CHAPTER 3 – THE GRAB
"Don't tell me," Darlene Dourlein said when Emma walked in alone, "Your husband has decided to go back to his old trick of refusing to show up more than 30 seconds early for an appointment?"
"Actually, internal review goons grabbed him en route. For what it's worth, they mumbled something I took to mean they'd probably have him loose in time for him to make the appointment here," Emma said.
"You're joking."
"No."
Darlene furrowed her brow.
Stolemaker walked in and smiled at Emma. "Good morning, Mrs. Hugh. I hope I'm not late. My conference with other chiefs ran over its allotted time." He looked around for Richard. "I suppose your husband will be joining us shortly?" he said. It wasn't like Triple-O Five, somehow, sending his wife ahead to a joint meeting.
The chief realized that his secretary was giving him a rather unusual look. It wasn't hostile, exactly, but there was disapproval in it nonetheless. "Now what have I done?" he asked.
"Nothing," Darlene said.
Stolemaker decided there was at least an outside chance his secretary was accusing him of doing nothing when he should have, in her opinion, done something. "Do we need to talk?" he asked her, motioning toward his office so they could talk in private.
Darlene didn't budge. "You might have told me," she said, "that Triple-O Five was under internal review again."
Stolemaker shot a look at Emma, then drilled Darlene with a look that could only be translated as 'I'm through with fun and games. Explain yourself.'
So she did. Succinctly.
Stolemaker excused himself to go make a few inquiries, and to explain protocol to whosoever seemed in need of a refresher course in how things were supposed to be done.
Not Exactly Allies Page 3