‘That’s my girl.’

‘Don’t patronise me, you sexist twat.’

‘I was being postmodern and ironic.’

She unfolds the paper and reads, ‘“We are pleased to inform you that the remuneration committee has awarded you the option to buy shares at the agreed price, in the terms of the following schedule”, blah blah blah. Basically, over the next two years he can buy a quarter of a million shares every three months at the current price. So if the shares go up in the meantime, it’s free money.’

‘And if they go down . . .’

‘. . . it’s worth nothing.’

I let the implications of that sink in as we sit at a red light. ‘So, just to be clear: Lorimer has a significant personal interest in not doing anything that will knock the share price?’

‘That’s about the size of it.’

The light turns green. ‘Is that why he shut down my story?’

‘Honestly, I think he has more integrity than that. But there is a conflict of interest.’

‘To put it mildly,’ I say. ‘But if Media Corp is using US-style share options to bind in execs and editors, that’s a big deal. If I stood to make tens of thousands of pounds from Media Corp’s share price going up, I think that could affect my news judgement. Don’t you reckon?’

‘It’s like some fucking mafia operation!’ Jess bursts out. ‘Just offer massive bribes to everyone who matters to big up the boss and his business.’

I’ve rarely seen her so fired up. ‘Don’t you remember when Breitner bought the FC, all that stuff he spouted about the imperative of cherishing our impartiality?’ she continues. ‘That people bought the paper because they trust what we say, and we’d be torching everything we’ve created over 150 years if we messed with that? His sermon was that we’re all temporary stewards of the FC, and the paper has a life and importance beyond the interests of its shareholders. And so on and so on. Well, Lorimer’s going to be tested now. Breitner wants to turn the FC into just another PR vehicle, with Lorimer as chief spin doctor.’

‘Lorimer’s not so bad.’ I can’t believe I’m defending him, after he shopped me to Streatham and killed my story. But he is decent – and Breitner and Streatham are thugs. ‘The thing he doesn’t have, that all great editors need, is the instinct to routinely tell the rich and powerful to fuck off. He’s too nice. But I don’t think he’s bent. He’d be mortified by the suggestion that Breitner had bought him.’

‘Because the truth hurts?’

‘No. I don’t think so. The problem is he hates conflict, and Breitner is a bully.’

‘Possibly.’