thing.” Eliza smiled. “I don’t know what I would have done without him, do you?”
    “Joke if you want to, Eliza,” said Mack. “But I’m telling you, Linus only wants what’s good for Linus. And even though he’s been able to install his girlfriend as the new KTA host, Constance Young was still his first pick. He was infuriated that not only did she have the audacity to leave, she was going to compete with him.”
    “Well,” Eliza observed, “now at least he doesn’t have to deal with coming up against her every morning. Life was going to be jolly hell for the KTA staff.”
    Mack shrugged. “It still will be,” he said.
    Eliza looked up into Mack’s face and tried to read what was in his eyes. Discontent? Cynicism? Sadness?
    “How’s