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CHAPTER
10
When she arrived at her building, Lucy managed to text Oliver that she was on her way up, all the while running across the lobby reading emails and recovering from the scene on the sidewalk.
She smiled at the thought of Adam’s kiss as she opened the first email.
Dear All,
Allegations of misconduct have been brought to our attention, and we aim to take prompt action. J&J Public strives to foster a safe and inclusive work environment, and any threat to that standard will be investigated in a timely and thorough manner. We take all allegations seriously and have determined after careful consideration that pursuing greater understanding of these claims is necessary.
Please be prepared to meet with an HR member this afternoon if it is requested of you.
—Amanda C. Wiles
Director of Human Resources, J&J Public
Her smile was gone. Reading allegations of misconduct again made her knees weak, and not in the way kissing Adam had. Even without the other emails, she knew what the allegations were, who made them, and who they were directed at.
She skipped to the email Annie sent to just her before reading the one she knew was the worst of the bunch.
Hi Lucy,
I thought about what we talked about and wanted to give you a heads-up. I’m going to expose Jonathan. You’re right, I don’t have to take this from him, and I’ve seen enough in this industry to know filing complaints with HR won’t be enough. I have to go public. Fuck that guy, right? I don’t want to harm you in any way, but I can’t promise you won’t get pulled into this. I just hope that you’ll stand with me when the time comes.
—Annie
A mix of emotion tore at her while she read Annie’s personal email: pride for Annie for taking a stand; worry over what her role in it would be, by choice or necessity; but most of all, sheer terror over what she meant by I have to go public.
How public?Lucy wondered as she dove into the lobby elevator. She chewed her lip to a pulp while she read the final email.
In my ten months with J&J I have experienced mistreatment at the hands of Jonathan Jenkins. I have been solicited sexually, touched inappropriately, and made to feel unsafe both inside his office and at various locations related to my job’s duties, including Mr. Jenkins’s personal hotel rooms and home. I have done everything in my power to maintain professional boundaries despite his advances.
I want to be clear that these claims are not retaliation for a consensual relationship that has ended. I have never engaged in willful sexual acts with Mr. Jenkins. My only goal is to expose his misconduct so that it may be addressed and prevented from continuing. I know from personal conversation that at least one other woman within the company has experienced similar mistreatment, and I hope that she will come forward as well.
I have seen this scenario play out time and again without consequence for those responsible for inappropriate behavior, and I am hoping my choice to share my experience in this manner will inspire change.
—Annie Ferguson
She arrived at J&J. Oliver waited by the elevator door, tapping his phone and chewing his lip. “Oh my god, where have you been?! And what happened to your hair?”
“What hasn’t happened to my hair today?” she mumbled as she swept past him. She wanted to get to her office as quickly as possible to take cover. She felt like she had other woman within the company tattooed on her forehead, maybe a neon sign flashing on her back. Everyone had seen her dramatic exit from Jonathan’s office that morning. Not to mention, she’d told Joanna what happened in there.
Lucy suddenly realized why Joanna hadn’t told her at lunch what was going on. She must have found out what Annie was going to do—maybe Annie threatened Jonathan, and he told his sister while they were out—and if Joanna had dropped that bomb at the Palm, it would have ruined lunch.
“Did you read them?” Oliver demanded as they moved down the hall. Mikayla sat at the reception desk, phone glued to her ear and typing. She looked out of breath sitting still. And like she wanted to cry.
“Yes.”
Oliver sucked air through his teeth, and Lucy’s stomach flipped, knowing they were thinking the same thing.
They arrived at her office. Tension hung over the cubicles like an electrical storm. More than one person stared at her. Both of the Js had their office doors shut.
“Do you have a second?” she asked.
“Yeah. Joanna’s locked in her office; I have no idea what’s going on.”
“Come in,” she said, and pushed him inside. She shut the door behind them and pulled up Annie’s personal email on her phone. She handed it to Oliver without a word and started chewing her thumb.
