The Cinderella Reflex by Joan Brady Read Free Book Online

been described as uncanny and he is famed for not shying away from hard decisions when it comes to profit margins.’ ”
    “Oh my God!” Sara butted in. “That fits in exactly with what Daddy said! He says Jack McCabe will go for a really youth-orientated vibe. He’s heard he’s going to axe the entire staff and only employ people who are under thirty!”
    “Is that not illegal?” Tess asked faintly.
    “Of course it’s illegal!” Andrea snapped, eyes squinting as she read on silently. “Besides, this is all only gossip and rumour. There’s no evidence whatsoever that Atlantic is going to be taken over at all! Where exactly did your dad hear it anyway, Sara?”
    “Golf club.” Sara shrugged insouciantly as she walked away. “And he says this could be my big chance because I am young!”
    Tess and Andrea exchanged glances.
    “Coffee?” Andrea mouthed, making a coffee-cup gesture with her hand.
    Tess nodded. They needed to analyse and parse this, to try and figure out what, if it were true, it might mean for them. But she had only taken her jacket off the back of her chair when the phone buzzed. She reluctantly picked up the handset.
    “Yes, Helene? In five minutes? Okay, I’ll tell the others.” She replaced the receiver and looked over at Andrea. “Looks like Sara and her dad aren’t the only ones who’ve heard the rumours. Helene wants us all in her office in five minutes.”
    Minutes later, they were all crowded into Helene’s office and it was clear the news about the takeover was more than a rumour. The room was thick with tension. Tess slipped into the chair opposite Ollie, who was cracking his knuckles restlessly. Two lines formed a deep frown between his eyebrows, and his complexion had a grey pallor about it, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
    He’s evidently heard Atlantic might soon be a wrinkly-free zone, Tess thought. Serves him right. It might teach him a bit of humility.
    Helene was sitting at the top of the table, two spots of scarlet staining her cheeks. “Right, that’s everyone here,” she said as Sara pushed closed the door. “I’ve called you here because … because in the next few days you may hear some, er, rumours about this station.”
    “We already have,” Sara cut in.
    Helene raised her eyebrows and Sara fell silent.
    “And if you do,” Helene continued, “I want you all to remember that any information about Atlantic 1FM is commercially sensitive and therefore you are not – repeat, not – at liberty to discuss it.”
    “So is it rumour or is it true?” Andrea asked directly.
    Helene flung her hair over her shoulder. “To be honest, I don’t have very much information at present. But, as soon as I know, you’ll know.” She looked closely at Sara. “So what have you heard, Sara?”
    “I thought you just said we can’t discuss it?” Sara pouted.
    “Outside here we can’t discuss it. Inside, we can! Now tell me what you know.” Helene folded her arms on the desk.
    Sara began, delighted to have centre stage. “Well, from what I hear, this Jack McCabe is taking us over. He’s reputed to have the Midas touch and is not shy of making the hard decisions.”
    Ollie breathed a long, exasperated sigh. “You’ve just read that on the internet, Sara! Is there anything you know that isn’t common knowledge, by any chance?”
    “Actually, there is!” Sara bristled. “I’ve heard that Jack McCabe likes to have something good to look at when he comes in!” She pushed out her boobs and curled a tendril of hair around one stripy-nailed finger. Ollie’s eyes went out on stalks. Sara glared at him and let her hair go. “And,” she snapped, “I’ve heard he wants a youth vibe going on and that staff over thirty aren’t going to be very popular once he arrives!”
    “We’ll see about that, missy.” Ollie pulled a book out of his briefcase and jabbed his finger at the title, Seven Habits of Effective People . “It takes more than flashing your eyes at