The Photo editor was on the phone, his feet on the desk, throwing a yo-yo. After a while, he hung up. “What you got?” The yo-yo was still going.

“You have good eyes?” she asked him.

“No.”

She nodded.

“But I tell you who does. Your boss. Mr. Stanley over there.” He motioned affectionately to the Metro Desk. He picked up his phone’s receiver, dialed, and invited Stanley over. There was talking and laughing, and Vera getting impatient. Finally, Stanley lowered his eyes to the light table and after a few seconds said, “Sure. MECS.”

“MECS?”

“Can you perhaps blow this up for us?” Stanley asked.

“Do it to it,” said the Photo editor, picking up the photo and handing it to a Photo aide. “Get thee the digital input from this scrap. Download, send to Miss Veracious, and behold, all shall become known to us.”

Adam had had no idea. Martina had left his office. She was probably on the elevator now. He hoped she was. Though, given the shape she was in, she could very well be in the restroom. He put his hands over his face, his fingertips in his eyes, and pressed until he got the spangled black that was what his eye could see of his eyelid. He had missed it. Missed it and missed it and missed it. And from what she said, everyone but Adam Sanger knew.

It was inconceivable to him. Even now, knowing, he didn’t want to know. He would be going over his contribution to it for months—though, to her credit, she had not said he ever did anything to encourage—He stopped in mid-thought. He heard a sound. It was around eleven. The desk was gone, all the reporters, just the copy editors left. Was she at the door? Had he missed her knock? He was dazed, absolutely not thinking clearly. He waited.

“Yes?” he said this like a child, timid.

Nothing.

“Anybody there?”

Suddenly, more than anything, he hoped it was Stanley. It was only eleven, so Stanley was still here. He got up quickly and opened the door—to no one. Fast, he closed it, and, after locking it, stood still for a count of ten.

He edged his way along the plaster wall and looked out the glass wall. He saw Stanley’s desk, but not Stanley.