Page 98 of My Rock Star Neighbor
My phone rings, and I click yes, thinking it’s Nick calling to respond to the GIF.
“Is this Maddie Hughes?”says a voice.It’s not someone I recognize.Great.Someone wants to sell me something.
“I’m afraid you have the wrong number,” I say.
“Do I?”the voice says.It’s a squeaky, high-pitched AI voice.“I know that you met Demoraux and you’re working on a story about corruption in the Infrastructure Department.I have more information than Demoraux.I can tell you which deputy commissioner was responsible for paying Demoraux.”
My eyes widen, and I put the phone on speaker so Bella can hear it as well.The voice is jarring compared to the message.
“I also have your fake-dating contract,” he says.
The contract!
“I’m sorry, but I don’t think meeting you would be safe for me,” I say.Nick would be so proud of me.Even if it does sound like I’m talking to a three-foot-tall cartoon character that I can definitely take.
“I thought you would risk all for a story,” he says.
Chills go through my body.I once said that.Did he google me?Is he tracking me?I survey the coffee shop, but Bella and I are the only customers here this morning.
I don’t reply.I don’t know what to say.Turns out I’m not willing to risk it all?I can’t say the truth:Not when I don’t have to, because I know Ward is taking corrupt payments from Beatrice.
“Kill the story, or I’ll publish your fake-dating contract,” says the squeaky voice.
“What will that get you?”I ask.
“People won’t believe your article.They’ll know you’re a liar.”
I’m not a liar.I’m a journalist.
“Because I signed a contract to date Nick for a few months?I doubt it.”My voice sounds stronger.Sure.More certain than I feel.“Why haven’t you published it already?”
“To exchange the fake-dating contract for your article,” the voice says.“We can’t have the Infrastructure Department tarnished with a story about corruption.”
But I need this story even more now if the fake-dating contract is about to be published.
“Is it a deal?”asks the squeaky voice.
“I need to think it over,” I say.
The line goes dead.There’s silence at the other end.
Bella and I stare at each other.
“I bet that was Ward,” I say.“He must have figured out that we intercepted that letter.”
“You should tell the police about this call.”
“I need to talk to our paper security first, because this is definitely connected to my investigation,” I say.“I need to get my article out before the fake-dating contract is published and to meet with Ward to ask him if he has any comment on the story.It’s ready to go, except for whether he has a comment.And I still don’t know if the others are involved.But if I talk to him, maybe I can get him to reveal that.”
“You’re going to meet him in person?”Bella asks.
“Yes,” I say.“I have to let him know that I’m working on an article and ask him if he has any comments in response.If we publish without giving him a chance to comment, we have legal liability.And I need to talk to Nick because I promised him that I would be careful.But Ward might reveal if Pommer and Galliano are in on it and who Hammer Man is.I want him behind bars.”
That afternoon, as I curl up on my couch, Sherlock purring next to me, I replay the conversation over in my head.He has the contract.There’s nothing I can offer him that will stop him from revealing it.I will publish this story.That means our fake-dating contract will be public.
It’s going to be horrible.I can see the comments now:“I knew he wasn’t really interested.”And they’re not going to believe us now when we say we’re dating.But if we break up now, MusEn is right that it will be less of an event.How can fans get too excited over the revelation that Nick fake dated me if we have broken up?It’s already over.Why would they bother attacking me?
And of even more importance is my career as a reporter.The trolls are going to have a field day with the fact that I am supposed to tell the truth.We should break up now and preempt the attack.Ishoulddo it for my career.I’ve worked so hard, and this story should be the ticket to the promotion.I feel sick to my stomach.But I like Nick so much.More than like.I love Nick.I will never love anyone like I love Nick.
