‘So what got you rushing here on a 5 a.m. flight, boss?’

Harry had asked Ellie, but Jay answered. ‘The Vegas Mirror is the only newspaper left in town, and it’s owned by that streak-a piss Kent Clark. It tramples my family name every chance it gets. But, thanks to you guys, Vegas Mirror only has the second-biggest Vegas news website.’

‘Mr Janssen has offered a long-term deal, for Janssen Corp to become Vegas Local’s biggest advertising partner,’ Ellie explained, his voice wavering because he knew Harry would be furious. ‘The money will fund Vegas Local and Elliegold Media for the next five years, at the end of which Jay will have an option to buy Vegas Local outright for twenty-five million dollars.’

My one-third of twenty-five is … Well, three eights are twenty-four, so it’s eight point something …

‘But won’t it affect our independence?’ Harry asked, riled. ‘We’ll lose credibility if we’re taking Janssen money.’

‘Credibility?’ Ellie said, smirking. ‘We’re hardly The New York Times.’

Harry realised that wasn’t a strong argument, and stabbed anxiously at another. ‘I thought you were talking to venture capitalists about investing money.’

‘Cool down, Harry,’ Ellie said, smiling awkwardly and making an it’s fine gesture at Jay Janssen. ‘If I take money from outside investors, I must give them shares in the company, and I have to clear all the big decisions with them. If I make this advertising partnership with Janssen, you can carry on running Vegas Local and I can build Elliegold Media without interference.’

Harry narrowed his eyes and decided to be bold. ‘Except I get my head kicked in if I say anything about Janssen Corp?’

Jay grew larger in his seat, but Ellie spoke before he got to say anything.

‘I’ve got four kids,’ Ellie said, raising his voice, then lowering it because there were people all around. ‘Your deal gives you a generous cut of the advertising money from Vegas Local, and it’s basically pocket money. All I’m taking is a small salary, so that Elliegold stays afloat. I don’t have health insurance; six of us live in a tiny two-room apartment. My car is eleven years old. I have one pair of sneakers and my only pair of dress shoes leak when it rains.’

If I get into bed with Jay Janssen, Charlie will never speak to me again …

Jay cleared his throat and sounded stern. ‘Mr Gold owns a majority share in Vegas Local and its parent company,’ he began. ‘The contract your family lawyer drew up when you invested in Vegas Local gives you a right to a share of all advertising revenue if you run the site, and a right of reasonable consultation over any change of ownership. But you are only a minority shareholder …’