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“What? Hell, no,” said Levi, who actually sounded surprised she asked. “At least not today. I’ve been talking to everyone individually, though. The paper is in trouble financially. We’re probably going to be having to let people go. There are those who say last in, first out—”
“And I was the last reporter hired, you can’t fire anyone else. We’re already barebones.” Quinn stood up. “I really appreciate the opportunity you gave me. I’m not sure anyone else would have done so. If I could get a reference from you, that would be great.” Quinn turned to walk away. She really didn’t want to cry in front of Levi.
“Done being a martyr?” he asked sarcastically. “If you’re done having your say, how about we let me have mine?”
Quinn turned back and sank gracefully into the seat.
“That’s better. I know what people think, but I also know who my strongest reporters are. We’ve got enough money to see us through the next three to four months. If I can find an angel investor before then, we’re home free, but I need this paper to be turning out the best stories—the ones no one else can get—to drive up circulation and advertising, or to entice someone to invest in the paper.”
“Do you have anyone in mind to invest?”
“Not yet, but I’m working on it. But between now and then, I need your absolute best pieces. Not you, but a couple of the others have been turning in puff pieces. While those have their spot, the Gazette is known for its hard news—news that affects people’s lives. News that gives them the information they need.”
“I try,” Quinn said, feeling the hardened, swirling mass of emotion in her gut begin to dissipate.
“And you succeed. While Roosevelt likes to confront a story subject head on, you have far more finesse and don’t even mind a bit of subterfuge. I always think he gets it done faster, but you get it done better. Your commitment to seeking the truth rivals my own, but I can’t let my personal feelings get involved. Each of you has been given the challenge: by the end of April or before you need to wow me to keep your job. After that, unless I get an angel investor, I’m going to be looking at letting one, if not two reporters go, and it will not be based on seniority. It will be based very heavily on the quality of the work, with a little bit of quantity.”
“Thanks for the opportunity, Levi. I won’t let you down.”
“You’d better not. All of the reporters are on the chopping block, and nobody is safe.”
“I can handle that. I’ve got a bit more to do on the irregularities of the last defense contract that was awarded. Then I’ll go find something really exciting, important, and sexy.”
Levi grinned. “From anyone else, I would think that was a boast or ego talking, but I don’t doubt you for one minute. I’d like to be the paper you’re working for when you win the Pulitzer. Don’t let me down, Forrester; I’m counting on you.”
Quinn practically skipped back to her desk. At least she had a shot at keeping her job.
“So, the old man is favoring the cute chick with the great ass,” said Dave.
“That’s enough, Dave,” said Roosevelt angrily.
“Not to worry, Rosie. Dave’s just pissed because whoever leaves will be chosen based on their work, not on some arbitrary reason.”
“Well, I’ve already got something up my sleeve,” Dave said with a belligerent tone.
“Ah yes, but is it any good? Is it as good as my defense contract bidding piece? That shit is illegal, and hard-working taxpayers get tired of the people who work for the government or military taking advantage of their positions. Heads are gonna roll,” Quinn taunted.
“I’ll bet you thought that when you took a big swing and a miss at the Comptroller in New York,” snarked Dave.
“Knock it off, Dave,” said Rosie. “She’s paid for that mistake a hundred times over. The biggest difference I see between you and her is Quinn just keeps getting better and better, while your drinking and laziness are beginning to edge you toward the long slow slide to the end of your career.”
Quinn laid her hand on Rosie’s shoulder. “It’s okay. Dave is who he is and is going to do what he’s going to do. I say we all do our best and let the cream rise to the top. In the end, the Gazette is going to keep going forward and being the best small press in the United States. Nobody is better than us at what we do. Dave can either be a part of that and work his ass off to write stories that help increase subscription and advertising rates, or he can kiss his job goodbye. I, for one, am going to write the best piece of my career. And just because the story on the defense contract is going to shake them up over there, it won’t be the one I work on for this. I’m writing for my life and for that of the paper, as well. I am honoring the man who chose to give me a second chance when he didn’t have to.”
Rosie chuckled. “Hasn’t he told you when that whole scandal broke, he was so upset? When he heard you’d come to New Orleans, he was on a mission to get you back into journalism. Girl, you never had a chance. That good ole boy in there is the best fucking editor, not to mention publisher, any of us will ever have a chance to work for.”
Quinn wasn’t afraid of competition—in fact, she thrived on it. Not even the kind of dirty-dealing, back-stabbing competition Dave would bring to the table was going to get in her way. She could write circles around Dave on his best day even if she was hungover. Nah, Quinn knew this was her game to lose, and she had no intention of doing so.
But the question remained—what was the story that would give her the win?
CHAPTER3
BODIE
The great beast within him stretched, yawned, and opened his eyes. Bodie Lambeau could feel the warm body lying next to his. She wasn’t his fated mate, but his elusive prey was close. He could feel her presence. She was somewhere in the City of New Orleans, and she would be his. Before the close of Mardi Gras this year, he would claim his fated mate. He could feel it in the depths of his soul.
“Good morning, Bodie,” purred the she-cat next to him.
It was all he could do not to toss her out on her pretty backside. A backside he had taken great delight in spanking to a fiery red. Larisa needed a mate and needed one badly. She was beautiful enough that any tiger would be proud to call her his own, but she was not Bodie’s fated mate. He knew that as well as she did.
