by Melissa Good
She will be here at nine also to do her paperwork.”
“Great.” Kerry waved. “Gotta go get ready for my squiring assign-110 Melissa Good ment. See you later, María.” She pulled her head back out and went down the hallway into the little alcove where her office door was.
There, she paused, watching the busy activity. A small room just off to one side had been used for storage and now everything was being moved out. To the left, a handsome wooden desk stood on one end, waiting to go in, and behind that an MIS cart was parked with a PC and monitor on it. She poked her head in the room as the last of the boxes left and nodded.
It wasn’t huge, about twelve feet square, but it was carpeted, and the walls were clean, with soft blue soundproofing weave on them.
“Excuse me, Ms. Stuart.” A polite voice made her jump and she ducked out of the way as the maintenance worker maneuvered the desk through the door and got it positioned. Then he glanced up and wiped his brow. “This all right?”
Kerry blinked. “Um.” She studied the room. “Yes. Sideways to that wall would be good, I think. It’s near the powerstrip.”
He nodded. “I always like to ask. ’Specially with you ops people.
Dear Lord knows I was in that office,” he pointed towards hers, “hours getting things how Ms. Roberts wanted ’em.”
It was an unexpectedly revealing moment, and Kerry smiled. “Well, you did a great job. I didn’t have to move a thing.” She patted the doorframe and left the man to his work, going through her door and into her office and closing it behind her. Her eyes moved around the now familiar confines. “Hours, huh? And you let me think it was just an extra office you had hanging around.” She chuckled and went to her desk, flipped the switch to turn on her PC, then wandered over to the window while it booted.
It was dark and gloomy outside, with sheets of rain still falling over the drenched landscape, and fractious whitecaps lashing the shoreline just visible from her window and ruffling even the usually calm waters of Biscayne Bay, which the office overlooked. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll close the airport,” she remarked. “Or make him land in Tampa.”
Not likely. MIA was used to this weather and only ever shut down in the worst possible scenarios, such as tornado watches and hurricanes.
Her phone buzzed, and she sighed, then turned and eyed the display. Ah. She punched a button. “Morning, Mark.”
“Hey. Where’s the boss?” The MIS manager’s voice was preoccupied.
“She’s not answering in her office.”
“Probably because she’s not here yet,” Kerry answered dryly.
“Oh. I saw your IP come active so I figured she’d be around,” Mark replied. “I’ll page her. Thanks.”
He hung up, and Kerry shook her head, then looked up as a knock came at the door. “What is this? Did the entire building come in early today? C’mon in!”
Maríana opened the door and entered, carrying several folders and small pot of geraniums. “Morning, Kerry. Your new administrative assistant is starting today.”
Eye of the Storm 111
“I know. I saw the movers outside.”
“Right. Okay, here’s her profile. We’ve already done the background and government screening and she came out clean.”
“I’d hope so. Since she’s barely twenty.” Kerry took the folder and put it on her desk. “We got to meet her at her sister’s quinces not too long ago. She’s really nice.”
Maríana nodded. “Yes, she is. She’s got nice things to say about you, too.” She smiled at the younger woman. “Not that people generally don’t have, mind you.” She took a seat in Kerry’s visitor’s chair. “Which reminds me.”
Uh oh. Kerry sat down, and rested her arms on her desk.
“Your six month evaluation is coming up.”
Ah. “I know.”
The Personnel VP considered a moment, sucking on her lower lip.
“Usually, the person who does that is your direct supervisor.”
Kerry nodded, folding her hands. “I don’t see any need to deviate from that,” she told the woman calmly.
“Kerry,” Maríana lowered her voice, “the purpose is to get an objective report on your professional qualifications.”
“And Dar can be very objective,” she responded. “She always has been. Right from the start. When I do things right, I get commended.
When I do things wrong, and I have, I get reprimanded, just like everyone else.”
The older woman looked surprised. “Really?”
