Chapter 5
A Journalist's Instinct
Lina's editor, Jonas Valaitis, is cautious but supportive. He warns her about the dangers of investigating powerful figures, but Lina's determination to expose the truth is unwavering.
Lina’s heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs, a drumbeat of both excitement and apprehension. The small, cramped office of the Jurbarko Laikraštis felt both like a sanctuary and a cage. Sunlight, thick with dust motes, streamed through the grimy window, illuminating the stacks of old newspapers and the worn wooden desk that Jonas Valaitis, her editor, called his command center. He sat hunched over a pile of proofs, his brow furrowed in concentration, the faint scent of pipe tobacco clinging to the air like a comforting, familiar blanket.
“So, the Sodra cipher,” Jonas began, his voice a low rumble that always managed to cut through the general hubbub of the newsroom. He pushed his spectacles up his nose, his gaze sharp and assessing as he looked at Lina. “You’re still convinced there’s more to it than a simple announcement of an increased pension?”
Lina nodded, her fingers tracing the worn edges of the notepad on her lap. “More than just ‘more,’ Jonas. It feels… orchestrated. Like a carefully placed piece of bait.” She recounted the peculiar phrasing, the seemingly random numbers, the almost theatrical way the notice had been posted, as if daring someone to look closer. “It’s too neat, too… convenient. My gut tells me this isn’t just about giving people a bit more money.”
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