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coming in, followed by another, then another, until they were almost at the studios, and his mind was full of the day ahead.
    â€˜So are you enjoying your job?’ he asked, as he steered the Jaguar into the underground car park.
    â€˜Yeah, it’s cool. Everyone’s really nice. Elsa’s letting me do some research on inner-city housing today for some features they’ve got coming up.’
    Charlie was impressed. ‘Well, I’m glad they’re making good use of you,’ he commented. After pulling into his reserved space he said, ‘I hope you’re nottaking too much notice of any gossip you might be hearing.’
    Nikki shrugged. ‘What, you mean like about Mum and the job?’
    â€˜Well, yes,’ he answered, though it wasn’t actually where his mind had been. ‘How did you hear about that?’
    â€˜Someone was talking in the canteen. I don’t think they realised I was there, or maybe they didn’t know I was your daughter . . .’
    â€˜Who was it?’
    â€˜I only know one of them – Frances, Melissa’s PA. Oh my God, there’s Freddy,’ she gasped, and immediately sank down in her seat.
    Charlie rolled his eyes. ‘You’re not going to make much progress if you start hiding from him like that,’ he told her, pushing open his door.
    â€˜I don’t want to see him while you’re there, not after you took his photo. Are you sure you didn’t tell him it was for me?’
    Charlie grimaced. ‘Well, I suppose I might have mentioned . . .’
    â€˜Oh Dad, no!’ she cried, ready to be mortified. ‘You did, didn’t you?’
    â€˜It’ll be fine,’ he told her. ‘Now come on, I’m due in a meeting at eight thirty and it’s already twenty-five past.’
    â€˜I am like so mad with you,’ she said furiously, as she loaded her phone, make-up and magazines back into her bag. ‘Everyone’s going to know. They’ll all be talking and laughing . . .’
    â€˜They won’t,’ he said irritably. ‘Besides, you shouldn’t listen to gossip.’
    â€˜Oh, like, when it’s about me I’m not supposed to mind? Get a life, Dad.’
    â€˜When it’s about anyone,’ he retorted, slamming his door closed and starting towards the lift. ‘People often make things up, you should know that by now,’ he said as she joined him.
    â€˜So are they making things up about you? Is that what you’re worried about?’
    He turned to her sharply. ‘Are they?’ he demanded.
    â€˜Depends what you think they’re saying.’
    Though his expression showed he’d like to take that further, as they were joined by one of the subs at that moment he had to let the subject go.
    A few minutes later, having parted from Nikki outside the Ladies in reception so she could finish preparing to dazzle Freddy, Charlie diverted from his usual route straight to the newsroom to his personal suite on the first floor. It was luxuriously fitted out with expensive fawn leather sofas either side of a glass coffee table, a large desk in front of a picture window that was protected by vertical blinds, a 55-inch plasma screen across one wall invisibly connected to a small bank of technology in the sideboard below; a fully stocked bar, a spacious corner wardrobe and an adjoining kitchen and shower room at the far end.
    After closing the door behind him he took out his mobile, pressed in Melissa’s number, then hit the remote to tune into the studio’s current output.
    Melissa answered on the fourth ring. ‘Good morning, Charlie,’ she drawled in her soft Scottish accent.
    â€˜Good morning,’ he responded, almost curtly. ‘Where are you?’
    â€˜At home. I’m not due in until three. Is there a problem?’
    â€˜Yes and no. Nikki found out, apparently fromoverhearing Frances gossiping, that