"God, so what'd happened?" asked Rona. She was on the 'phone to Brent, on her way back home from the magazine's office, where she'd been all day.

"It's a bit unclear. We talked to the cops but, you know, they had a hard time getting anything out of him. He says he was beaten up, but we don't know who by or how many of them there were." Hilary had found Bob in the casualty ward of a nearby hospital. "The doctors say it looks like he was attacked with a pipe or something like that."

"God, that's awful!"

Brent sighed. "Yeah, well I wish I could say that it's the first time I've seen something like it. But at least he's going to be all right. He's a tough one."

"Well I guess you'd have to be, living out on the street like that" replied Rona. There was a pause at both ends of the conversation. "So are you okay?" asked Rona eventually.

"Me?" Brent scoffed good-naturedly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Cathy's a bit pissed off that I couldn't meet her, but - she'll cope."

"Gees, did you tell her what happened?"

"Yeah, but you know what she's like."

Rona opened her mouth to say something, but thought better of it. "Let's not talk about it" she said.

"Okay then, that's probably a good idea."

There was another pause.

"So, what are you up to?" asked Brent.

"Just on my way home. I've been stuck at the mag all. Fucking. Day. When I get home I'm gonna collapse in a heap. Honestly, why I even let Si make me assistant editor I'll never know."

"Because that way you at least get paid something" pointed out Brent. "You know, I reckon that place would fall apart without you."

"Tell me about it! And on top of all the writing I do for it, as well. Did you read my piece last week?"

"Uhh . . . No, no, all the copies in my local went really quickly last week for some reason." Brent spoke hurriedly to try and hide his guilt over not having bothered to collect the magazine last week - or most weeks, for that matter.

"Ehh . . ." Rona shrugged. "You didn't miss much. I was gonna ask you whether you thought my writing had dropped off. I was so tired when I wrote it." She cleared her throat. "Oh!" she said suddenly. "I meant to tell you, I talked to Si like you said to. About getting Sacha on board."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, he was all for it. Turns out he's been thinking of launching a new column, which he wanted me to write. Ha! Good luck! So I told him I'd talk to Sacha about it."

"Cool! And what did she say?"

"Actually" said Rona, "I was just about to call her now. After I spoke to you, of course."

"Well then" said Brent, "don't let me stop you. I've got stuff to do anyway. Tell her hi from me." The two friends said their goodbyes for the time being, and Brent hung up.