Unleash Me, Vol. 2 (Unleash Me, Annihilate Me Series) (10 page)

“
He
’
s gone,
”
I said.
 
“
I
’
m not going to worry about
it.
 
Too many people heard what he
said.
 
He
’
d be a fool to try something.
”

“
If he can
’
t find another job right
away, I don
’
t know
what he
’
ll do.
 
So, I
’
ll have Tank pay him a little visit to make sure Boss
sees God, in case he has other ideas.
 
A visit from Tank should quell any thoughts of revenge.
”
 

“
Actually,
Tank already mentioned that.
”

“
Did he?
”

“
He did.
 
He was angry about how Marco behaved
last night.
 
When he returns home,
he wants some alone time with Marco.
”

“
And yet
another reason why I adore Tank.
”

“
I
’
m very lucky.
”

“
You both
are.
 
Don
’
t forget that.
 
After that woman cheated on him, Tank had a rough time of it before you
came into his life.
 
Now, he has a
wonderful woman who is gobsmacked by him
—
and vice versa.
 
His ex-girlfriend hurt him so badly
that, for a while there, I didn
’
t
think he
’
d try a
relationship again.
 
But he
has.
 
He took a chance, and I don
’
t think you have any idea
what you mean to that man now.
”

She stood from her desk, pressed her hands down over her suit to smooth
it out, and seemed to come back into herself.
 
Her eyes became bright again.
 
Focused.
 
“
Now,
”
she said.
 
“
The
morning is young.
 
It
’
s time for you to meet
your new editor
—
Iris
Masterson.
 
She
’
s quirky as hell, but she
’
s an excellent
editor.
 
Better yet, she wants to
keep your book as it is with only a few reasonable changes that don't affect
the story.
 
In fact, her idea is to
just strengthen what you
’
ve
already written.
 
At five this
morning, I met with her.
 
I saw what
she had in mind for changes myself, and I agree.
 
At some point today, she knows you
’
re coming to meet with
her.
 
That time is now.
 
Come with me.
 
I
’
ll show you to her.
”

*
 
*
 
*

We took an elevator to Wenn Publishing, and when the doors of the car
slid open on the twenty-first floor, the first person I saw was Beatrice, the
woman who had been rude to me the first time I
’
d come to meet Marco Boss at his office when he still
worked for Wenn.
 
She
’
d judged me for being a
‘
self-published author,
’
as she put it, and she
’
d made me stand against a
wall while I waited for Marco to come and collect me.

She was just as severe-looking as Blackwell, but when she saw Blackwell
leaving the elevator with me, the woman straightened in her chair and broke
into a smile that was too quick to be real
—
or to reach her eyes.

Since IT had just been here to remove Boss
’
computer from his office, she knew what was up
—
she knew that he was
gone
—
but did
she know that he
’
d
been fired because of me?
 
Unlikely
at that point, but with Blackwell and I standing before her, she knew it
now.
 

So I had to wonder how long it would take for her to send the email that
would turn me into the pariah of Wenn Publishing.
 
In a corporate culture such as this, all
Beatrice had to do was send one email to her co-workers, and I
’
d forever be known as the
person who was responsible for getting one of their senior colleagues fired.

And what will they think of me then?

“
Barbara,
”
Beatrice said.

Blackwell didn
’
t
return the smile.
 
“
Beatrice.
”

“
It
’
s so good to see you.
 
It
’
s been so
—”

“
We
’
re here to see Iris
Masterson.
 
She
’
s Lisa Ward
’
s new editor.
”

“
New
editor?
”

“
You
’
re a horrible actress,
Beatrice, so give it up
—
it
’
s embarrassing.
 
You and I both know that Marco Boss has
been fired.
 
You and I both know
that soon this place will be a hive of gossip, likely due to your loose lips.
 
So, please, don
’
t play act with me again
—
I won
’
t
have it.
 
Shall I take Lisa to Iris
’
office on my own, or do
you want to call the woman first?
”

“
Everyone is
so busy.
 
It
’
s my duty to call.
”

“
Yes, God
knows how busy Iris is in this tomb of silence and crickets.
 
So, call.
 
But before you call, shouldn
’
t you, at the very least,
welcome Lisa?
 
I have a feeling why
you haven
’
t
acknowledged her, but that no longer will do.
 
She
’
s one of Wenn
’
s
major acquisitions.
 
You need to
know that and respect that.
”

“
Of course.
 
And I do.
 
