She continued.
“My husband had a stroke six years ago. Journalists made him sound inspirational for learning to button a shirt.”
The tension eased.
“He hated it.”
“So did I.”
“Good.”
She entered the office.
Her interview lasted forty minutes.
Marian had managed operations for a marina north of Astoria, then worked for a marine-parts distributor until the company moved its regional office inland. She understood booking systems, supplier accounts, payroll preparation, warranty claims, inventory, and the difference between customers who needed reassurance and customers who needed to be told no.
“What happens when someone arrives demanding access to an employee?” Reid asked.
Marian’s gaze shifted briefly toward me.
“Are they on the approved contact list?”
“No.”
“Then they remain outside.”
“What if they say they’re family?”
“Family is not a security credential.”
I liked her immediately.
“What if Reid argues with a supplier over a price he approved two weeks earlier?” Owen called from outside.
Marian did not look toward him.
“I document the first approval and charge a consultation fee for the second argument.”
Owen grinned.
Reid tried not to.
She asked intelligent questions.
Hours.
Authority.
Accounting software.
Whether she could reorganize the office.
Reid looked around at the stacks of paper and mismatched storage boxes.
“Yes.”
“Entirely?”