“Really. I’ve gotten called on the carpet several times and believe me, it hurts,” Kerry admitted. “But it’s never personal, Mari. It’s all very
‘you did this, you should have done that, this is what happened, don’t let it happen again kind of stuff.’” She shrugged. “Just like everyone else.”
“Hmm.”
“The only difference is, after a day when that happens, I get to go home and get a big hug.” Kerry’s lips pressed into a thin smile. “And I try not to let it happen very often. So, no. I’m pretty sure I’ll get an objective report, as objective as anyone else would give, at any rate.” She paused.
“At least I’ll know she’s not holding the fact that I’m sleeping with my boss against me.”
Maríana winced.
“I trust her,” Kerry added, very softly.
“All right.” Mari held up a hand. “You’ve made good points. Let me go drop off the forms in her office. Mind if I use your back way?”
She sighed. “Go ahead. But she’s not in yet. I don’t think.”
“Really? Something wrong? You guys all right?” Concerned hazel eyes studied her.
Kerry threw up her hands. “We were trying to be inconspicuous for a week while that board member’s here. Instead, I think the most talked about thing in the lunchroom’s going to be the fact we didn’t drive in together.”
Maríana stared at her, then laughed. “Oh, my god. That is so true,”
112 Melissa Good she admitted, lifting her hands with the geranium and all, and letting them drop. “Apologies, Kerry. It’s just that you get used to a routine around here and when it changes, people notice.” She held up the plant.
“This, for instance. I gave it to Duks, because he was moaning that his office has no color.”
“Yeah?”
“Mmm. Except he’s had to explain a dozen times to people why he’s suddenly showing an interest in horticulture. He gave up and made me take it back. Said he’d just go out and get a couple of beer steins instead or put a stuffed fish on the wall.”
Kerry laughed.
“All right, Kerry. I’ll send Mayte over when she gets done with her paperwork. Hopefully that’ll be before our guest shows up.” She waved her geranium and walked out, leaving behind a scent of earth, flowers, and Chanel.
Kerry sighed and shook her head, then turned and opened up her mail program, watching the inbox fill to bursting with lots of little exclamation points indicating urgent messages. “Happy Monday.”
Chapter
Thirteen
“DAR.”
The tall woman looked back from her worktable where she studied a new set of bandwidth reports. “Yes?” she called out, knowing the intercom would pick her voice up.
“Mr. Ankow is here.”
Yippee. “Thank you. Show him in, please.” Dar allowed her voice to ooze with mock charm. She expelled a breath, and glanced at her pager noting the time. Well, the storm had bought them a few hours, at least, and trapped Ankow in an airplane for the same length of time.
The door opened and María came in, allowing the tall man to enter behind her and giving both him and her boss a polite smile. “Dar, they have canceled your conference call at eleven. They will reschedule for later this week.”
“Thanks, María.” Dar turned and faced her unwelcome guest.
“Morning. Hear you had a rough flight coming in.”
Ankow was dressed in an impeccable dark gray suit and expe
nsive looking midnight blue silk tie with very thin maroon stripes. “A waste of my time. Let’s stop compounding that, Roberts.” He walked across the floor and sat down in one of her chairs, peering out at the rain. “Now that you’ve had your little fun sending Carmen Miranda after me, you can just assign me to whatever blonde bimbo with the brains of a pencil you have planned and let me get on my way.”
Dar finished making a note on her notepad, then took her time meandering around to her desk chair and sitting down in it. She leaned back and crossed an ankle over her knee, very aware of her comfortable cotton shirt and khakis contrast to his formal wear. “Carmen who?” She put a faint smile on her face. “You mean Consuelo?”
“The dancer you thought you’d distract me with.” He smiled right back. “She’s not my type.”
“Ah.” Dar rubbed her cheek. “Consuelo González is our top marketing strategist. She’s got three bachelor’s degrees, a masters in business, and she’s working on her doctorate in finance and applied statistics…and all you noticed was her body?” Dar clucked. “We thought you’d want to ask her questions about how we do business. Must have been an interesting ride from the airport.”
