Headlines & Head Wounds

Criteria

"I'm assuming you want an article about the burglaries?"

Pandora looked up from her computer. "Hmm?"

"You know, the burglaries," Sylvie prompted. "Didn't you hear about them?"

"Who told you this?" Pandora said sharply.

Sylvie sighed. "My informant."

No matter how long Sylvie had been working at the Gazette, she still felt uncomfortable when the discussion came to Rorie. Everyone at the Gazette knew she had some kind of police informant letting her know of Skybrook's most recent happenings, but they knew well enough not to ask who. Maybe Sylvie's job was to learn people's secrets, but that didn't mean she couldn't respect privacy. And Rorie definitely didn't want anyone to know about the information she was leaking.

Pandora shifted away from her computer, folding her arms across the top of the desk. "Tell me about these burglaries," she said thoughtfully. Sylvie recognized her expression- she was waiting to judge the situation. If the burglaries were just regular burglaries, she could always give the article to a more experienced reporter, someone who knew what they were doing. And if it was in any way interesting or confidential, it would be Sylvie's job.

In spite of her apparent value in the Gazette offices, Sylvie rather resented the way Pandora treated her. She was clearly just being kept on for her most important attribute: her eidetic memory. She couldn't help but be upset, thinking that this was why Pandora kept her on. Yes, she had a memory, but she was valuable in other ways- she could make contacts, she could write articles, she could take calls, she could think things out.

If only Pandora would give her a chance.

"On Woodcreek Street, all of them," Sylvie began. "Three houses broken into in the last week. Jewelry stolen. There's been no pattern to the location of the houses. The weird thing is, only certain jewelry was taken."

Pandora frowned. If Sylvie had spoken a moment earlier, she could have filled in Pandora's next words: "What do you mean?" As it was, Sylvie began to stammer it immediately as Pandora had finished speaking, and attempted to disguise her embarrassment with a clear of her throat.

"Only little jewelry was taken," Sylvie explained. "Nothing serious. One woman lost an earring, another a little ring, another a nice watchband."

This appeared to intrigue Pandora. She leaned over her crossed arms. "Only little jewelry, you say? Then why would someone break into their houses?"

"They all used to be teachers at Skybrook Junior High," Sylvie offered. "The thought is that some student of theirs was displeased with the way they taught, and wanted to get back at them."

"You think a kid broke into these houses?" Pandora sounded rather horrified- which Sylvie found a bit surprising, given that much of her job these days involved sending just such a kid to eavesdrop and publish information without permission.

"It's been a couple of years since they retired," Sylvie admitted. "If there is a kid, they're probably in high school right now- or maybe finishing high school, I don't know."

"Do you know who it is?" Pandora's voice was tentative, but confident- as if she thought Sylvie should know who the robber was, but doubted that she actually did.

"If the police don't know, how am I supposed to?" Sylvie sighed. "Anyway, I don't know how much I could gain by interviewing anyone. I mean, where would I even start?"

For some reason, the key to getting Pandora's permission, at least for Sylvie, always seemed to be understating her confidence. By saying she probably wouldn't be able to get much, she was letting Pandora take control of the situation- a situation that would allow Sylvie to gather plenty of useful information and report back with a story long enough to warrant a "turn to page 5".