Kerry shook her head of hair fiercely under the breakout area lights. “No, she wouldn’t. I’d make it clear to her that I asked you for help.” She shot forward in her chair. “Please Leonie. Look, if it would make you any happier, I won’t tell Athena you’re giving me a hand. Well, not until we have the piece written up. By then it would be too late for her to do anything or complain anyway.”

My thoughts leapfrogged over one another. It would be a wonderful story to be involved in, but if Athena thought I’d deceived her, I could be risking my own job. And what with the couple of clashes that had taken place already…

“A shared by-line,” burst out Kerry with increasing desperation. “How does that sound?”

Temptation drilled its way deeper. “That’s if Athena agrees to it.”

Kerry’s eyes glittered like jade jewels. “Oh, she would agree to it, otherwise it might come to light about her getting a bit too friendly with her best friend’s husband at last year’s Goddess Christmas party.”

My mouth pinged open. “Are you serious?”

“Deadly. My mother was here at the party and saw her.” She shot me a look. “It’s about time I stood up to her. I’ve got to start being more assertive, so why not now?”

“You sound like your aunt.”

She forced a smiled. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not.”

A few seconds ticked past.

“So, Leonie, is that a yes? You’ll help me with this story?”

The enticing pull of the opportunity and the tug of Kerry’s begging features was too much to handle. “Ok. Ok. Let’s do this. Bloody hell, I must be mad.”

Kerry let out a long, low, relieved rush of air. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I haven’t slept for the last few nights, worrying about it all.”

“Well, please don’t lose any more sleep,” I reassured her. “But not a word to Athena until we’re done on this story, ok? And don’t mention anything to any of the others, otherwise it could find its way back to your aunt.”

Kerry nodded. “I promise.” Her features softened. “I owe you one.”

I returned to my desk, my head swimming with what I’d just agreed to.

I flicked a guilty look towards Athena’s office, but she had her back turned to me and was occupied on the phone. She wouldn’t be at all happy that Kerry and I hadn’t cleared it with her, but we would deal with the nuclear fallout from that later.

I took up my seat again and resumed typing up my piece about jewel-tipped fake eyelashes. I glanced down at my mobile. Athena wouldn’t permit phones in any of her meetings and so they remained on our desks. There was a message alert.