“THIS IS ERICA SPARKS REPORTING live from Topanga Canyon in Los Angeles, where there has been a big break in the Kay Barrish murder case. Twenty-seven-year-old Miguel Fuentes—whose fingerprints were found in the car in which Arturo Yanez was murdered—has just been arrested by the Los Angeles police. Yanez was the caterer’s assistant who allegedly poisoned Barrish. Fuentes was discovered hiding out in a crumbling stable in an isolated section of Topanga Canyon. They’re leading Fuentes into a police car now.”
The camera pans to a scowling, handcuffed Fuentes being led from the stable, across the field, and then into a squad car.
“Fuentes is a known member of the notorious East Los Angeles gang called Nortenos. He has six prior arrests, including one for attempted murder, for which he served three years at San Quentin. The unanswered question is, what was the gang’s motive for murdering Yanez? To help me answer it, I have Los Angeles police detective Betsy Takahashi.” The camera pans back, and Takahashi is in the frame. “Thank you for your time, Detective. Can you shed any light on why Fuentes would murder Yanez?”
“This has all the hallmarks of a gang murder—the execution-style shooting in the back of the head, a stolen car used to commit the crime, dumping of the body out in the desert. The witnesses who saw Yanez get into the stolen car at the bus stop on Santa Monica Boulevard the night of Barrish’s death report seeing at least two men in the car. So Fuentes didn’t act alone. And Yanez got into the car voluntarily, which indicates he knew the men.”
“Are you suggesting that the same people who murdered Yanez may have hired him to kill Barrish?”
“I am, yes.”
“But why would an LA street gang want to murder Kay Barrish? For one thing, she was beloved in the Hispanic community.”
“These gangs are known to commit murder for hire.”
“And hopefully Fuentes will be able to supply you with the name of whoever hired him.”
“Exactly.”
“Will the district attorney be offering him a plea deal?”
“You’d have to ask the district attorney that question.”
“Are you confident today’s arrest will lead to the solving of this case?”
“The only time I’m confident that a case is solved is when the perpetrator is behind bars.”
“Thank you for your time. This is Erica Sparks reporting live from Topanga Canyon. Now back to GNN headquarters in New York.”
The camera is turned off. Detective Takahashi asks, “So, are you going to tell me who led you to Fuentes?”
Erica remembers her meeting with Samantha Fuentes, the young woman’s warm smile and honest ambition. “I’m not going to reveal my source,” she says simply.
Takahashi’s eyes narrow. “Whoever it is could be material to the investigation.”
“If at any point I think that might be the case, I’ll reconsider.”
Almost simultaneously, news vans from the other networks race up the canyon road and arrive on the scene and crews pour out, hurrying to get shots of Fuentes in the police car before it leaves. They’ve all been badly scooped by GNN. Erica smiles to herself—Sorry, guys, but that’s the news biz.