Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25739 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25739 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 129(@200wpm)___ 103(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
“I swear I didn’t put them in there.”
“Well, security is running the footage from the lobby as we speak. So, this is your last chance.”
“I didn’t put them there, but they’re mine. Jason brought it up for me. It’s been very stressful, and it helps me work faster.” This explains her working like a damn psycho, forgetting that people need breaks.
“I’m sorry, but I will have to terminate you.”
“You need me.”
“I don’t need a wasted employee. Your behavior was already showing signs of deteriorating for months. I’m sorry, but I will pay for you to go to a treatment center.”
“I don’t need your damn treatment, you asshole.” Her tone changes quickly.
“Well, be that as it may. I will be in the office Wednesday, and you can retrieve your belongings then.”
I ended the call, feeling guilty for letting her get so far without noticing the symptoms. She’d been a decent employee, but I saw the decline and didn’t bother to look deeper. Still, I have a firm to run, and I can’t have coked-out employees breaking the law. I called Rogers again and checked on the footage.
“How’s it going?”
“The only thing I have is Ms. Dalton going into the drawer just before you come out of the office. She looks insanely nervous and looking around.”
“Yes, I’ve informed her that she’s been terminated, and I will deal with the matter with HR. Also, can you pull the ID cards and find when Jason Maxwell entered my floor? I want to know his time stamp because I’ll need footage from that time.”
I can hear him clicking as a migraine builds in my temples. This day hadn’t gone anyway I’d planned, but that’s how life works, and you have to work around it. “He didn’t use his card on your floor today, but Tom Johnson scanned in at one this afternoon.”
“Pull that footage. They were upstairs together when I arrived this afternoon. Tom could have just used his badge to get into the office.”
“Do you want me to call you back when I have it?”
“Yes.” I hung up the call and went into my bedroom to strip out of my clothes. The day has worn me out. Court had been easier than a trip to the office had been. Who would have imagined that?
First, I see a creature so sensual who should be mine, then find that we’re starving her while working her to the bone. If that wasn’t enough, my favorite law clerk is doping up with another law clerk. The scandal could be huge for the firm, so we have to handle this discreetly. However, I can’t say how Ms. Dalton will act with discretion. Immediately, Valentine’s safety comes to mind, and I decide it’s best to call her back.
“Hello,” Valentine answers with a soft, sleepy tone. I’m glad she finally followed my directions and went to bed. Granted, it has been hours since I’ve spoken to her.
“Ms. Pernetti, please wait until Thursday to return to the office.”
“Did I do something wrong?” I hate the crushing sound in her voice, as if this is a punishment. Not seeing her for two days feels like a damn punishment, but it has nothing to do with her except to keep her safe.
“No, I just will not be there to guide you, and I’d prefer that you take direction straight from me.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m sorry to have called so late. Goodnight again.”
“Goodnight, Mr. King,” she says with a sleepy sigh.
Now that’s a sound I can fall asleep to, except she’d be wrapped up in my arms with her head pressed against my chest.
****
Thursday morning comes, and I’m impatiently waiting for Valentine to arrive. No, I must remember her name is Ms. Pernetti. I can’t let this hunger free. After everything that has happened in the past sixty hours, I can’t afford to lose her as an employee. The media has already learned of the firing of both employees, although no details were released.
Maxwell didn’t give me a hard time. Instead, he quickly disappeared to avoid prosecution for distribution, but the DA has no intention of filing charges without hard evidence and it’s not clear what he put in the drawer.
Next month we’ll be doing a mandatory drug test for every employee because I refuse to have this happen again, but I want to have some extra employees under my belt before I go ahead and dump more. It would seem cold and callous, but I have to think about the clients that I’m representing, and if I let my staff run around shitfaced I could easily have cases recalled for any sort of violation, especially if there’s a slip of the tongue and any private information becomes public.
I caught three documents in the past month that I believed were oversights, now I know it’s because she was high while working and had slipped up. Each one of those could have gotten my case thrown out, and a criminal could have been set free.