Page 63 of Not That Impossible

“—have ten minutes of your time to get an eyewitness account of—”

“Hey,” Ray said.

“Yes?”

“I am not giving any interviews. Now or ever. This whole thing is an absolute nightmare and I’m trying to put it behind me.”

“Oh.”

“Please don’t call again.”

“I wouldn’t, I—oh.” He’d hung up.

That didn’t go great. I thought for a moment, then dialled another number.

“Adam!” I said brightly.

“What’s up?” Adam said. “I’m at work, by the way. Keep it quick.”

“I need you to get me an interview with Ray.”

Adam snorted.

“Adam, c’mon.”

“Ray won’t talk to me after we kissed last night, you know that. In fact, me trying to set something up would guarantee he’d never talk to you. Call him yourself and ask nicely.”

“I did that two minutes ago. He said no.”

“Did he say anything else?”

“He said the whole thing is an absolute nightmare and he’s trying to put it behind him.”

“Hmm.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ll think of something else. I don’t want to make him go through it all again. He sounded pretty definite anyway.”

“I could still ask…?” Adam said reluctantly.

“Nah. No worries. Thanks, Adam.”

We said goodbye and I slouched back in my chair, swinging it from side to side thoughtfully.

What would Mrs Strickland do?

What would Ralph tell me to do?

What would Jasper the award-winning investigative journalist do?

He would get in his car, drive over to Ray’s, park in his drive—a bad-bitch power move—and march up to the front door.

He’d knock on the door with supreme confidence, charm his way inside, and proceed to ask insightful questions, such as…well, he’d have a notebook with the questions jotted down. He’d be ready. Because he was prepared. And a professional.

He’d grill Ray until Ray had told him absolutely everything (including how hereallyfelt about Adam) and then, once Ray was pumped dry of information, Jasper would leave him, shaken and unhappy, reliving his nightmare.

Jasper wouldn’t care, though, because he would have got the story, and—

Wow. Jasper the award-winning investigative journalist was a terrible human being.

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