While on hold, I glanced over at Bonnie’s face. Her eyes were wide, and her forehead was creased with worry lines. She looked like she’d just spotted the Grim Reaper heading her way. I shot her a sardonic smile as her boss took the call.
“Hello? This is Charlotte Chabot.”
“Hello Charlotte. Jack Bestia. I’m here with Bonnie Hamelin.”
“Yes. Hi Jack. How’s it going? Everything alright?” I could tell she was surprised by my call. She was about to be a whole lot more surprised.
“Not exactly.”
Bonnie’s expression fell into one of despair. She closed her eyes and shrank back into the chair.
“Oh? What’s going on?” Charlotte asked, the concern obvious in her voice.
“I’m afraid I’m going to need Bonnie to stay a bit longer,” I said. “The interview went great, but well… I made a mistake.”
Now Bonnie’s eyes popped open, and she sat forward again, listening intently.
“I let a few spoilers slip,” I continued. “It was careless of me, and I know it’s a lot to ask, but I don’t feel comfortable with Bonnie returning to New York just yet, knowing what she knows about the new book.”
“I’m sure Bonnie wouldn’t divulge confidential information,” Charlotte assured me. “I read our copy of the contract she signed about non-disclosure.”
“I know. I’m sure you’re right. But… after what happened with the Onyx-gate spoiler incident a few years back, I can’t help but feel leery about it. And I’m sure you read in the contract Bonnie signed that I’m well within my legal rights to require her to stay here until my editor’s deadline date. You’ll still get your article and any other work Bonnie needs to complete. Besides, it’ll give us a chance to do a more in-depth interview. Just imagine… instead of, ‘A Conversation With Jack Bestia,’ you could have, ‘A Month In Jack Bestia’s World.’ I’ll make sure she has everything she needs to work remotely from here.”
There was a moment of silence before Charlotte responded. “Just so I have this straight… you want her to stay at your house? For the next four weeks? Is Bonnie okay with this?”
“Of course. Here, I’ll let you speak with her.”
I offered the phone to Bonnie, who looked like she might be going into shock. I wasfairlyconfident she wouldn’t contradict my story. After all, I hadn’t told her boss about her snooping.
More importantly, I’d agreed to go ahead with the article. I had literally just saved her job.
Fumbling with the phone, Bonnie finally managed to bring it up to her ear.
“Yes,” she said woodenly. “Fine. Fine. Yes, he was great.”
Her eyes flashed up to mine. “Oh sure. I’m excited. It’s a great opportunity. And there’s plenty of room. I could do worse than living and working in a seaside mansion for a month.”
There was a long pause as she listened to whatever her boss was saying. Or asking. She shook her head, blushing and giving a weak laugh before answering.
“No. Nothing like that. Yes, okay I will.” Another pause. “All right, I’ll tell his staff to be on the lookout for the package. Okay. Thanks. Bye.”
She hit the button to end the call then stared up at me with stricken-looking eyes as she returned the phone to my hand.
“Why did you do that?”
I couldn’t help but smirk. “What?”
“Lie. Save my job. Tell her she’ll get the article from me. I thought you were going to sue if I printed a ‘single syllable.’”
I shrugged. “I decided it was in my best interest for the article to run—as long as you keep your word and don’t include anything about what you found up in my office.” I gestured around us. “You can work in here if you’d like.”
She looked around at the library she’d claimed to love so much, her expression a cross between hunger and despair.
“Charlotte is sending the books I’m supposed to read and review. But how am I supposed to write the reviews and the article if I’m not allowed to use my laptop?”
I walked over to the desk, opened the top drawer and withdrew a spiral notebook and a pen, tossing them onto the desktop without a word. Then I pulled her confiscated recorder from my pocket and handed it back to her.
“I’ll inform the staff about the new situation. Mrs. Potts will show you to your guest suite before she leaves for New York.” I turned and walked toward the library door then turned back. “And Bonnie… don’t try to escape, or your boss will get therealstory—in gory detail. I’m good at those, you know.”
