“So you’re suggesting I do it? Go along with the DEA agent and the CBI man and betray my friend?”

Frank rolled his eyes. “I’d say you’ve already betrayed him. At least it’s not as personal as screwing his girlfriend.”

I wished he hadn’t used quite so coarse a term to describe my betrayal. Not for my own self-respect, but for Sushmita’s honor. I didn’t want to think of what we were doing as screwing.

“Don’t quit on me, Dan,” he said. “I’m willing to give you some time to see if this pans out. To see if we can get a major story about drug smuggling and prostitution. Hell, that useless censor out there won’t have any objection to a story like this. He’ll wag his head and stamp it in triplicate.”

This was sudden. I’d gone into his office, ready to give up on my career but not willing to throw my lot in with Harlan, Ranjit, Birgit, and their devil’s bargain.

It wasn’t until after three that we came up for air. I’ll say this for Frank, he may have been an asshole and a panicker, but he was a good newsman. He knew what would sell. And he knew how to pitch a story, even to the poor sap who’d have to write it. Live it. Die doing it.

“Here’s how it’ll go,” he said, puffing his cigarette in my face. “I’ll blow a gasket and fire you in front of everyone. A big scene. That’ll give you cover for your DEA guy’s idea that you want to work for what’s his name? Willy. Why would he take you on if you still had a job here?”

“But I haven’t decided—”

“My God,” he said, ignoring me, positively beaming. “Dan, this is an opportunity of a lifetime for you.”

I asked myself if it weren’t also the same for him, but without the risk. In the end, I told him I needed to sleep on it. I wanted to consider what such a decision would mean for me, my career, and for Sushmita.

“I understand, Dan,” he said. “You go home and think it over. Then come back tomorrow, ready to be fired in front of the whole office.”

I must have looked terrified, because he tried to comfort me.

“Look, you were ready to quit. I’m offering you an opportunity here. And if you won’t play ball, either way you’re out of a job.”

MONDAY, JULY 28, 1975, 8:23 P.M.

I left the office undecided. I’d been ready to resign but not to be a snitch. Now I had some incentive to do exactly that. Frank’s proposal was a lifeline for my career, which probably would have ended if I’d quit. But it meant a lot of risk. To me and to my relationship with Sushmita.