Texas Love Song. AlTonya Washington

      “Yeah, my story on the murders.”

      “Murders?”

      “The immigrant murders, you know?” He nudged her arm as if to jog her memory. “Cops have squat, but they know all the vics worked for some part of Machine Melendez.”

      “So what’s that got to do with Wade Cornelius?”

      Brewster moved in closer. “The connection between the victims and Melendez is big news and Ross hasn’t released it yet.”

      “So? Neither has the Journal.”

      A sobering light filtered Brewster’s dark blue gaze then. “You and Avra Ross are pretty good pals, right?”

      Gwen rolled her eyes toward the sienna-colored pumps she wore. “That hurts, Brew.”

      “I’m sorry, G. I didn’t mean for it to.” He nudged her elbow again before glancing back across his shoulder. “It’s just we’re not tryin’ to rock the boat releasin’ this stuff. ’Specially when we suspect a cover-up.”

      “And you suspect Ross?”

      “We don’t, but all the vics are MM employees. Ever since Cornelius wrote that first story back in the day on the company, Melendez has been made to look like some kind of white knight when everyone knows they’re not.”

      Gwen tapped her fingers to her chin, absorbing the information.

      Brewster brought his hand to her elbow again but held on that time. “I wouldn’t mind sharing the spotlight with you if you can use your connections with the lovely Ms. Ross to find out if holding back the info was intentional on the Review’s end.”

      “I wouldn’t expect her to tell me all that, Brew. We’re pals but still competitors, remember?”

      Brewster slipped a hand into a pocket on his green trousers. “We’re bankin’ on the fact that Ross isn’t tryin’ to run a story there. They’ve always seemed to be intent on protecting the Machine’s image. On this side of town, we’re workin’ to pull back that image and show the true face of Melendez. I swear we’re not out to take down a colleague in the process.”