Page 61 of On a Deadline

Jamie laughed softly, glancing toward Tilly to make sure they hadn’t noticed.

Tilly was loading cases into the trunk. “Everything good?”

“Yeah,” Jamie said quickly. “Just Erin.”

Tilly shut the trunk with a thud. “Of course it is.”

Jamie rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. Her phone buzzed again.

I’m being pulled into something messy. Not official yet, but it’s coming. I shouldn’t say more. I just… thought of you.

Jamie blinked at the screen. Erin never texted things like that. She never said anything that could sound like a confession.

Her reporter brain lit up immediately. Curiosity, instinct, all of it. But the rest of her felt still. Erin wasn’t feeding her information. She was reaching out.

You don’t owe me details. But thanks for trusting me with that.

Don’t make me regret it.

Wouldn’t dream of it. Also, please tell me you’ve eaten something besides coffee today.

Coffee and a protein bar count.

Barely.Hydration?

Technically yes. I’m sipping water right now just so I can tell you that.

You’re impossible.

You like me that way.

Touché.

You’re bossy.

You like it.

A pause, then:

Yeah. I do.

Jamie’s stomach flipped. She stared at the screen until Tilly nudged her. “We done here?”

“Yeah.” She pocketed her phone. “Let’s get back.”

The drive was quiet. Jamie watched the city roll past through the windshield, lights flickering on in shop windows as the day stretched into evening. When they hit the station lot, she finally exhaled.

Inside, she edited fast. Cut the interview, stitched in her standup, cleaned the sound. It aired cleanly during the five o’clock block, the kind of harmless story that filled airtime without stirring anyone up.

Her phone buzzed again.

Thanks for not pushing earlier.

Comes with the territory.

You always have to be a reporter, huh?

Pretty much. But I’m also me.