This story is the first I’ve read from Gwen. This read was well written and the storyline well thought out. Lloyd Palmer, a reporter for the Houston Ledger was dissatisfied with his mundane existence. The zeal he had when beginning his reporting career; waned due to the limits placed upon him by his bigot of a boss, Ed Jackson. Lloyd went from a non-existent lackadaisical reporter who was stuck in between the next black on black crime and something big. Lloyd worked faithfully in a job that he wasn’t fulfilled in until he was sent on a job where there was a kidnapping in the affluent part of the city. Lloyd wanted more than to be a lowly reporter good enough to cover only what was happening with the blacks in the city.
Ed, the editor at the Houston Ledger was not only arrogant but prejudiced. He refused to entertain topics that could bring a positive light to what was happening and that it wasn’t only the doom and gloom of blacks killing blacks or blacks kidnapping white babies for ransom. He went to great lengths to keep his foot on Lloyd’s neck but unbeknownst to him he was opening a window of opportunity for Lloyd.
While interviewing tenants in the nearby apartment building who may have heard or seen what could have happened the morning that the baby was reported missing; Lloyd knocked on the door of a distinguished man named Hamisi. He was a secretive man from Africa. Lloyd was intrigued by the mysterious nature of the gentleman and secretly decided to do an expose’ on his life and his culture. In the meantime, he worked to try and find out more about the Pauley baby kidnapping only to uncover with additional digging a baby boy buried in a shallow makeshift grave.
Lloyd became a star of sorts and had gained the notoriety that any reporter would dream of. Mainly it meant that Lloyd didn’t have to curb his enthusiasm for journalizing, but opportunity awaited him. His voice was one that now mattered, and humbleness thrust him into the hearts of many. There was only one problem, Ed, his boss. Jealousy and slave mentality roared to the degree that Ed would work to scare Lloyd off, make him get back into his place. Things would go too far and even Ed wouldn’t be ready for the turn things took that he orchestrated.
Reviewed by Lacha’ J.
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