Page 69 of The Plot Twist

‘She is?! Tell meeverything.’

‘There’s this insta account, a publishing insider account? Like theGossip Girlof the book world.’ Allie had heard of it, had seen some of the posts before – calling out bad behaviour, suspect practices, evil corporate machines, the usual.

‘Right. Oh god, don’t tell me, the person behind it is actually Jake?’

‘What? No! Allie, that would be insane. He’s one of the prime targets of this account, not the instigator.’

‘Yeah, course.’ But Allie had already drifted off into a daydream where Jake was unmasked as the Dan Humphrey of the publishing world. Except without Serena Van Der Woodsen on his arm. In reality it wasn’t a very satisfying daydream, Allie would prefer one in which Jake got his comeuppance, rather than being outed as the outsider trying to instigate change.

‘Allie, are you listening to me?’

‘Yes!’ protested Allie. ‘Instagram,Gossip Girl. I’m all over this Verity.’

‘Hmm,’ Verity didn’t sound convinced. ‘OK, well anyway, I know the person who runs this account, and before you ask, don’t bother, I’m never going to disclose their true identity and I won’t say any more other than to tell you that you would be VERY surprised to find out who they really are.’

Allie didn’t think she actually would be. Other than Verity, her agent Mary Beth, who Allie could say with an absolute degree of certainty was not involved, and some of the sales and publicity people at Brinkman’s, she didn’t really know many people at all in publishing. So the only people she would be surprised to find out it was were Verity or Jake, which brought her back to her previous daydream.

‘Allie!’ It was as if Verity could read her thoughts. ‘Concentrate, this is the exciting bit. So, Tessa gets in touch with this “friend” of mine and tells her everything she knows about Jake. And Allie, it’s good, I mean obviously it’s not good, it’s completely horrific and he’s a terrible terrible man, but it’s exactly what we need to bring him down!’

‘But now what? What can we do with it now?’

‘She’s going to go public! Or as public as naming and shaming a publishing executive can get. Let’s be realistic, it’s not like the tabloids are going to be clamouring for the story. But my “friend” has persuaded Tessa that she needs to speak out and that if she does, lots of people will support her. We’ve already heard rumours that other people are ready to speak too, if Tessa does.’

‘Wow, that’s great.’

‘I know!’ Verity’s voice was breathless with excitement. ‘Tessa has asked for a meeting with the CEO of Brinkman’s, apparently it’s going to happen tomorrow! Which means… Allie?’ Verity’s tone switched. ‘Your wow, didn’t sound very WOW! What’s going on?’

‘Nothing, it’s great, I’m really thrilled for you.’

‘Right, well you should be. Because I’m hoping they’ll offer me my job back.’

‘Oh wow! I mean proper wow this time! Honestly Verity this is great news. I’m so thrilled for both you and Tessa.’

‘And what about you?’

‘What about me?’ Allie asked in confusion.

‘Allie, if I get my job back, it will mean I’ll be your editor again! We can work together on your new book!’

There was a long pause. ‘About that…’

‘About what?’ Verity’s voice tightened. ‘Allie?’ she said warningly. ‘I thought you said you were writing again? I thought you said we had nothing to worry about on that front.’

‘We don’t! I mean, we didn’t. I mean… I’m kind of back to square one,’ Allie admitted.

‘Explain to me, in publishing terms, what you mean by square one? Back at first draft stage? First read through? Needs more structural editing?’ Verity’s voice was now firmly on shrill mode.

‘I mean…’ Allie dropped her voice to shamefaced volume. ‘Back to an empty screen.’

There was a muffled scream and a clatter from the other end of the line.

‘Verity?’ Allie asked in concern. ‘Are you OK?’ Images swept through Allie’s mind of Jake Matthews having stumbled upon their clandestine, non-NDA-abiding conversation and wreaking his manic revenge.

‘Allie!’ screamed Verity, in a now very much not muffled tone. ‘You promised me! You promised me you were writing again. Oh my god, I thought we’d fixed everything. Tessa agreeing to do one on Jake Matthews, me maybe getting my job back. And then you go and drop this shitshell.’

‘Erm what’s a shitshell?’ Allie felt compelled to ask, knowing full well that she probably wouldn’t like the answer.

‘Like a bombshell,’ shrieked Verity angrily, ‘just stinkier and more messy. Exactly like this revelation you have just lobbed at me.’

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