Deadline. Maggie K. Black

clients or send some press headed her way for a while. But it wasn’t as if it would ruin her. Why couldn’t she see that the story of what had happened today needed to be made public?

      Besides, it wasn’t as if he had much of a choice.

      “Meg?” She turned toward him, standing so close the tips of her flip-flops nearly brushed against his toes. “What would you say if, when I was done here, we met up for dinner somewhere? To talk through everything that’s happened.”

      Her forehead wrinkled. “As two people? Or as a reporter and the person he’s trying to interview?”

      “Can’t it be both?”

      Meg’s eyes searched his face for a long moment. She shook her head. “No.”

      “No to dinner or no to the interview?”

      “No to both.” Her voice was firm. “Like I told you before, I will be extremely thankful every day of my life that you were there and jumped overboard to save me. But I will not help you wreck my life by writing about it.”

      He could feel the tension rising in the back of his neck. She had to know how the press worked. She couldn’t be that naive. “You do realize that I have to tell my editor what happened here today, and he will expect me to write about it. I don’t need your permission. I saw a madman in an orange raincoat throw you off that ferry with my very own eyes.”

      Her arms crossed. “Trust me, I know all about what reporters can and can’t do. Like too many people, I guess, I learned the hard way. But it means I know that any editor worth his ink is going to want to make sure that someone is willing to back up your story. I’ve already asked the police not to leak my name to the press, which leaves me as your only corroborating source. If I make it clear that I will not confirm the facts of your story, would your editor still run it?”

      Seriously? His jaw dropped. Did she have any idea just how much that would further undermine his already shaky position with the paper?

      The door opened and Officer Burne came outside. He nodded to Jack.

      Meg managed a smile. “Goodbye, Jack. If I don’t see you again before you leave the island, I’ll email your paper about whether or not I have any record of those three women ever contacting me. Thanks again for everything.” She turned and headed for her car so quickly he couldn’t shake the feeling she was actually running away from him.

      “Don’t mention it. See you around.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and tried not to watch her go.