Free Roll Against Discovery (3d20 Book 3) by Allyson Lindt Page A

day.
    My phone rang, and I forced the cheer into my voice. “Help desk. This is Kathryn. What’s up?” We were supposed to use a more formal greeting but had a little leeway for internal people.
    “I have a customer asking for a supervisor.”
    Escalation. Yay. My gut twisted in on itself. We were the next line of support when someone was pissed off and wanted to talk to someone in charge. I guess it kept management free to do their other work. I didn’t like talking to pissed-off customers, and they didn’t make it to my line unless they were just that. I always cowered and caved the moment they started to yell. “What’s the issue?”
    “He won’t tell me. He demanded a supervisor the moment I picked up, and that’s all he’ll say.”
    Ooh, he was extra angry. Even better. I stashed the sarcastic thoughts, swallowed my pending anxiety, and said, “Pass him through.” The line clicked, indicating I’d been connected to the caller. “This is Kathryn. I understand you’re having an issue. How can I help you today?”
    “Hello?”
    I refused to roll my eyes. It would crack the shell I had to wrap myself in, to deal with these calls. If I were more like the woman I’d pretended to be at the convention, maybe I’d handle them better. As it was, I already knew I’d bend, break, and acquiesce before the call was over. I always did. “Yes, sir. Hello. How can I help you?”
    “I asked to be passed to a supervisor, not a secretary. Let me talk to someone in management.”
    I clenched my jaw. I could do this. It wouldn’t be a problem. I’d take care of things and then go on break, to unwind. “I’m a supervisor. What seems to be the issue?”
    “You’re not listening, missy.” Condescension oozed from his words. “I want to talk to someone who has the authority to help me, not the gal who answers their phones. Get me someone competent on the line, or I’ll have my lawyer contact you.”
    A growl rose in my chest. I breathed through my nose, focusing on staying calm. “I assure you, I’m able to resolve any issue you’re having. Is this a router problem? If you’ll give me your company name, I can pull up your hardware information.”
    “Listen, little lady. I’m trying to be polite, but you’re testing my patience. If you don’t transfer me now to someone who can help, instead of prattling on in what I’m sure someone thought was a soothing voice, I’m going to start yelling.”
    Something inside me snapped so cleanly, I swore I felt the rush through me. “Do you have children, sir? A daughter perhaps.”
    “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes. Are you going to transfer me or not?”
    My messenger window on my computer chimed with a note from my boss. I ignored it. “What would you do if someone talked to her this way?” I asked. I’d never acted like this at work. It was always suck it up, listen to the shouting, and then apologize until the customer was happy.
    “They wouldn’t, because my daughter isn’t an impertinent bitch.”
    My blood pressure soared. I muted my computer to keep it from chiming. I was in so much trouble, and I wasn’t sure I cared. What happened to me? “Perhaps if she had a father who wasn’t a sexist asshole, she’d be a more useful member of society.” That wasn’t fair; I didn’t even know the poor girl. I did pity her, though.
    “Listen, you stupid cunt. Do you have any idea who I am?”
    My anxiety was gone, replaced with fury. “I don’t. Do you know why? Because you haven’t given me your fu—”
    “I’m sorry about that, sir.” A new voice cut into the line, talking over me. Seconds later, my line disconnected. I clenched my teeth, seething with fury.
    “Greggers.” My barked last name filled the call-center floor. I spun in my chair, to see my boss, Brad, standing in his office door, face red. “In here. Now.”
    I flung my headset aside and stalked toward him. If every eye in the room hadn’t been on me before, they were