In the newspaper offices, the reporter who had managed to beat the three friends was organizing his notes and talking with his photographer. He had to finish his mystery column as well as the other news he had gathered throughout the day.
After completing the most relevant news first, he focused on finishing the column "Echoes of Lies". This would be the third week he was writing it.
But this time, his approach had to be different, since he had failed to defeat them. He got up from his desk and went to pour himself some coffee. Lost in thought, he began humming a tune.
After pouring his coffee and returning to his workspace, he sighed and looked at the photographer. "What do you think I should arrange to make it appealing to the readers?"
The photographer smiled and replied, "Don't involve me in that, I take pictures; writing is your thing. Actually, I'm leaving now, good luck," and with that, he fist-bumped him and left the newsroom.
The reporter slumped over his desk and, with a groan, released his frustration. His gaze landed on a photo of his father.
The great reporter Theodore Lawrence, who had uncovered corruption in his city and brought it to light, had always received top coverage. During the war, he managed to interview high-ranking officials, went with the army, and documented every moment of his discoveries, covering and concluding the stories of many heroes.
He was named in the underground as "God of Law". A name his son want for myself, but there is no longer wars that could achieve an epithet like that.
Before he died, he spoke with his son Theodore jr., who at the time was only eighteen years old. He confessed that, in addition to being a reporter, he had been a spy, and that thanks to his work, he had helped win confrontations and support his country.
He also told him this words that stayed with him forever: "Whoever pursues the truth assumes the burden of spreading it and understanding it."
Theo always considered journalism the best job in the world because it allowed him to spread the truths of the world. But it wasn't always so simple.
When he started working, he realized progress was difficult. It wasn't just about appearing on television, giving interviews, or attending events as a guest. He struggled a lot to establish himself as a respected reporter.
He began his path as a crash reporter, covering suicides, altercations, blackmail, and murders. Many times he had to flee the scene because of the danger. But after three years, he moved up to other sections: local, regional, sports, social, and was about to join the national news. Still, Theo wasn't that interested in fame.
His passion awakened one day with the mysteries section, the paranormal. His hero, the great writer and undisputed queen of mystery Agatha Christie, inspired his love for detectives and the pursuit of truth.
Theodore chuckled to himself. "Finding the truth"... ironically, his mother was a baseball fan. Even though it was a surname, he decided to give himself a middle name: Ruth. Though it was a woman's name, it gave him a sense of extra meaning in his name.
Theo smiled again. "Mother... so lovely."
His full name ended up being Theodore Ruth Lawrence, son of American parents who had taken refuge in México.
Theo took the plaque the newspaper had made for his desk, which displayed his name abbreviated as T. instead of his surnames. He set the plaque aside, eagerly grabbed his notes, and began writing the column...