‘No, it’s just: what’s the point? You make an amazing spot and then before you know it everyone’s already on to the next thing. I’ve not really got anything to do with the story any more.’

Max hid a smirk: typical Jez. ‘That’s just Frank, and why are you listening to him anyway?’

‘But even Frank’s getting out and he keeps an archive of the Beast’s legal letters in his own house. This is just the last nail in the coffin. It’s over.’

‘What’s over?’

‘The Beast, newspapers, all of it. And you’re happy because you’re climbing higher up, but it doesn’t matter because the whole ship’s going under.’

‘Bullshit,’ said Max. ‘There’ll always be a Beast. People are always going to want news. Maybe not like the old days, maybe not in print every day, but how many people still paid money for the paper this morning? Two and a half million? And what are you going to do instead? Get a job in PR and sub press releases for Renault?’

‘At least at Renault I bet you get to go home at five and no one tries to set you on fire.’

To Max this was heresy. For once his measure left him. ‘But you’re a journalist, for fuck’s sake. It’s not some job you can just quit.’ His voice dropped even quieter. ‘Look at that grunt Will – Oxbridge-educated, probably went to private school, clever kid; could be a hedge-funder, could be a diplomat, could be anything. But what does he want to be? A sub on the Beast. You’ve already got that job. And not just that – you’re standing there smoking a cigarette when the story of a generation comes up and asks you for a light. And you’re right: it is dangerous, you really might get hurt; but there’s no hack anywhere in the world who wouldn’t give a lifetime of safe work to be in your seat today, you big fucking toddler.’

Both chastened by this uncharacteristic loss of calm, they said nothing for a moment and their eyes wandered on to Max’s screen. When Will and Rosie had run in, he’d just been subbing a NIB about the discovery of a rare case of Hitler’s personal ‘Führerwein’, which he’d headlined:

THIS’LL LEAVE A NAZI

TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH

Jeremy said, ‘I suppose I just think my life can be better than this.’