“LOVE NEVER DIES”

“Jim, this is Steward, we have got a black twenty year old girl that has been knifed to death. Get right to 102 Morning Glory Lane. We are sending the satellite truck and want a live report at six.”

“A.O.K.,” the reply was sent. A murder was nothing more than a routine assignment for Jim Black, the black thirty-five year old seasoned reporter at channel 12 for the past three years. But was this going to be just another routine assignment?

A quick change of clothes and a short drive to the crime scene Jim Black was always prepared to go on camera. The field crew was already there running cable and setting up equipment near the yellow roped off yard. A policeman wearing gloves was going over every inch of ground gathering up small samples and putting them in plastic bags.

“This is going to be a big story, Jim. Here’s the police report, and this lady was an eyewitness.” Speaking to the woman, “I’m Jim Black, may I ask your name and what you saw?”

“I’m Mary Stanton; I live down there in the third house on the other side. I had just come home from the store; I saw it all; it was bad.”

“Mary, please stand this way facing the street. We are going to tape your information. You won’t be on live; we won’t show your face or tell your name.” “Thank you Mr. Black; I’m still shaking. I can’t believe this happened to Patricia.”

“Unfortunately, it did. Now you will do fine, and it will be very helpful to get out the description of the man you saw.”

After taping the interview with the witness and writing some brief notes Jim and the tv crew were ready for the evening news telecast.

“Channel 12 news at six covering all of Montgomery, Smithfield, Hampton counties and the world. We begin tonight with a brutal stabbing on Morning Glory Lane. Jim Black is at the scene with the gruesome details.”

“At ten after four this afternoon Patricia Rice {photograph flashes up on the screen} a twenty year old waitress for the Old Country Inn was murdered in broad daylight in front of this house where she lived with her mother and two brothers who are not able to speak to us at this time. But there was one eyewitness who will tell us what happened.”