‘Why the fuck are you waiting for design? This is our front page lead and you’re fannying about with the sidebars?’

I step backward as he moves between the two of them, brushing past me like I’m part of the furniture. It’s working … at least I think it is.

‘Not exactly,’ Andy says, bracing against the desk to push himself out of his chair. ‘As I already mentioned to Phil, I think the trial references, all the procedural stuff, is best off as a nib, but we’d need to make sure it was on the front page if so. That way we can also cover the other major trials starting this week, rather than detracting from the main interview.’ 234

‘Phil!’ Laurie screams into the room. ‘Get over here!’

Andy props himself against the desk, eyeing his chair. I wonder what nibs are as I watch Phil scurry across the newsroom, eyes darting like the swot who’s just got detention.

‘If I could just explain—’

‘Wait,’ Laurie snaps, as Phil arrives on the other side of the row of desks, wringing his hands. ‘Phil? You’re strutting about in my office for half an hour going over the bloody thing and don’t think to mention it’s not your shitty grammar that’s holding us up but in fact a decent editorial suggestion?’

Andy crumples back into his chair, leather cushions wheezing along with him.

‘He was practically rewriting whole chunks,’ Phil says, scuffing a toe into the worn carpet. ‘I couldn’t help but feel he was bringing my editorial judgement into question. I thought—’

‘All I said was,’ Andy interrupts, ‘that we could get rid of all the procedural details about the trial starting if we put the nibs on the front page too. That way your interview stands on its own, as it should … We’re his local paper. It should be all about Damilola Taylor’s grieving parents, and not what time and place the thugs are showing up in court to have the riot act read out…’

‘That is an excellent idea,’ Laurie interrupts, clapping a hand on Andy’s shoulder. ‘Spot on. Too right. Even if you had to take me round the houses eight times to make the point, as usual. And now I see why you were waiting for design.’

‘Exactly,’ Andy says wearily. ‘I was going to bring you the whole layout, once Kevin had finished working out whether there was room for a full news-in-brief sidebar.’