Secrets in Pelican Crossing (Pelican Crossing #2)

Twenty-seven

Finn stared at the computer screen, unable to believe his eyes. He’d worked his butt off for the past year, bringing this paper up to speed, and to receive this news… by email! He read it again, but it still said the same.

Due to financial exigences, it has been decided to consolidate our regional newspapers into one digital edition. As a result, the final edition of The Crossing Courier will go to press at the end of this financial year. We are aware this will impact you and your staff and wish you all well in your future endeavours.

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, then read it again, as if by reading and rereading he could change the words.

‘Boss.’

Finn looked up to see one of his junior reporters at his office door. What would happen to him and the others who depended on the paper? What would happen to Finn? He’d left his position in Bellbird Bay to come here, to be here for Adele and Sandy, to breathe life into the dying paper, and this was his thanks. The Bellbird Bugle was owned by the same consortium. He suspected it would suffer the same fate. These small coastal communities needed their local newspapers to provide local news. A digital edition from the city couldn’t provide the same service.

‘Boss?’ Brad was still standing there. ‘It’s time for the news conference. Everyone’s in the conference room. They’re waiting for you. ’

‘I’ll be right there.’ Only a few minutes ago, all he’d been thinking about was the morning’s news conference, getting updates on what everyone was working on. Now he couldn’t remember what he’d intended to say. Picking up the sheaf of notes he’d prepared earlier, he made his way to meet his staff.

As soon as he saw the eager faces waiting for him, Finn decided to say nothing about the email just yet. Maybe there was some way he could persuade the powers-that-be to change their minds. A list of his successes streamed through his mind. Surely they would count for something? He took a deep breath and opened the meeting as if it was just another day.

But it wasn’t, and Finn was aware he wasn’t paying as much attention to the reports as usual. He was too distracted. But he did manage to find words to congratulate Ed on his interview of Stan, the Vietnam vet living in The Haven , wondering if it was indeed the same man who was Liz’s mum’s new special friend.

Liz! Their relationship was still in its infancy. What would happen to it… and to Adele and Sandy… if he had to leave Pelican Crossing and find work elsewhere? It was all too hard.

The first thing to do was to ring around the other local newspaper editors he knew, to discover how many were being affected. As soon as his meeting was finished, he returned to his office and picked up the phone. Half an hour later, he knew the worst. They were all in the same boat.

Finn was in the process of composing an email to request a stay of execution – which was how he thought of the closure – when his phone rang. Seeing Joe’s number, he picked it up.

‘Hey.’ He tried unsuccessfully to inject a positive note into his voice.

‘Hey, what’s up? You don’t sound your usual self.’

‘Got some bad news.’

‘Want to talk about it? I was calling to see if you were free for lunch. Crossings has a new menu and I thought we could try it.’

Crossings , the restaurant on Main Street, was located in one of the heritage buildings. It was more upmarket than the yacht club where he’d gone with Adele and Sandy, perfect for more special occasions. He’d taken Adele there for her birthday and been impressed with both the menu and the service. She’d told him a bit about the place. Evidently it was owned and managed by a woman. Poppy Taylor had grown up in Pelican Crossing, married a local man and been widowed as the renovation of the restaurant was completed. Adele knew the story and empathised with the woman whose husband had drowned like Tim. Local gossip, which Finn as editor of the local paper, was always privy to, reported Poppy was now involved with Cam Mitchell who managed Pelican Marine .

Finn made a mental note to take Liz there, when she could spare time from her new family.

‘Sounds like a plan.’

‘One o’clock?’

‘I’ll be there.’

*

The restaurant was already busy when Finn arrived. When a smart woman greeted him at the entrance, he pointed to a table in the far corner where he could see Joe waving to him.

‘Bit rich for lunch,’ Finn said, joining his friend.

‘Checking it out. We’re planning a retirement do for one of my senior staff – he’s been with the council since he left school – and my secretary suggested lunch here at Crossings , but no one had eaten here recently.’

‘Don’t tell me it’s on expenses.’

‘No, the council won’t stretch to that. I thought I might treat you.’

‘Good of you, but I’m happy to pay my share.’ Though for how much longer if the paper folded?

‘You sounded down when I rang, said you had bad news?’ Joe raised an eyebrow.

‘Let’s order first.’ Finn picked up a menu.

When they had ordered, Finn choosing the rump steak with chips and salad, Joe opting for the rack of lamb with mashed potatoes and beans and selecting a bottle of cabernet sauvignon, Joe asked again, ‘What’s up?’

‘It’s the newspaper. They want to close us down.’

Joe’s eyes widened. ‘ The Crossing Courier ? You must be joking. ’

‘Wish I was, though not something I’d joke about.’

‘Can they do that… just close a paper?’

‘It’s not only us. I called around this morning. It’s all the local papers on the coast.’

‘We can’t let it happen.’

‘I agree. I’ve been racking my brains for a solution. It’s happening everywhere, going digital, broadsheet to tabloid. It was only a matter of time. I’ve emailed the big boss, but I’m not hopeful. I’m not sure what else to do.’

‘Pelican Crossing needs its paper. I may sometimes have disagreed with the way the council is portrayed,’ Joe chuckled, ‘but it’s the only way the community get to find out what we’re up to.’

‘And all the local businesses who advertise with us, local schools, charities and fundraisers…’ Finn’s voice trailed off as he saw a gleam in Joe’s eyes.

‘That’s what we’ll do,’ Joe said. ‘We’ll set up a Save the Courier fund, get the community behind it.’

‘But what…?’

‘I seem to recall reading about something of the sort happening somewhere in the States. May have been an actual event, might have been in a novel.’ He pulled on one ear. ‘Anyway, what happened was that this town was about to lose its newspaper and the community got together to raise the money to save it.’

‘Are you sure you’re not thinking of the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life , where they got together to save the bank?’

‘Am I?’ Joe scratched his head. ‘Same difference.’

Their meals arrived, and the two men continued to throw around ideas. By the time Finn returned to the office, he was feeling more cheerful. But the end of the financial year was less than three months away. They didn’t have much time.