Page 7 of Perfectly Matched
“That’s not fair,” she bit back.
“Look.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a sigh. “You’ll get your vacation, but for right now, just work with me while I figure out how to move the numbers around. Okay?”
Payson reluctantly nodded as she glanced again at the paper. “Seriously, what’s this temp thing really about?”
“You’re holding everything I know,” he muttered. “They said something about an experimental program they were trying where they send temps out on a rotating basis to some of the stations to help offset some costs. Truthfully, they were a little light on the details, and I didn’t pepper them with questions because frankly, I really don’t give a damn who they send to follow you around, as long as it doesn’t come out of my budget.” He folded his arms. “You and I both know that when it comes to this station, corporate can make some pretty dumbass decisions. They’re a flock of idiots, as far as I’m concerned, and you didn’t hear that from me. Anyway…” He waved dismissively. “That’s the way it is for now, so I’m asking you to just deal with it, okay?”
“What choice do I have?”
“None. Until corporate figures out what to do with this station, things aren’t gonna be pretty around here.”
Last year, their station had been swallowed up in an acquisition by a mega corporation that had their eye on a profitable chain of appliance stores in the western region. The fact that a handful of small TV stations was also in that portfolio seemed to be of little concern to them. Rumors started flying about their new parent company either shutting down or selling off the stations. Broadcast news had been struggling for years, and everyone knew the view on the horizon wasn’t bright. Thiswasn’t a storm that was going to blow over; this was a reflection of the times, and the advertising dollars that had once netted them millions were being spent elsewhere.
“Why don’t you give the temp to someone else? Jerry in engineering is swamped.”
“Because they specifically said she’s your temp, so congratulations, you get to play babysitter for the next few days. End of discussion.”
“Great.”
“Oh, don’t look so down. There are worse things in the world. Just look at today’s national news.”
True. Compared to what was going on in the world, there were plenty of worse things, but in Payson’s little space on this planet right here and now, this news was definitely not welcoming. “When does the temp start?”
“Immediately.”
“What? They start today? But—”
He held up an interrupting hand. “Again, these are corporate’s marching orders, not mine. So take your complaints to them.” He shooed her out of his office as a call came in. “I need to take this. Mic’s Magic Show reported that they’re missing their tiger. They told the cops that if anyone spots the big cat, don’t harm him because they need him to perform in tonight’s shows.” He lifted his phone but placed his hand over the receiver as he continued in a softer voice. “If there really is a tiger on the loose, I’ll need you to do a cut-in so we can notify the public. Put Tegan on it.”
“I’ve got Tegan on the tank story.”
“Then pull Patty off whatever she’s working on and get her over to the neighborhood around the Luxor. The police seem to be focusing on that area.”
Payson nodded as she shuffled out the door. The possibility of a tiger roaming a Las Vegas neighborhood wasn’t holdingher attention near as much as the news of a temp. She wasn’t in the mood to spend the next several days with some lacky from corporate. She slumped in her chair, tossed the notebook on her desk, and stared at a fresh stack of papers that had appeared in her absence. She fanned her fingers through printouts of the day’s national stories about death and destruction.Why can’t everyone just get along? For one freaking day?Couldn’t humanity just play nice so she could take a break from reporting the dark side and write about the nice things happening in the world? She stared again at the brochure of the tropical retreat and sighed.
The police scanner perked up, and she cocked an ear to the chatter. She caught enough of the exchange between officers to understand that a tourist had apparently decided to go for a swim in the Bellagio’s lagoon. Police were being dispatched to the scene, and she knew a crowd would soon gather to witness the spectacle. If she could spare a photog, she’d send one over to grab a few interviews and hopefully get one or two good sound bites. If not, there would be plenty of video from tourists that she could obtain to fill a thirty-second spot in the A-block.
She grabbed another muffin, pulled off the top, and woke her computer. To those visiting the city and tuning into the local news, the stories would probably seem totally bizarre. To Payson, it was just another day in a town that seemed to attract the weird, wacky, and wild. “Viva Las Vegas, baby,” she muttered under her breath. “Viva Las Vegas.”