“Right. That’s next week’s lead story. What about this week?” He scanned faces, and Max’s heart sank when no one spoke up. “Nothing?” Mike said, irritation coating his words. “Continue. What are you working on?” He pointed at the various reporters.
Some stammered through their replies, while others spoke with more confidence. None of the ideas was attention-grabbing, apart from a story about the vandalized statues in the town square.
“The scandal involving the cake baking competition at the local agricultural show is what we want,” Mike said. “But it’s not necessarily page one stuff.”
“Someone spotted Allan Briggs, the football player, in town,” Sally, another junior reporter, said. “Rumor is he wasn’t with his new wife.”
“Excellent. Follow that up,” Mike said.
“There’s also speculation going around regarding the swingers at the squash club. They don’t go there to play squash but to swap partners,” their one photographer added.
Lucy, the blonde reporter who’d called him to the meeting, cleared her throat. “My sister swears she saw a dragon last weekend. She’d been drinking, but she took a photo of sorts.”
Mike’s eyebrows shot upward. “A dragon? You are kidding me.”
“Ah, no.” Lucy produced her phone and thumbed through several apps. “My sister sent me a photo.” She extended the phone to Mike, who peered more closely.
“It’s not a clear photo.”
“No,” Lucy agreed.
“Where did she see the dragon?”
“At the beach. She and a group of friends had a barbecue on the sand. My sister was the only one who snapped a photo.” Lucy hesitated before speaking again. “As I said, they were drinking and knowing my sister’s friends, there were drugs involved.”
“Make discreet inquiries,” Mike said. “Learn if anyone else saw the dragon. It might spark local interest, and a story like this will offer the buzz I’m after. A monster to rival the one at Loch Ness.”
“We could do a series on local dragon lore,” someone suggested. “To supplement the sighting. Maybe use dragons as the theme for the kid’s corner?”
“Now you’re buzzing,” Mike said with approval. “Which beach was it where your sister saw the dragon?”
Max barely refrained from rolling his eyes. Dragons? What next? Flying saucers and aliens?
“Near Bamburgh,” Lucy said. “The beaches are quiet during this time of the year. Not too many holidaymakers wander the sands.”
“Bamburgh?” Mike’s gaze speared to Max. “That’s near you, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Max agreed. “Although I haven’t spotted anything out of the ordinary.”
Mike stood and paced to the door and back. “When you get home after you’ve turned in the story you’re working on, go for a few evening walks.”
“I’m heading home tomorrow,” Max said.
“No,” Mike said. “I want you to finish your current article first and start on your next. If we’re not pumping out stories, this paper will die a quick death, and we’ll all lose our jobs. Understood?” His gaze nailed Max in place.
“Yes, of course,” Max murmured, not having an option but to agree. His mind slid to Noel, and the gorgeous Sasha and his stress levels ratcheted up another notch. Had he made a wise decision the previous evening? Or had he let his libido lead him around like a fool?
The meeting broke up, and Max returned to his small office. Finishing the story meant staying away from Noel for longer. Placing greater trust in Sasha. No matter how attractive she was or how amenable to minding Noel, essentially, she was still a stranger.
His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out to check the screen. His grandmother. Oh, joy. The temptation to ignore the call almost got to him, but it would only put off the inevitable.
“Hello, Grandmother,” Max said coolly.
“Max, you didn’t tell me you were engaged,” his grandmother said.
Max groaned silently and pulled a face at the phone. One guess who’d told his grandmother. “We’re not exactly on good terms at present. I didn’t think my private life was pertinent to our interactions.”
“You should have told me you’ve left your fiancée in charge of Noel,” his grandmother said in a crisp voice.
