Page 33 of Cover Story

Shilpa

Is it not insane that he’s the married one and he’s got you acting like you don’t want this found out?

Bel

Honestly, it amazes me. I guess the thing is, if I made a formal complaint, it would be discovered by everyone we worked with in both cities, but not necessarily his wife. She nevercame to the office the whole time I was there, or any do. So 360 degree shame for me and probably nothing but a brag for him.

Shilpa

Ugh! I want him to get his arse served to him for this SO BADLY– who the fuck does he think he is?? OK, let’s lock in: what’s the goal, to stop him entering the office?

Bel

Ideally. Thought of getting in here makes me itch. All he’s doing is demonstrating I can’t have any space that’s safe from him.

She imagined his gloating, oily manner, the sense of danger, the skin crawl of him standing over her desk and Bel being forced to exchange pleasantries. Anthony doing whatever he could to hint at a special connection between them, while getting eyes on her co-workers for future email kompromat. Aaron twigging there was a story here, Connor’s silent disapproval.

Shilpa

If you’re using Aaron or Connor to get rid of him, tell them a lie about Anthony that motivates them to keep him out? You say journalists are always worried of getting scooped? Say he’s a rob dog?

Bel

That is GOOD. Thank you. X

Bel cleared her throat.

‘Erm, we’re going to get a caller downstairs in a bit, Ant from theYorkshire Post. Says he’s coming here to “introduce himself”. Except I already know him. Can one of you two get it, and tell him that a major incident’s kicked off and we’re too busy? He’s a proper snake. Always pinching ideas and passing them off as his own. He even got a reporter sacked once for following his suggestions then denying it.’

Bel indicated the whiteboard on the wall, covered in scrawls about the current story leads (the ones that could be freely shared) and helpful hints from Aaron like:DI CARTWRIGHT: RINSES YOU FOR KFC BUCKETS, BUT WON’T TELL YOU SHIT, AVOID.

‘He’ll be slyly ripping things from that or snitching its gossip, too.’

‘What’s he even coming in here for?’ Aaron said.

‘Classic Anthony move. Friendly hello pretext cos he knows me from somewhere else. Like letting a vampire over the threshold.’

‘Aye, well they have to be invited, don’t they? And I’m not inviting him.’

Bel had an ignoble notion that it wouldn’t hurt to present it as a little white knight quest for Aaron.

‘Exactly. Please block that cock. If you’re able– he’s extremely persistent.’

‘No worries. Consider it done, princess.’

She sensed Connor’s eyes on her and avoided his gaze.

When the buzzer went two hours later, Bel felt legitimately sick. Anthony was one floor away, and she had only Aaron’swillingness to oblige Bel standing between her and an encounter with Anthony, with witnesses.

‘This’ll be that wrong ’un,’ Aaron said, ‘Allow me.’

Bel pretended to be absorbed in her laptop screen in the silence that followed.

‘Was any of that true?’ Connor said, eventually.

‘What?’ Bel said, startled.

‘Your description of this man to Aaron.’

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