114 Melissa Good He glared at her.
Dar smiled charmingly. “We don’t keep bimbos on staff.” She pressed a button on her intercom and a quiet voice answered. “C’mon over.”
Ankow decided to ignore her win over Consuelo. “I want access to everything.”
“With the exception of the ladies room, you’ve got it,” Dar dead-panned. “Just don’t touch anything. I don’t want to spend half the day reprogramming mainframes.”
He gazed at her. “Enjoy the jokes while you can,” he remarked mildly. “I would guess you’ve got about a month, until the stockholder’s meeting. After that, if you’re in this office, I’ll be very surprised.”
Dar didn’t react. “You seem to think that worries me.”
The inner door opened and Kerry entered giving Ankow a quick, almost invisible once over. “Morning,” she greeted both of them politely.
“Morning,” Dar replied. “Kerry, this is David Ankow, a member of the board of directors. He’s here to review operations.”
“Sir.” Kerry inclined her head graciously. Certainly, she fit the blonde part of Ankow’s assumptions, but Kerry’s well bred air and quiet intelligence should have clued him otherwise.
“This is Kerrison Stuart, our Director of Operations.” Dar circled her knee with both hands and interlaced the fingers. “She’ll be your contact while you’re here. If you have any questions, she can answer them.”
“Great.” Ankow stood up. “First thing you can show me is a cup of coffee. Is that starting off simply enough for you?”
“Regular or espresso?” Kerry inquired, as she followed him to the door. “Or would you like to try café con leche, the local specialty?” She managed to get to the knob before he did and opened the door for him.
“Out, and to your left.” She spared a glance behind her for her boss, who made a sympathetic face before she closed the door.
“SO. WHAT IS it you do here, exactly, Ms. uh...Stuart, was it?”
Ankow inquired, as they left the break room. “I’m not sure what an operations director does.”
“Good question,” Kerry replied. “It depends, unfortunately, on what day of the week it is and what time of the month.” She passed by her office and caught Mayte, installed in her new office, peeking out at her.
She smiled and rolled her eyes outside of Ankow’s field of vision, and the girl smiled back, then went back to checking some reports Kerry had left her.
“Oh, really.”
“Really. I mostly handle day to day operational problems, like outages, customer contact issues, utilization…those areas. But I also structure and organize the consolidation of new acquisitions and make decisions on integration when we buy into companies or join with them as part of a common effort.” Kerry motioned down the hall. “Our main Eye of the Storm 115
operations center is down here.”
“You do, huh?” Ankow seemed either bemused or amused, Kerry couldn’t tell. “How long have you been doing this?”
“About six months,” she answered, scanning her ID card through the large security door. “I was working for Associated Synergenics when they were acquired, as the manager of operations there, and when a position opened up, I applied for it and was hired.”
“This position?’ Ankow inquired.
“No.” Kerry slid her card through a second door and opened it for him. “But then, you already know that, Mr. Ankow, since you requested my personnel file.” She smiled and stood back. “This way, please. I was hired as Dar Roberts’ assistant and moved into my current role when she took on the responsibilities of CIO.”
“She is your boss, then.” Ankow stopped and watched her face intently.
“Yes.”
“Just wanted to clarify that.” He smiled and walked on into the brightly light expanse and low key activity of the operations center.
KERRY INDICATED THE door ahead of her, exhaling a little as they approached the cafeteria. It had been hours of pointed questions and the acceptance of her answers with an air of smugness that was frankly, getting on her nerves.
The smell of arroz con pollo hit her as the door opened, and she entered the line just behind her guest and debated on whether to stick to her usual chef salad or go for one of her favorites.
“Do they have anything American here?” Ankow asked, giving the dish a distasteful look.
“Well,” Kerry smiled at the attendant, who looked at her expectantly, “I’ll have the chicken, thanks, and some flan and a café con leche.”
