‘I’m sure you’re aware that Mackenzie Whittaker is about to go on trial in the US; she has been advised to tender her resignation with immediate effect.’

‘Oh. No. I didn’t know. Is this connected with the new magazines? Or her property interests?’

Linda wrinkles her nose. ‘Oh, we’re just becoming aware of the extra titles she was trying to launch, but that’s the tip of the iceberg, really.’

‘I don’t understand. Mackenzie told me yesterday that she was shutting The Know, and eventually, Panache. Because we hadn’t met our targets.’ Harri is horrified, furious with herself. Why would she say that, in front of the board? In front of Linda Morris, who seems to be, to all intents and purposes, the Head Prefect of Hudson Media? Is Harri going to confess to stealing sweets from the tuck shop, too?

Linda speaks gently. ‘Harriet, a lot of this is on a need to know basis, and we’re still getting to the bottom of most of it. It’s complicated, there’s a lot of legal back and forth between here and the US. The authorities are working out where she will face trial, and for which offences. But here is what we know. Mackenzie used Hudson as a front to launder a substantial sum of money. As she had a background in magazines, Hudson was chosen as a target. We think that she was trying to close the expensive consumer titles, while creating a range of trade titles, that are cheap to produce, in order to make it look like her appointment led to an implausible bump in profit margins, and a greater company valuation. Her multi million-dollar investment appeared to be revenue, and did not get traced back to the States. We think she was supported by some members of staff, who had been promised substantial payouts, when the consumer titles folded.’

‘What, Will, Katie and Lily?’

Linda’s face does not flicker. ‘That’s confidential.’

‘Have they been fired?’ Do they have families? She knows Will has a family. She suspects Katie lives behind a mossy boulder, or amongst a clan of hyenas.

‘For the time being, those members of staff have been relocated to our payroll and administration centre in Reading, with salary freezes, pending further investigation.’

This, Harri knows, is a fate worse than firing.

‘So…what does this mean? For The Know?’ And for me?

‘Harri, we’ve asked you here because we want to fully reinstate you at Panache. As editor-in-chief.’

Black spots appear before Harri’s eyes. She clutches the table in front of her. Linda’s carefully modulated voice suddenly sounds very loud.

‘Oh. I see.’