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I growled to myself as I whispered, “I’ll be right back.” I went back to my desk, dropped my food bag, and then hit the head before I returned to the reception desk again.
“You have three messages, and Jake wants you to call him the moment you get back in the office.”
“Where is he?”
“He had to run out to a job; that’s why he wants you to call him.”
“Alright, I’ll give him a call.”
I started to turn away, and she leaned forward, causing me to pause. “So tell me about her?”
“Who?”
“Maggie Valor. I thought you were joking when you said you knew her, but I saw you two on television hugging. You really do know her, don’t you?”
“What news?”
“The local, you fool. The paper has a picture of you two on their website, with a link to the television station.”
“I’ll check it out,” I told her as I started to leave again.
“Wait! Why didn’t you tell me you two were a thing? I want you to hook me up with her. I have some questions.”
“About what? Me?”
She rolled her eyes. “About her column, Blaire. Who cares about you?”
“Nice, Alice.” I laughed as she stuck her tongue out at me playfully and then answered the now ringing phone.
Back at my desk, I started logging into my computer and then pulled out my hoagie, unrolling it from the paper wrapping as my stomach growled. I took a massive bite from the sandwich before I logged on to the internet and searched the paper.
Right there on the front page was an article about the incident and a photograph beside it with the heading, “Local reporter taken hostage along with eighteen others.” I stared at the photo of us. I had an arm around her waist, and my hand cupped her cheek. I was leaning toward her like I was about to kiss her; behind us, a few cops watched. “Well, crap.”
“Greg,” Alice yelled back to me. “Take your phone off do not disturb; I have Jake on the line for you.”
“Okay,” I called around my mouthful and hit the button. A second later, the phone on my desk began to ring. “Hey, what’s up?”
“Why didn’t you call me? I told Alice to have you call me as soon as you got in.”
“Jake, man, I’ve been in the office for less than five minutes, and I’m trying to eat my sandwich. I haven’t had anything to eat all damn day.”
He sighed. “Fine. You’re going to need the fuel. You have exactly five to finish what you are eating, and then you need to grab your go-bag and meet me at the airport.”
I was chewing as he spoke and asked my next question around another mouthful. “What’s going on?”
“We need to get down to Washington and explain why we have to oversee that damn shipment. They think they can just send those relief medical supplies over there and no one will mess with it. They are stupid fucking bureaucrats that only think about saving a buck to line their own damn pockets.”
“You can’t go alone?”
“No, I can’t. This is your job. I’m going because it’s my company, but you’re the one that has been overseeing this entire project, so finish stuffing your face and get your ass in gear. Alice has the details. I’ll see you at the gate.” He hung up before I could even give him a Roger.
I shoved another bite into my mouth and was about to close my laptop so I could put it in my bag, but I stopped and stared at the photo again. I clicked on the picture, saved it, then brought it up and sent it to the printer.
In between bites, I collected all my work off my desk and tucked it all into my briefcase. On the way back from the locker room where I stored my go-bag, I passed the printer, grabbed the photo, and slipped it into my briefcase.
One last bite and I wadded the paper and tossed it into the trash can as I gathered my two bags and headed toward the door. Alice pushed a folder toward me as I reached the reception desk, “Thanks. See ya when I see ya, Alice.”
“Bye, Greg. Don’t do anything that I wouldn’t do.” She gave me a finger wave as I laughed. I was pretty sure that Alice would do just about anything she wanted. It was one of the things that I liked about her. She was outgoing and didn’t let you get away with shit.
