Read Online A Little Knowledge by Emma Newman - Free Book Online

and revulsion that was rapidly replaced with a professional smile. She stood and held out her hand. “Max?”
    “Yes.”
    “Hi.” She pulled an empty chair on wheels over from a nearby cubicle and put it near to hers. “Sit down, Max. How can I help you?”
    “I’d like to ask you some questions about the article you wrote about the trade unionists.” When she looked at him blankly, he added, “The ones who disappeared over the last century. It’s the first in a series about people going missing from Bath and surrounds.”
    She leaned back in the chair, frowning. “I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about. Perhaps you got the wrong newspaper?”
    “This is the Herald ?”
    “Yes.”
    “And you are Nita Singh: [email protected]?”
    “I am. But I didn’t write an article about any trade unionists. I’m afraid there’s been some sort of mistake.”
    Max pulled the newspaper from where it was tucked under his arm and showed her the page, pointing out her name and email address. Her frown deepened.
    “I don’t understand. This is this week’s edition. It must be some sort of error….Could you just wait here a moment? I need to speak to my editor.”
    She took his copy with her, striding off to a corner of the room with glass walls partitioning it off from the larger space.
    Max pulled the Sniffer from his pocket, palming it until he was sure that no one was watching. It didn’t look anything like the old one, which resembled a small clockwork gramophone. Rupert’s device was a rectangular stick of plastic, about the size of a packet of chewing gum, and seemed too light to be of any use. Keeping his hands tucked in his lap and remaining as still as possible, he touched the two small nubbins on either side of the small rectangle. It started to vibrate, but if it made any noise, it was lost in the room’s hubbub. A tiny orange light flashed in the corner of one of the larger rectangular surfaces. When it turned a solid green, Rupert had told him, it was done. It worked on the same principle as Ekstrand’s device did, sucking in air to detect any residue of Fae magic, but without any need for winding up. He supposed batteries were involved. As long as it did the job, he didn’t care.
    Nita soon returned, the frown even more pronounced and her steps hurried. She sat at her desk without saying a word and began typing on the computer. “I don’t understand,” she muttered.
    Something new appeared on the screen. Max read it over her shoulder, committing it to memory. It was a list of photographs and what they featured—including the one of his father and the others in the article—a summary of a conversation, and the name and address of someone listed as the source.
    Nita swivelled round to face him and he looked away before she noticed he’d been staring at the screen. “I’m so sorry, Mr…Max. I have no recollection of writing this piece but the notes and source details are in the database. We have to keep this in case anything is challenged or there’s legal action. The entry says I entered all the details last week and my editor says she had a conversation with me about it but…but I can’t remember any of it.”
    She handed the newspaper back to him.
    “I was hoping you’d be able to tell me more about one of the photographs. Did you get it from a local historian? Someone I could speak to instead?”
    She turned back to the screen and scrolled down. “According to the entry in the database they’ve asked to remain anonymous. I’m afraid I can’t pass on any details. Perhaps the library could help?”
    He noticed her hands were shaking. The Sniffer stopped vibrating but he merely dropped it back into his pocket as he stood up. “I’ll try there, thank you, Ms Singh.”
    He left her sitting at her desk, head in her hands. Once he was in the lift he pulled the Sniffer back out, noting the solid green light on the top. He flipped the rectangle over to the small pale grey