Page 72 of Broken Lines

“I’m sorry, Mr. Garver, it’s just proving to be a more…” I frown. “Difficultstory than I expected.”

He grunts.

“Listen, Melody, you seem like a good kid, so I’m gonna level with you. I’m getting the inside scoop on a hot story involving Black Horizons getting back together and recording a new album.”

“Oh,wow, that’s awesome—”

“I’m gonna run it instead of your Havoc piece unless you get me something real, like yesterday.”

My mouth twists.

“Oh. Yeah, okay, I—”

“Just so I’m being clear, Melody,” he grunts. “Without this piece, you don’t work here.”

My heart sinks.

“Sorry kid. That’s the industry.”

I nod glumly.

“So, unless you’ve gotanything—”

“I found him,” I blurt.

Chuck chokes on something.

“Thefuckdid you say?!”

“I…I found him.”

“YoufoundJackson fucking Havoc?!”

My lip catches in my teeth. Why does telling Chuck feel like I’m doing something wrong? Like I’m spilling a secret I’m not supposed to?

“Where?”

“I…” I clear my throat. “I’d rather not say.”

I’m not an idiot, and Chuck is an obvious shark. I’m also acutely aware that I haven’t actually signed anything about working at Ignition, I just have Chuck’s verbal “you’re hired”.

The second I tell him where I found Jackson, there’s nothing to stop him from hanging up and getting someone else up here to finish it off.

He chuckles.

“A bitter, seasoned journalist already. I like it. You got proof?”

“I do, yeah.”

“What kind of proof?”

I suck on my teeth before lightening hits me.

“Pictures. A couple of them.”

I grab my bag and dump it out across the bed. I deleted the pictures I took from my camera roll, but not from the trash folder.

“Pictures? You’re fucking shitting me!” Chuck wheezes gleefully. “Of Havoc himself?”

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