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“Are we clear on everything, Ella?”
I nod.
Dr. Bailey smiles but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes this time. “There’s just a small procedure we need to do to ensure the efficacy of the new meds. If you’d like to roll up your sleeve as high as it will go, I can perform it here and now with a quick shot of local anesthetic.”
* * *
When I get backto the office an hour later, there’s an undercurrent of panic coming from each desk and cubicle. Even the news channels on the screens overhead have been muted.
Swinging into my chair, I ball up a piece of paper and chuck it at Ivy to get her attention. She’s on the phone and stuck on hold if her bored expression is anything to go by. “What’s going on?” I hiss, handing her a Starbucks cup which she takes mouthing, “thank you, I love you, but this better be what I think it is.”
After taking a sip and sighing in satisfaction, she presses the mouthpiece to her shoulder. “The Eaglejust got bought out by some mega rich businessman. He’s bought out the whole of theWinslow StarGroupapparently.”
“Are you serious? Are they shutting down the paper?” My heart lurches.
She shakes her head. “Not yet, but they’re restructuring. Rob’s in a meeting upstairs with the new team now. If he comes back down wearing his once-in-a-lifetime frown, you know we’re all fucked...” She sits up with a jolt as her call connects. “Yes, hello, this is Ivy Sanchez fromThe New YorkEagleand I was wondering if you could give… Asshole,” she snarls, as the caller hangs up on her. “Speaking of assholes, I need to grill you about your hot Colombian kidnapper fromHeliosyesterday. Your text stopped me calling the cops, but my imagination was still rioting. Tell me honestly, did you know that guy?”
“Yes, briefly when we were kids.” I pretend to flick through my notebook as Ivy splutters into her Pumpkin Spice Latte.
“Er, excuse me. Back up for a moment there, Ella Miller. You totally omitted to mention that youbrieflyknew the elusive hotelier, Edier Grayson, yesterday when we were checking out his flagship hotel on a suspected murder story.”
“I-I didn’t know he’d be there,” I admit, wishing to God he hadn’t been. His words still sting, and my knee is still aching.
“Has he always been an arrogant fuck, or can we blame the botched personality transplant for that? Where did he take you on his express elevator, anyway? Heaven or hell?”
“Definitely hell,” I mutter, making her eyebrows shoot up. “I didn’t get anything out of him about the suicides, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“I take it we’re still banned fromHelios?”
“Yep, definitely still banned.”
“Damn.” She makes a face. “At least we have the forensics source. We’re meeting him in a bar later this week after work. Rob’s still intrigued to see where it leads, so we’re back on the story.”
Just then, a deathly hush falls over the floor as our Editor-in-Chief walks in, making a beeline for his office and avoiding all eye contact.
The first thing I notice is his tie and suit jacket. As someone who jokes on the regular about a creased white shirt, open collar, and rolled up sleeves being the only uniform required for newspaper editing, this is pretty seismic already.
Reluctantly, my eyes flick to his face, but Ivy’s already cursing and confirming what I’ve suspected. His usual air of fun and ebullience is gone, replaced by the frown we’re all fearing. Even his steps are heavy and dragging, like some ten-ton disaster is weighing them down.
It’s bad.
Really bad.
And then I notice the aloof, unsmiling woman sashaying behind him, and ‘bad’ takes a turn for the very worst. She’s not wearing red leather today, but it’s the only color I’m seeing.
How dare he. How bloody dare he.
I know exactly who’s bought the paper… What I don’t know iswhy.
19
ELLA
Before I can stop myself,I’m out of my seat and walking toward the elevator.
Pressing the call button a couple of hundred thousand times, I hear the hasty scrape of a chair behind me as one of my bodyguards, Rodrigo, rushes over. He’s been loitering in the reception area pretending to read National Geographic, and if he sticks around for the next twenty minutes, he’ll get to see another prime example of just how ruthless nature can be.
He moves up alongside me, and I glare his questioning look away.
