Hidden - Laura Griffin Page 0,95
she pivoted the screen so he could read what she had so far. The other two articles were almost finished. The first laid out Granite Tech’s secret effort to compile the largest privately controlled faceprint database in existence, through legal and illegal means. The second story focused on Lucinda and the personal motive behind her obsession. The third story detailed the dangerous consequences of Granite Tech’s massive information raid.
Bailey rubbed her eyes. She’d been working nonstop for two days, corralling sources and nailing down details, and she was running on fumes.
“I keep tinkering with the lede,” she said.
“Is this your working headline? Witness Protection Program Compromised with Help of Local Company?”
“It’s just a placeholder.”
“It’s too passive. How about, say . . . Woman in the Crosshairs after Data Breach?”
“That’s better, but Max will still change it.” Bailey quickly made the change as Nico read over her shoulder.
“This is looking good,” he said. “You need more about the murder here in Austin, though. You should add a quote from one of the investigators.”
“I’m working on it.” Bailey rubbed a kink in her shoulder. “No one wants to go on the record.”
“Don’t you have a friend over at APD? That detective? Merritt?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
Her stomach knotted as she thought of Jacob. They’d parted on chilly terms yesterday. She’d left him three messages since then, and he hadn’t returned her calls.
“Here.” She closed out of her article and opened the day-one story, which was in the final stages. “Work in your quote. Put it somewhere near the top.”
Nico checked his notepad and added the quote. Together, they read through the first few grafs and saved it.
“Think it’s ready?” he asked.
“Yeah. Max wants it tonight so he can run it by the legal department first thing tomorrow.” Bailey wrote him a quick note and attached the article. “Okay, here we go.” She took a deep breath and hit send.
“Wow.” Nico looked at her. “That’s the biggest story I’ve ever worked on.”
“Me too.”
He gave her a fist bump. “It feels good, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah.” She checked her watch and blew out a sigh. “I didn’t realize how late it was, though. I need to get home.” And she had to swing by Stop-N-Save before it closed for the night.
Bailey left money on the table to cover her bill and followed Nico out of the pub. It was hot and muggy outside, and her legs felt stiff from sitting in the booth for three hours. The street in front of the bar was dark and deserted.
Nico turned to look at her, and the troubled frown on his face made her pause.
“What?” she asked.
“I’m sorry I doubted you,” he said. “Earlier. When I accused you of poaching.”
“Forget it.”
He shook his head. “That was a dick thing to say. I’ve been stressed out lately with all the layoffs and everything. I always feel like I’m about to get axed.”
“I understand. Forget about it.”
He nodded, looking relieved. “Well. Thanks for sharing a byline. I think this series is going to make an impact.”
“We can only hope.”
He looked up and down the street. “You need a ride?”
“I’ll walk.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah, I’ve got to stop at the store, anyway.”
“Okay, see you in the office, then.”
He crossed the street to his dinged black hatchback, and it took him two tries to get it started. Bailey watched him pull away.
She set off down the street. Up ahead, the glow of a Lone Star beer sign told her the corner store was still open. She’d come home from her trip to an empty fridge and a cranky cat that held a grudge. This morning she’d fed him tuna for breakfast.
She checked her watch again and clutched her computer bag close as she hurried down the sidewalk.
Jacob still hadn’t called. An ache spread through her chest as she thought back to yesterday. The drive to the airport had been tense and quiet. And when they’d parted ways in Austin, he’d been agonizingly polite.
Drive safely. Best of luck with your article.
She wished he’d yelled at her and gotten it out of his system so they could move on.
Bailey glanced up at the moon. It peeked out from behind wispy gray clouds. She remembered how peaceful it had looked at Jacob’s house the other night.
Was he there right now, maybe watching a ball game or sanding out his frustration on his bookshelves? She understood that he was angry. But it wasn’t for the reason that she’d expected. He hadn’t been upset that she had helped Tabitha skip town.