As I entered the newsroom, I had a feeling that this Monday would be full of good opportunities. I found Mary busy on the phone and went directly to my desk where I found a message slip indicating Michael Horne had called earlier. I called him.
“Good morning,” he said enthusiastically. “Senator Dalton flew in last night. How’s 1:30?”
“Great.”
“The senator is thinking of asking for a hearing on Tutoxtamen.
Unfortunately, Senator Pembroke would have to pass on that. I was just about to call Nancy for some guidance.”
“Could Senator Dalton talk to the minority party’s ranking member?”
“That would only add to the alienation our party members have for her. I’d rather see her get turned down by Pembroke than do that.”
“Okay,” I said unperturbed. “I’ll see you at 1:30.”
I called Lori Chow and brought her up-to-date. She had a photographer in Dalton’s hometown on standby, and the McAllisters were available Wednesday and Thursday. I suggested I fly out Wednesday morning, meet them, and scope out the house.
That met Chow’s approval. Because I had already asked to be part of the shoot in the Capitol, Chow would set that up for next week. I called Sarah Metzger to ask if someone could sort through the watchdog authors’ interviews and pull out some quotes . . . or give me the whole story if they liked.
“I have some interns around who can be put on that,” the Health editor said.
“Having the luxury of others doing the sifting will save me a lot of time.”
“You’re easy to work with,” she said cheerily.
“Maybe you could tell that to my editor.”
“Lassiter? I’d rather walk the plank,” she said bluntly.
I had to stifle a laugh. Lassiter’s stern reputation was certainly widespread. The truth was they had no idea how fair and loyal my editor was. I guessed that part never got out. “Her darts don’t always hit live targets.”
“You seem to have survived, even thrived, if I may say so.”
“I run fast and am a better dart player.”
Metzger laughed. “It’s all in what you’re used to, I guess.”
We hung up, and I read for a while.
Michael called. “Nancy said flat out it would be political suicide to make a request of Pembroke, shutting that door. Switching to good news, Tyrell, by pure luck, fell in with a group Friday night at The Goose that included a male aide on the majority leader’s staff.”
“Oh?”
“He turned out to be one of the Hill’s shit-for-brains people. He’s married but chases the skirts and talks too much. He became interested in a couple of women at a far table and wanted to hit on one, but needed a buddy to take the other. Tyrell went along.”
“What a guy. I hope the other one wasn’t a dog.” I laughed. I couldn’t help myself. It sounded so funny. “Did they score?”
“Why, Ms. Wolfe, you surprise me.”
“I’m just one of the guys,” I quipped.
“Somehow I doubt that. Anyway, this guy’s big into impressing the women, boasting he had an important job on Senator Kelly’s staff. Ty thought we might like to talk to him.”
“And the punch line?” I never cared for shaggy-dog stories.
“The guy hangs out with heavy-hitters from the pharmas, who all praise him and Kelly for going the extra mile to help out their industry.”
I was experiencing the Capitol Hill underground at work for the first time.
“Tyrell fanned the guy’s ego, but even in his fog, he talked mostly fluff. Tyrell thinks he’s ripe for expert plucking. The two couples are meeting tomorrow night. Ty once worked for a federal prosecutor and is going to play detective. He looked up the guy and found that he had actually done some interesting work.”
This might lead to something sometime, but I needed to switch subjects.
“Are you sitting in on my interview?”
There was a slight pause. I must have caught him off guard.
“Of course, I always protect my senator from prying reporters,” he bantered.
“Keep that thought; I’m a bad one. Very devious.”
That prompted a good laugh. We wrapped things up, and my journalistic mind wondered if I could be getting too chummy with people I might have to report on. Did I need to be more circumspect? As much as I liked the senator and Michael, they were also part of the story. I would have to keep my guard up and my senses clear.