Chapter 12

Betty was sitting in the living room when Ed walked in. She could tell that something was bothering him and she got up and followed him into the kitchen. Ed leaned against the counter for a minute before speaking. She watched his face waiting for him to speak.

Ed started telling her everything that he had learned. Several times she interrupted him to ask a question. At times she got a pleased look on her face, thinking that she might no longer be a suspect and then would get a worried look on her face as he continued telling her what he had learned. When he had finished telling her everything, she just looked at him without saying anything.

Finally she spoke, "I don't know whether I am still a suspect or not. What you told me doesn't sound right. Are you sure you have the story right?"

Ed grinned at her, "Thank You. We cops are trained to suspect even facts we know are true. I thought that I was just being a cop. Apparently, even you smell a rat."

Ed and Betty went over what he had told her and discussed every item, dissecting the item and trying to find fault with everything. Ed saw that they were getting nowhere. Ed excused himself and started drawing a bath. Many times, he had sat in a hot bath and pondered a tough case when he was on the force. Betty sat at the kitchen table. Ed told her that he would like to just sit and soak awhile.

Ed gathered his clothes from the bedroom and went into the bathroom. He took off his clothes and lowered himself into the hot water. The combination of the hot water and the solitude started Ed's mind going. He went over everything again and again in his head. He made a mental list of every question that he needed an answer to. He knew that he would need help to sort this through, but he knew that he had to stay away from the police station now. Ed felt the water getting too cold and finished washing. As he got out of the tub an idea struck him. He dried himself and got dressed and went into the kitchen.

"Betty, I have to have some help on this," Ed said as he walked into the kitchen. "Would you have any objection to me telling this story to a friend of mine that could help us? There's an investigative reporter that I used to help when I was on the force. He also helped me several times. He's a real straight shooter and I don't think he'll hurt us."

Betty told him that she would do whatever he said. She told him that she wanted this all to be over. Ed could tell that she was still unsure if she was still a suspect in the murder of George Bynum.

Ed grabbed the wall phone in the kitchen and dialed a number. After waiting Ed left a message to call him at home. About 10 minutes after Ed hung up the phone rang.

"Hello," Ed said, "Hy how would you like to win a Pulitzer Prize? I've got a great story for you. Can you come over my house right now?"

Ed received an answer and hung up. He turned to Betty and told her about Hy Symington and what he was planning.

"Betty, I'm going to have to show Hy the pictures and tell him everything," Ed told her, "Are you OK with that?"

Betty nodded her head. She dreaded having to see the pictures again, but she knew that Ed was trying to make sure that she could put this all behind her. She was learning to trust Ed's judgment.

At 38 years old, Hy Symington was one of the best and most feared investigative reporters in the country. He had broken several politicians' careers and was respected all over the country. Hardly a month went by that he did not receive an offer to go with a national news organization. Hy turned them all down. He felt that his familiarity with this town was too valuable to give up. He had been nominated twice for a Pulitzer, but the prize had eluded him so far. Hy was fearless and never let go of a story until it was complete. His publisher gave him free rein and his hours could best be described as irregular. When Hy submitted a story it was always published that day.

Hy pulled into the apartment parking lot and parked in a handicapped space. He reached under the seat and pulled out a handicap sticker that he hung on the rear view mirror. If anyone had bothered to look, they would have seen that the sticker was a color copy of someone's sticker. Hy climbed the stairs and approached the apartment door.

Ed heard the footsteps in the stairwell and opened the door, as Hy's hand was in the air ready to knock.

"How's it going gumshoe," Hy grinned, "Break any laws today?"

Ed smiled and ushered him into the apartment. Ed introduced him to Betty and asked him to sit at the kitchen table.

"Kitchen table, huh," Hy, laughed, "This must be serious or you would have me sitting on the couch."

Ed motioned for Betty to sit down next to him, "Hy, what I'm going to tell you have to keep under wraps for a while. If you can't do that, I can't go on."

Hy leaned back in his chair, "Ed you know I can't make any promises like that. I'm a newsman, let's see what you have and then we can decide what I can or cannot do."