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"I specifically told you those were a priority when I handed them to you earlier."
"I'm sure Mr. Andrews will understand," she cooed. "I was just telling him how busy I stayed when he took me out to lunch the other day. He wants me to become his new legal assistant after all." She looked smug as she answered Mrs. Holmes, who in turn looked largely unimpressed.
"I suggest you get your current job done now, Ms. Barnes, before you find yourself wishing you were still a lowly clerk at this firm." Mrs. Holmes's glare had the intended effect, and Misty snapped her mouth shut.
"She gets on my nerves," Misty spluttered when Mrs. Holmes left. "I'll be glad when I move up from here."
I didn't know Holt was looking for an assistant, but that didn't stop me from needling her. "I wasn't aware that the job was already yours."
"Well," Misty flung her blonde hair over her shoulder and leaned in as if sharing a big secret, "it's just a matter of time. Holt's always taken the time to talk to me anytime I'm in his office, and he insisted on taking me to lunch a few days ago." She began to giggle like a silly school girl. “Oh, is that man hot!" She fanned her face with her hand.
I couldn't bite back my snicker as she acted all 'girlfriend' with me. "Well, I wish you luck with that," I said and turned to grab the stack of files.
"In the meantime, maybe you'd like to get these done." I pushed the file that Mrs. Holmes had left on the table into her hands. "That way you won't be empty-handed if you happen to run into Mr. Andrews while you're making deliveries. It's your turn today."
"Oh, but I--"
"I know, I'm sure you can't contain your excitement to see him. Must be your lucky day. Maybe he'll offer to take you out to lunch again." I cut her off using my sweetest voice before I walked out the door, shaking my head. As Gammy used to say about some people, she was about as useful as tits on a bull!
I headed to the copier room to check on the serviceman who was doing some routine maintenance on one of the immense copiers.
"That'll do it," he said as he shut the front panel. "She should be good to go." He finished filling out the invoice and handed it to me to sign. I scanned over it while he packed his tool bag.
"Seth, right?"
He rubbed his nose across his arm and nodded.
"I'm sorry, but I think you made a mistake."
"I'm sure it's all right," he responded.
"Um, I don't think so. Here, you wrote that you provided us five cartridges of toner, yet there's only three here. And while you did clean and service the machine, our contract states that we pay an annual maintenance charge. You've listed a service call for almost two hundred dollars." I arched an eyebrow at him.
He stared back at me in return, a scowl replacing his flirtatious grin. "Look, little lady, are you suggesting I'm lying?"
I crossed my arms. "No, I'm not suggesting you're lying. I'm outright saying you're trying to cheat this company."
"Like this firm can't afford it," he spluttered. "Look, lady, times are tight. Don't tell me they're going to notice a measly few dollars missing around here. They'll charge an extra fifteen minutes to some rich client, and it all works out. After all, there's the receipt. All you have to do is turn it in. You're a working stiff like me. You get it, don't you?"
"You've got to be kidding me!" Anger burned inside me. He thought because he didn't earn the same salary, he was entitled just to take it? His pure gall fired me up. I knew what it was like to be poor, and never once had it occurred to me to steal. "You can honestly stand there and ask me to help you cheat this law firm? Too bad for you I'm not a working stiff like you. I'm sure the heads of this firm will be very interested in this false report."
"I don't think you'll be showing that invoice to anybody, missy. Give it to me."
"No."
"Don't mess with me, lady." He took the two steps toward me that brought him right in front of me. "Hand it over," he growled. He stretched his hand out and tried to snatch the paper from my fingers.
I lifted my foot and brought it down on top of his while I shoved my elbow into his paunch middle. I might not be as big as he was, but I had surprise on my side. I turned and took several steps toward the door when I felt my hair snatched. Tears came to my eyes as I was yanked backward and the door slammed shut. Fear clogged my throat and I struggled to breathe. "You little bitch, I'll--"
"You'll what?" a deep voice questioned from across the room. My head suddenly felt free, and I found myself thrown to the cold tile floor, my head hitting the side of a table leg. I lay there, stunned with shock and pain. My vision cleared enough to see Holten Andrews punching some numbers in his phone and requesting security immediately. Seth tried to dart out the door, but Holt stepped in his path. He glanced at me. “Are you okay?”
“I…I think so.” I closed my eyes and took several breaths while footsteps pounded nearby followed by sharply voiced commands.
Gentle hands grasped my arms and I opened my eyes to see Holt kneeling beside me. He lifted my chin with his finger and searched my face. "Are you alright?" he asked softly. He waited until I nodded then helped me to stand.
I glanced over his shoulder and saw Seth being escorted down the hallway by two security guards. I was able to breathe easier.
“Fine as frog’s hair,” I joked weakly.
