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she was about to bestow was not going to be all that appreciated.
    â€œWe want to make you chief European correspondent, stationed, of course, in London.”
    Just a few months ago, Mack would have had everything he could do to keep himself from kissing the older, heavy-set woman on the mouth. All the way back to the old Edward R. Murrow days, at the dawn of broadcast journalism, being the London correspondent was one of the most coveted assignments a newsman could dream of. He had often fantasized about being good enough professionally to win the spot.
    But now the accomplishment staring him in the face was bittersweet. London. An ocean and five times zones away from Eliza.
    Yelena was looking at him keenly for reaction. He was careful not to betray with his facial expression the turmoil tossing inside.
    â€œWhen would I start?”
    â€œAlmost immediately,” Yelena answered firmly.
    The steamed lobster the waiter placed before him sat almost untouched as Yelena prattled on about the importance of the position and how KEY News wanted new blood to revitalize what she considered a complacent London bureau. To that end, a new bureau chief had been appointed. Marcy McGinnis was stirring things up over there.
    â€œWe’ll have two micks in London, now,” Yelena joked, heedless of political correctness.
    Mack McBride managed a smile. He knew full well that the president of the news division was aware that he and Eliza Blake were romantically involved, but Yelena did not bring up the subject. What was also left unsaid was something else they both knew. If Mack turned down the assignment, his career would never recover.

Chapter 9
    It was after eleven o’clock when Eliza finally tucked Janie into bed for the night. The child’s eyes closed immediately as her head hit the pillow. Smoothing Janie’s wispy brown hair back from her forehead, Eliza kissed the soft skin over her brow.
    â€œSleep tight, my sweet angel,” she whispered.
    Unbuttoning the jacket of her suit as she walked toward her own bedroom, Eliza reflected on what she had just done. She had signed a contract for a house more expensive than she had ever dreamed of buying.
    It wasn’t that she couldn’t afford it. She could. Her new contract took care of that. But she hadn’t grown up with money. Though Eliza had offered to buy them something larger, her parents still lived in her small childhood house in Newport, Rhode Island. She had gone to public schools and attended the in-state, affordable University of Rhode Island, double-majoring in journalism and political science. When people heard or read that she grew up in Newport, they assumed she had led a privileged life. They didn’t realize that Newport was packed with a lot of folks who struggled just to get by.
    Talent, hard work and some good professional luck had gotten her to this point.
    Eliza felt her stomach rumble as she hung her suit in the bedroom closet and remembered that she hadn’t eaten dinner. Pulling a nightgown over her head, she ignored the flashing red light of the answering machine on her bedside table, and headed down the hall to the kitchen.
    It was too late to eat a big meal, nor did she have the energy to fix one. She poured a bowl full of Janie’s Rice Krispies, sliced a banana and covered it all with milk. Taking her supper with her, Eliza walked back down the hall and gratefully sank onto her bed. After concentrating on three or four mouthfuls, she reached over and hit the button on the answering machine.
    â€œIt’s me. Call me when you get in. It doesn’t matter what time.”
    Mack’s voice sounded tense. Had the dinner with Yelena turned out to be a disaster? Mack’s contract was up for renewal. KEY News couldn’t be stupid enough not to resign him. But you never knew, they had been known to make some extremely dumb decisions in the past. Eliza punched in the number she knew by heart and braced