“I’ve been watching your work. I’ve been reading your stories recently, and when the paper cut half its staff, I knew it was a chance to nab you for an assignment. I have an important feature I want you to write.”

I smile, nodding deferentially, delighted he’s had his eye on my work. “I can’t wait to hear what you have in mind.”

“We’re expanding our business coverage. That’s what our readers care about. We want to look at the men and women who will become the next generation of business leaders. Who is the next Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page? That’s what I want to do. To profile the rising stars and give our readers a true sense of who the business leaders of tomorrow will be.”

A burst of excitement whips through me. He’s talking my language. “That’s exactly the type of story I love writing. Something deep, where I can dig into what makes a person tick.”

“That’s what I’m looking for, and that’s why I want you to profile Flynn Parker.”

I smile when he mentions the internet boy wonder. I’ve never met him before, but I know of him, of course. “Mr. Parker has something of the Midas touch, doesn’t he? After selling his first company for a record high valuation and then starting the hottest new tech in home automation, he’s absolutely one to watch. Especially since Haven is poised to be at the forefront of a whole new and exciting sector.”

Mr. Galloway nods, a sage look in his gray eyes telling me he likes my response. “Exactly. Get in there and dive into who he is and what drives him. That’s what I want you to uncover. He’s thought to be the next Zuckerberg. Find out what makes him tick. I want to understand who the next business visionary is.”

I nod enthusiastically as ideas for questions to ask Flynn ping-pong in my head. “I’ve never had the chance to interview him, but I think that can benefit the piece since I’ll come into it with a fresh start. No preconceived notions,” I say, wanting to be frank with Mr. Galloway. Even though I’ve covered a lot of people in business, that doesn’t mean I’ve interviewed everyone in New York yet.

He slashes a hand through the air for emphasis. “That’s what I want. A clean slate. You don’t bring anything to the table about Mr. Parker.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Should I bring something to the table when it comes to him?” I drop my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Are there skeletons in his closet you want me to discover?”

Mr. Galloway chuckles, a deep, scratchy sound. “If he does have any skeletons I would very much like to know about them, but I suspect he’s one of those squeaky-clean people.”

I laugh. “Sometimes they’re the ones with the most to hide.” I fix on a more serious expression. “But regardless, I’m your woman. I’ll find out what excites him, what scares him, what keeps him up at night, and what motivates him to get out of bed in the morning.”