Page 34 of Rumors in Bayberry
“TheRumor Quill.”
She nodded.“Yes, that.You really enjoy it?”
“I do.When I was growing up, my father worked at the newspaper, so I spent time at the newspaper office.It wasn’t so different from your office.Anyway, I had just finished college when I got the news that the paper was shutting down unless someone bought it.I couldn’t save my hometown paper, but I was determined to save the other national treasures.In each paper, pieces of small town life are recorded.I couldn’t let that go.”
“And so you came up with theRumor Quill?”
“It didn’t happen overnight.Far from it.But I knew I wanted to combine the past and the future, making it so one couldn’t exist without the other.”
They came to a stop in front of the door to her apartment.She turned to him.“I just have one more question: how did you come up with the name for it?”
“That, too, took some time to sort out.But who doesn’t want to hear a rumor?There’s just this curiosity to find out what’s going on.And the quill part is to pay homage to the past.I don’t know.Now that I’m trying to explain it to you, it sounds corny.”
“No, it doesn’t.”There was no longer any anger in her eyes.
“I shouldn’t take up any more of your time.By the way, what interview are you doing this time?”
She paused as though weighing whether to tell him or not.“I decided before I left the paper…for the last time…” There was a distinct pause.“I wanted to do a special piece.”
“Well, I’m even more curious now.”He really was interested.He had a feeling it didn’t matter what subject she chose—her words would make it special.
“I’m going to do a follow-up piece to the pig that adopted the duckling.”
“Really?I loved that piece.Actually, it’s the article that drew me to theBayberry Gazette.It was trending on social media.Are they still together?”
“I actually don’t know.That’s what I’m going to find out.”She checked the time on her smart watch.“And if I don’t leave now, I’m going to be late.”
“Can I go with you?”The words were out of his mouth before he realized he was pushing his luck.
She arched a brow.“You liked the article that much?”
He nodded his head.“I did.”
“Well then, don’t just stand there.We have to go.My car is out back.”She led the way.
As he followed her, he couldn’t tell if she was still angry with him or not.He hoped that he would be able to work his way back into her good graces.He was certainly going to do his best to win her over.
Chapter Twelve
Whyhadsheagreed?
Sadie was mentally kicking herself for inviting him along on her interview.She had been planning to enjoy it.And now Reed’s presence would put a damper on it.After all, he was trying to buy her family’s paper.
But keeping the paper meant giving up her career as a foreign correspondent and settling down in Bayberry permanently.Was that something she wanted?
Her teenage-self would have saidno way.She couldn’t wait to make tracks out of town as soon as she graduated high school.She’d earned a scholarship to Northwestern University in Illinois and even though she had to work for her board, she was willing to do it.She hadn’t been willing to pass up a chance to go to the prestigious school for a journalism degree.
But her adult-self had to ask herself if she was still willing to put herself in harm’s way to give a voice to those who were muted by war—by a dictator—by horrific circumstances.She’d always believed her main job was to give wings to the truth.Had that changed?
The fact that she was asking herself these questions bothered her.Until this point in her life, she’d prided herself on knowing what she wanted and going after it.Since her father’s heart attack, she was questioning everything.
The one thing she knew was that her father could no longer run the paper.As much as she wished it was otherwise, the paper was going to change.Hence the question about whether she should take it over or bite back her objections to it being sold to Reed.
Maybe it would help if she knew more about theRumor Quill.She’d seen it advertised online, but honestly, she had been too busy to investigate it.Now she was wishing she’d taken time to look into it.
As she drove toward the Anderson farm, she said, “So, tell me about theRumor Quill.”
“What would you like to know?”
