Time: Modern Day
Location: Washington DC

Layla was looking at her notes from Ed and said, "Hey Mal, Ed has provided us with a contact for the other Democrat candidate, Peter Lush, and it looks to me like a cell phone number. It's already Wednesday . . . why don't I give it a try and see if we can tee something up before the weekend. I like to do them all at once to compare while the interviews are still fresh in my mind."

  Mal nodded his agreement.

  Layla sat back in the backseat of the taxi as the phone rang. She was taken aback when a manly voice said, "Hello,  Peter speaking, how can I help you?"

  "Errhh, Hello, Peter . . . my name is Layla, and I'm from an Australian media outfit called After Dark. I . . ," she was interrupted.

  "Oh yes, a guy rang me, Ed was his name, I think. He asked for an interview.   He said you guys might call. How do you want to do this then?"

  "We like to keep it informal, if that's okay?"

  "Fine by me.  Tell me how long have you guys been in town . . . there's two of you, right?"

  Layla began to relax, he was putting her at ease right away.

  "Well we got in Monday morning and have been flat chat ever since."

  "Well, I'm busy tomorrow and Friday is a bit crazy, but my daughter is flying in from LA to have dinner with me . . . why don't you join us. There's a guy, called Malcolm with you I believe, if that is so I'll make a booking for 4. Okay?"

  "Yes, yes please, so long as your daughter doesn't mind."

  "No, on the contrary she is doing a journalism course at UCLA and would probably love the chance to grill you guys on how it's done in Australia. We are going to The Hamilton. It's an American Restaurant.  Have you been to an American restaurant?"

  "No, never." Layla said excitedly,  Mister Lush can I speak candidly?"

  "So long as you call me Peter or PJ, even PJL, but that's a bit too formal for my liking.  Go ahead, what is it?

  "Will you be able to answer our questions freely with your daughter . . . I don't know her name . . . there?"

   "Good point, but I don't keep anything much from her, her name is Tamara. I've found she has a way of finding out anyway, why she is interested in journalism I guess . . . that and writing books.

  What I can do is, if there happens to be something I don't want to discuss in front  of her, I'll just say, 'let me get back to you'. Then I'll text my answer next morning. How about that?"

  "Cool PJ. Thank you."

  "That's okay. I hope you like Margaritas, they serve the best in town. It's really why we go there," PJ laughed, "and if you guys and Tamara hit it off, and I think you will, she might kick-on by taking you downstairs, to the live music venue. . . while I go home for my beauty sleep."

  "I love Margaritas. Mal is more of a beer and scotch man, but he does like to kick-on though." Layla kept the mood flowing.

  "Okay, have to go now, but look forward to meeting you in person Layla . . . and Mal of course.  I suspect you have me on speaker  I can hear you are  in a car, goodbye Layla, bye Mal. See you both Friday. I'll get my assistant, Alice, to text you the details for The Hamilton. Bye"

  Mal chirped in "If I could vote you'd have mine already PJ."

  "Let's hope the American public are as smart as you next month then, eh,  Mal? See you Friday night then. Bye." PJ hung up.

  "What a refreshing change." Layla commented contentedly.

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