Hot scoops and cold crabs: a day in the life of the Boulton Bugle newsdesk

Every morning starts with our editorial meeting—just the two of us: Holden (the self-proclaimed legend behind the lens) and me, Jackie (the pen on paper). Over coffee, we sift through reader tips and plan the day’s stories. Today felt like a slow news day. The only thing worth investigating? A batch of lobsters that mysteriously vanished from the Hopewell Bay Aquarium.

We snapped some photos of the scene and promised the concerned marine biologist, Emilio, that we’d try to crack the case like a shellfish’s shell (he wasn’t amused by the metaphor).

No such thing as a free lunch—or is there?

After the aquarium, we headed to City Hall for Mayor Bruno Golightly’s Journalist Luncheon (attendance: us two). Mayor Golightly and Victoria, Head of City Council, were eager to unveil new urban development plans for the press.

The lunch menu was delightful: buttered lobster rolls, creamy lobster chowder, and a side of lobster salad.

Delicious, yes, but the timing of this crustacean-centric feast seemed… a little fishy. Could it be a real clue or merely a red herring? The Boulton Bugle investigates (and extends their heartfelt thanks to City Hall for the delicious lunch)!

Post-lunch, we swung by Kazuko’s store to pick up new camera lenses for Holden. While there, Sergeant Donovan—the shopkeeper’s chatty parrot—introduced us to his latest catchphrase: “What’s Grandma hiding?” I couldn’t help but wonder where the bird picked up that line...

Afterward, Holden left to interview marine biologist and beauty queen Isabella "Bella" Cruz for his feature on exotic South American wildlife recently introduced to Hopewell Bay. Normally, Holden sticks to five-star restaurant reviews and selfies, so his enthusiasm for this project was unexpected—maybe he really likes capybaras? They are very cute, after all.

Morse code, missing artifacts, and mysterious maelstroms

While Holden lingered on his assignment—apparently extending his interview with Miss Cruz into a coffee date—I turned my focus to my own piece: a deep dive into the mysterious Morse code flashing from the Hopewell Bay lighthouse every second night. Is someone sending a secret message? Heikki, the lighthouse keeper, swears he knows nothing, but I can’t shake the feeling there’s a story here.

I tried to reach Grandma Ursula, who’s been flying her old Cessna plane during sunset hours. Could she know something about the code? Unfortunately, her phone was off.

Before the day ended, I wrapped up a phone interview with the dean of Veilwood University. A string of precious artifacts has vanished from their collection, and no one seems to know where they’ve gone.

And speaking of mysteries, there’s still the unresolved matter of the tin cans scattered around town. Some say they’re holding lies. Others say they’re holding truths. Everyone thought they were holding soup.

One thing’s certain: the truth doesn’t stay canned for long when Jackie and Holden are on the case!

Speaking of Holden, he called me to say he was calling it a night—his interview with the marine biologist, Miss Cruz, seemed to have ended in a candlelit dinner. According to Holden, it was a roaring success.

Editor's note: Later, I found out that Miss Cruz was not seen again after claiming she was going to the ladies’ room and then leaving the restaurant through the kitchen.

I gave Holden a quick lecture about journalistic ethics, finished my piece on the lost Veilwood artifacts, and was ready to head home myself.

But just as I was about to leave, the office hotline rang. A raspy-voiced anonymous caller, referring to themselves only as “Curious C,” had a hot tip about the lost treasures of the university’s collection.

Well, the story isn’t going to write itself… and the Pulitzer Prize isn’t going to award itself. So, I worked until sunrise. Again. The story continues. Got a tale to tell or a scoop to sell? Dial in—we’re all ears!