Lisa and I had a fine meeting the first
time we met.
”

“
No, we didn
’
t,
”
I said.
 
“
You were horrible to
me.
 
You belittled and judged
me.
 
It wasn
’
t pleasant.
”

Her face flushed, and I could see a mask of anger boiling just beneath
the surface.
 
“
I
’
m sorry if you felt that way.
 
It was never my intent.
 
It
’
s so nice to see you again, Lisa.
”

Blackwell rolled her eyes.
 
“
Well, that sounded
heartfelt.
 
Please call Iris,
Beatrice.
 
Let
’
s get this train moving.
”

“
One moment.
”
 
She picked up her phone and
punched a few numbers.
 
“
Lisa Ward to see you.
 
Yes, she
’
s here now with Ms. Blackwell.
 
Very well.
 
I
’
ll send them your way.
 
Thank you, Iris.
”
 
She looked
up at us.
 
“
Iris will see you straight away.
”

“
Quelle
surprise
.
 
But it won
’
t be both of us
—
it will just be
Lisa.
 
I need to get back to my
office and fill out some paperwork to finalize Marco Boss
’
removal from Wenn.
 
But that
’
s easy enough
—
I
deal with eliminations on a daily basis, Beatrice.
 
Not that I mind them.
 
What I need you to do with Boss
’
office is to close his
door and make sure that it
’
s
locked if the IT staff hasn
’
t
already done so.
”

“
Oh, they
locked the door.
”

Blackwell folded her arms.
 
“
And you know this
how?
 
You
’
ve checked?
”

“
Well, I
—”

“
Fine.
 
You checked.
 
Naturally, you checked.
 
From what I know about you, it
’
s in your nature to get
into all sorts of nooks and crannies.
 
You
’
ve always
been
—
shall we
say
—
the curious
type.
 
But here
’
s what you really need to
know.
 
Nobody goes near that office
until Mr. Boss
’
personal
items have been removed from it.
 
Security will take care of that.
 
Not anybody else on this floor.
 
Are we clear on that?
”

“
We
’
re clear.
”

Blackwell turned to me.
 
“
Come and see me the moment
you
’
re finished with
Iris.
 
In the meantime, Beatrice
here will be professional and pleasant, and will take you to Iris
—
won
’
t you, Beatrice?
”

“
Of course I
will.
”

Beatrice rounded her desk in a daze and eyed us both as Blackwell gave
me a kiss on the cheek.
 
“
If you get any attitude
from anyone
—
and
I mean anyone, present company included
—
I
want to know about it.
 
OK?
 
And I
’
ll want their names, so make sure that you get
them.
 
I
’
m in a firing mood.
 
Understand?
 
Good.
 
Now, off with Beatrice.
 
Time to meet your new editor.
”

*
 
*
 
*

When we arrived at Iris Masterson
’
s office
—
which
wasn
’
t one of the
nice corner offices that Marco had enjoyed
—
we were met at the door by a glum-looking
fortysomething woman with a shock of red hair that fanned out from her
shoulders in a frizz of angular waves.
 
She wore no makeup or jewelry, and her blue business suit was so ill
fitting that it looked almost mannish on her.

“
Iris
Masterson,
”
Beatrice
said.
 
“
Lisa Ward.
”

I held out my hand to shake Iris
’
,
but she declined it.
 
“
No, no,
”
she said to me.
 
“
Don
’
t do it
—
pull it back.
 
I have a horrible cold.
 
The worse in decades.
 
It
’
s risible.
”
 
She lowered her voice.
 
“
I
think I
’
m still
incubating.
”

I dropped my hand.
 
On one
level, I was relieved to hear that she wasn
’
t lying
—
she
sounded terrible to me.
 
It was
obvious that she would have shaken my hand otherwise.
 
On another level, I felt bad that she
was sick.
 

“
You don
’
t want what I have,
”
she said to me.
 
“
Stay
as far away as possible.
 
Wear a
mask if you have one.
 
Get
inoculated while you can.
 
I
’
m riddled with germs.
 
I can feel them thrumming through
me.
 
Please come in, but only at
your own peril.
 
Remember, I
’
ve warned you.
”
 

She looked at Beatrice, who was lingering beside me in a way that felt
intrusive.
 
“
We
’
ve
been introduced, Beatrice,
”
she
said in a cool voice.
 
“
Is there anything
else?
 
Would you also like to sit
down?
 
Be part of the conversation
so you can share it with others later?
 
Or perhaps
you
’
d
like to shake my hand
…
.
”