‘Check the area out, I guess,’ Harry said uncertainly. ‘I’ll grab my good camera. Have a little snoop. Maybe there’s a shed with burnt shit, or something. It’s a ten-minute taxi and I’ve got nothing else to do.’

‘You need a girlfriend, Harry,’ Matt said affectionately. ‘Try not to get shot or blown up.’

6 RAINBOW ROAD

Harry googled Charlie Croker as he rode in the back of a Prius taxi, with stained seats and a screen blaring ads for Kanye West at Caesar’s Palace. Seven hundred and seventy-four search results were topped by a Mr Charlie Croker who sold farm machinery in Iowa and a sweatband-clad Pilates coach. Narrowing the search to Charlie Croker Rock Springs proved more productive.

Local Girl Wins National Tech prize

Eleven-year-old Charlie Croker beat out more than 600 rivals, including many high schoolers, to win a $750 prize and a tour of the world-famous materials lab at the California Institute of Technology.

The accompanying photo showed Charlie with athletic build, coarsely chopped blonde hair and a green sponsors-logo T-shirt that reached her knees. Her most striking features were giant blue eyes and no-brand sneakers, with a big toe poking out the front.

There was a link to another article, but the phone started vibrating and Harry recognised the Vegas Local number.

‘It’s Ellie Gold,’ the voice said, packed with cheesy cheer. ‘Just wanted to let you know your video is clocking ninety views per minute. USA Network and Cox News want a national TV exclusive. I’m playing them off against each other, but the bidding is already up to seven thousand buckaroos!’

Harry’s jaw made a clichéd dive towards the floor of his taxi. ‘I get half of that, right?’

‘Exactly,’ Ellie said. ‘And I’ve put your photos on a news syndication site. Nobody has bought that beautiful bloody-helmet shot yet, but the watermarked preview has had sixty downloads, so it’s gonna sell for sure.’

Harry was excited about the money, but sounded wary. ‘When am I gonna get paid?’

‘Don’t you trust me?’ Ellie said, roaring with laughter. ‘Vegas Local wouldn’t last a week if I didn’t pay my sources. Bounce me some bank details. My minion Sue-Ann will email your paperwork, and as soon as it’s signed you’ll get the eight hundred.

‘The rest will take time. Big news outlets take months to pay their bills, but people are loving the mystery of the blown-up quarterback and your gore-fest stretcher footage has the visual punch to make it a national story. When the dust clears, your cut on this could be well into five figures.’

‘Seriously?’ Harry gawped, imagining how jealous Matt and his mates back in London would be if he made ten big ones …

‘You must have a talent for this stuff. Anything else like this happens, you’ll call Ellie first, won’t you?’

‘Sure,’ Harry said.

‘Stay in touch.’