‘I guess the cops will focus on the explosives,’ Harry said thoughtfully. ‘It crumpled lockers and blew a hole in the roof, so it was proper gear, not just fireworks.’

‘That’s it!’ Matt blurted, jerking round so excitedly that his seatbelt locked. ‘Charlie Croker!’

‘Who dat?’ Sofia asked.

‘I did a project with Charlie at middle school,’ Matt told everyone excitedly. ‘She’s one grade below, but she was in all the accelerated classes. Super smart and a tomboy. When we had science fair, Charlie did this presentation on demolition and explosives. She had this waxy blob the size of an M&M and we all had to go out into the parking lot to watch her demonstration. She’d made it herself and, I swear, the building shook when she set it off.’

‘Charlie Croker,’ Harry said, indulging his journalistic lust by opening a note-taking app on his phone. ‘Tell me more.’

‘Charlie is Fawn’s kid sister,’ Matt explained. ‘Low-rent trailer trash.’

‘I heard JJ and Fawn got engaged,’ Sofia added.

‘For real?’ Matt blurted. ‘JJ’s seventeen.’

‘It’s a redneck freak show,’ Rie confirmed, as Harry’s phone started vibrating in his hand.

Harry didn’t recognise the number. ‘Hello?’ he said warily.

It was a guy named Ellie Gold. Ellie said he was from Vegas Local, a trashy-but-popular news and listings website. He said he’d pay $800 for the full video clip and high-resolution photos, plus half of any royalties earned if they got sold on to other news outlets.

‘Sounds good to me,’ Harry told him.

5 DEL TACO

Harry spread some of his newfound wealth, tapping his phone at the Del Taco drive-by window to pay for Sofia, Rie and Matt’s lunch.

‘Nobody drops food in my new car,’ Sofia ordered as she rolled into an empty parking bay.

Matt passed back Harry’s Sprite and street tacos, plus a cream-topped strawberry shake for Rie. Then he baited his sister by daubing sour cream over an air vent.

‘Wipe or walk home,’ Sofia ordered, then turned back to look at Harry, who noticed shredded lettuce stuck in her front teeth. ‘Thanks for the tacos, Harry. It’s so cool what you did. Sneaking around cops and stuff.’

Rie lowered her milkshake before nodding in agreement. ‘I admire that you want to be a photographer and you’re going for it. I have literally no clue what I want to do with my life.’

Their praise sent Harry’s ego through the panoramic glass roof. Matt saw Harry’s involuntary grin and felt a duty not to let his friend’s head get too big.

‘You sent Vegas Local the files already,’ Matt noted. ‘How do you know this Ellie guy is gonna pay you?’

‘I don’t,’ Harry said. ‘But it’s breaking news. Am I supposed to ask for a contract? Wait for my aunt to get home and read it? This time tomorrow, nobody will give a damn.’