Free Anatomy of Evil by Brian Pinkerton Page B

pleasantries with coworkers. As the elevator climbed, she experienced a brief bout of dizziness with small sparks appearing before her eyes. She shook them away.
    On the fourth floor, she stopped by her boss’s office on her way to her cubicle.
    â€œGood morning, Diane,” said Carol, pushing up her energy levels. “I’m back. It was a wonderful trip.”
    Diane looked up from her desk, eyes filled with a familiar look of panic, fingers tense like claws.
    â€œGreat. Love to hear all about it. Later. Now. Listen. I need your help with something right away. I’m totally swamped. We have a job candidate coming in. She might already be here. I’m supposed to interview her but I just don’t have the time. I need you to cover for me.”
    â€œYou want me to interview her?” said Carol. “I just got in. I—”
    Diane held out a piece of paper. “Take this. It’s her resume. She’s great, she’s perfect. This is just a formality for HR. She’s as good as hired.”
    Carol took the resume. “For what?”
    â€œAnalyst. Entry level. Replacing Chris. God, I need my morning tea.”
    â€œDo you want me to fill out the candidate assessment booklet?”
    â€œNo!” said Diane loudly, then quickly softening her tone. “I mean, obviously I value your opinion but it’s not necessary. The decision has already been made. I just need a warm body in there with her. Make her feel welcome. I’m working with HR on the offer. You better hurry up, it’s in Conference Room D. She might already be there. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And I’d love to hear about your vacation, maybe over lunch one day.”
    Carol took the resume. She hurried to her desk to drop off her laptop and remove her jacket.
    She stared at the resume for a moment. In the margins, Diane had scribbled: “starting salary 78,500.”
    The number struck Carol like a punch to the stomach. It was well above her own salary. There was nothing in the candidate’s resume that surpassed Carol’s own skills and background. In fact, this was a student fresh out of college with basic internships serving as professional experience. Carol was entering her sixth year for her employer.
    Carol let out a small sigh.
    â€œHi Carol, how was Mexico?” a male coworker called out, passing by without stopping.
    â€œI wasn’t in Mexico,” she replied, barely audible.
    Carol began the walk to Conference Room D, gripping the resume. She felt a pounding in her chest. The walls began to curve and distort. Then the corridor lengthened, flinging her destination farther into the distance.
    She stopped, shut her eyes and felt a tight shudder restrict her breathing. She fought to relax. After a moment, she opened her eyes and her surroundings returned to a normal perspective.
    â€œHi, I’m Amy Sibley!”
    The chirpy, fresh-faced brunette hopped out of her chair as soon as Carol entered the conference room. She offered an energetic handshake. “You must be Diane?”
    â€œNo, I’m sorry,” said Carol softly. “Diane got pulled away. I’m Carol.”
    â€œWell, then, great to meet you, Carol,” exclaimed Amy with a big, confident smile.
    Carol sat down at the table and Amy sat across from her. She wore a cheerful peach-colored business suit, so new that Carol expected to see the Nordstrom tags hanging off it.
    Carol looked down at her resume. “So…it says here you’re fresh out of business school, Indiana University.”
    â€œThat’s right, go Hoosiers!” she said with a happy punch of enthusiasm.
    â€œWell, tell me about yourself,” said Carol. She wished she had a formal set of questions to guide the conversation.
    However, Amy clearly didn’t need them. She launched into a crisp, well-rehearsed monologue. “I’m looking at a career in investment banking. It’s my passion. I have