Page 75 of Not That Impossible

Ralph wiggled the mouse and his computer screen lit up. He sucked his teeth. “I dunno, Jasper. It’s half one. I’ve got the weekly issue all laid out and good to go to the printers…”

“I’ve got new information that Mrs Strickland didn’t get.”

“What?” Ralph sat forward.

I shook my head at him. “What’s the deadline? What’s the latest you can hold off?”

He looked at me. “Four,” he said abruptly. “Think you can turn it around?”

I nodded at once, even while I was still doing the calculations. Oof, that’d be cutting it fine. “I’m thinking it should go on the front page,” I said.

If you’re gonna go for it? Go hard.

“Let me see the pictures.” He gestured for me to hand over my phone.

I unlocked it, swiped to the album, and passed it across the desk.

“Eh,” he said. “Be better if it was a dead body, or Underwood. Or better yet, Underwoodwitha dead body. These will do.” He handed the phone back. “Your screen’s cracked,” he said.

“I know. I dropped it. Don’t worry about it.”

Ralph drummed his fingers on the desktop, then flattened his hands. “Do it,” he said. “Write me an article. Five hundred words.”

I punched the air. “My first commission!”

“Nope. Nuh-uh. Not a commission.Permission.”

I scowled.

“Send it over before four and I’ll have a look at it. If it’s good enough, it’ll be in the paper tomorrow.” He stared at me. “What are you waiting for? Shoo.”

“Yes!” I jumped up and stuffed my phone into my back pocket.

“Text me the photos. Email the article by four. No later.”

“Consider it done.”

* * *

Deep breath in.Deep breath out.

Deep breath iiiiiiiiiin.

Deep. Breath. Oooooooout.

The article, which I’d thought would be so easy to write when I was interviewing Kevin and Craig, was refusing to cooperate.

But!

There was no need to panic.

And I wasn’t panicking.

Maybe if I wasn’t sitting here at my computer doing my calming breathing exercises, I would be. But I wasn’t. Because I was breathing, and I was calm.

I’d texted the photos as soon as I got in. I’d grabbed myself a protein shake and two bars, and the fruit bowl for good measure, kicked off my shoes, and rushed straight to the computer.

That was about as far as I’d got in an hour.

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