She turned to Ankow. “They’re Perdue chickens, if that makes you feel better.”
“Sí, señora.” The lady behind the counter wrinkled her nose at Kerry.
“¿Señor? ” She turned her attention to Ankow.
“Give me one of those chef salads,” he ordered, “and a bottled water.”
They took their trays and moved to a table near the window. Kerry took a bite of her chicken and glanced around, noting the eyes watching them and glad it wasn’t just her they were watching for a change.
“You were involved in the Allison Consulting fiasco, weren’t you?”
Ankow inquired, after spearing a forkful of lettuce.
“Yes, I was,” Kerry replied. “I did the initial analysis on the data that came from them. It was very disappointing.” She took a sip of her coffee.
“My question is, how did it get as far as it did? How did you allow us to be duped like that?” The acid comment surprised her. “Do you understand how much that cost?”
116 Melissa Good Keep cool. He’s an asshole. Dar’s words echoed gently in her mind. “I beg your pardon?” Kerry inquired. “I’m operations. I think it’s acquisitions you want to discuss that with or maybe Ernst and Young, who did the due diligence they very obviously should have failed.”
“Yes, but how long did it take you to figure that out?”
Kerry chewed thoughtfully. “I was suspicious the first day. I sent the data the second day. Dar came out that Thursday night and by Friday we had them locked up.”
“Ah. So your…boss had to come bail you out, is that it?” Ankow now looked amused. “Well, that’s understandable.” He dismissed the subject and looked around. The buzz of Spanish around them was perceptible, as well as a lower hum of English, and a few tables of Creole. “Interesting place.”
“I think so.” Kerry scooped up the last of her rice and washed it down with some coffee. “I enjoy the different cultures. It’s very different from where I grew up.”
“Michigan, wasn’t it?”
Kerry nodded.
“So. What’s it like having a scandal in the family?”
Kerry put her silverware down and laced her fingers together. “Mr.
Ankow, I’ve had to put up with your being deliberately antagonistic all day.”
“Too bad.”
“I don’t have to put up with personal questions. That’s not part of the job. So in answer to your question, that’s not your concern.” She paused. “Sir.”
“All right, fair enough.” David Ankow sipped his water and regarded her coolly. “I’m not here to make enemies, Ms. Stuart. And despite what everyone seems to think, I’m not here to tear down you, or anyone else.”
Kerry lifted an eyebrow.
“My job.” He paused for emphasis. “My job, Ms. Stuart, is to protect the investment that people…just regular people, like you and me, have made in this company. Some of those people depend on that investment to carry them through lean times. Some of them depend on it when they retire. It’s my responsibility to make sure we don’t betray that trust. You understand me? That means I have to come in and ask hard questions, like why an account that cost us twenty million dollars to acquire had to be scrapped. That’s not your money, Ms. Stuart.”
Kerry had listened to him, waiting patiently. “Part of it is,” she remarked softly. “I’m a stockholder.”
He was silent.
“So is Dar. So are most of the people around you.” She leaned forward. “I understand about being responsible to people, Mr. Ankow. My job is to try and make everything run, so the company can do what it’s paid to do and provide value to those very same stockholders.” She studied his face. “You represent me, just as much as you do those faceless Eye of the Storm 117
people out there who invest without being personally involved in the company.”
A smile quirked the very corners of his lips. “You are Roger Stuart’s kid, aren’t you?” There was a touch of wry admiration in his tone. “I interned in his office for a year. I remember seeing a picture of you in his office.”
It hit her so hard, Kerry almost lost her lunch on the spot, and it took everything she had to keep a politely interested look on her face.
“Hi.” The interruption was doubly welcome and the voice put a covering of calm over her very jangled nerves. “Mind if I join you?”
Dar hadn’t eaten lunch with her in the cafeteria for at least three months, but Kerry had never been so glad to see anyone in her life.