"Dirty doings at the Star-Times," preached Overman. "It's frightening, isn't it? If you can't trust your fellow reporters, just who in the world can you trust? You see, it's not merely Crippens. There's an Anti-News cell here.
"They usually work in pairs, Darius. One to get the information, another to see that editorial policy is not carried out. Don't ask me why they do it. Mis-guided anarchistic tendencies, I suppose. The first member of the pair very often poses as a turncoat with some other newspaper."
"I don't get you."
"It's simple. That way, he can play two papers against each other and try to make them both wrong. In this case, she can. You see, Crippens' confederate is our number one co-respondent, Tracy Kent," Overman finished melodramatically.
"Tracy! That's incredible." Don't think, McLeod told himself. Don't think and let it show on your face. Just listen.
"At this moment, the World believes Kent is on their payroll. Kent keeps them informed of what's going on over here and draws two salaries. Crippens is her executioner. Crippens, for example, sees to it that Congressman Horner doesn't commit suicide."
Tracy had put two and two together with a blithe ease which had left McLeod wondering. Tracy had seemed to be aware of the alternative which Weaver Wainwright had offered him at the Fourth Estate. But Tracy hadn't balked because she was a loyal member of the Star-Times staff. She should have favored the plan, anyway, since it meant saving Crippens' life. But she hadn't favored it at all.
Because she'd held out hope for McLeod?
"How did you find all that out?" McLeod demanded.