Free Arctic Fire by Paul Byers Page A

million things to do,
not to mention trying to get a little sleep…alone.”
    “Alright.” Marilyn ran her finger up and down
Pike’s cheek and around his lips then off his chin. “I’ll leave you
alone…for now.” And in an instant, her mood changed from temptress
to business executive. “Remember, Twelve O’clock noon!” she said
and walked away.
     
     
     
     
    Chapter
Eight
     
     
     
    Nigel Cain walked with long purposeful strides,
his Lucchese boots clicked on the polished marble hallway floor,
pounding out a steady, strong beat. He didn’t usually wear boots
with his business suits but they had become a passion since
visiting the factory in El Paso. Beside him, his personal
assistant, Elizabeth Mallory, was matching him stride for stride
even though she was a good eight inches shorter than he was.
    Her brunette hair was pulled up into a business
power bun held neatly in place by two ivory chopsticks crowned with
gold caps. Her pantsuit didn’t match, but rather complimented
Cain’s suit as they strode down the hallway from the conference
room to the executive elevators. They both carried themselves as
CEOs.
    The walls of the hallway were lined with plaques
and photographs of the company’s history and achievements. There
was the traditional first dollar bill earned, framed in gold and
silver, set below a picture of a younger Cain standing under a sign
of his first company, smiling at the camera. There were more
photographs of him at numerous groundbreaking ceremonies from his
factories throughout the world. Interspersed amongst these were
various pictures of Cain with a variety of famous people.
    In the center of the hall, in a section all to
itself, was a series of black and white photographs. They showed
the life of a young man in the early 1920’s and ‘30’s. Mallory knew
they were pictures of Cain’s grandfather but she knew very little
of his early family history. There was one photograph that seemed
extra special to Cain and he always slowed a step to look at it as
he walked by. Today was different though.
    Cain paused and took the photograph off the wall
and held it almost reverently. It was a small, tattered picture of
a young man in a uniform sitting on the deck of ship with a blanket
wrapped around him.
    “Do you know who this is?” Cain asked.
    “I assume it’s your grandfather.” Mallory
replied.
    Cain nodded his head. “Yes, it’s my grandfather
from my mother’s side.”
    Mallory had never paid that much attention to
the photograph before but now she stared at it intently. “You have
his eyes.” She said.
    Cain smiled at the thought. “He’s the reason for
everything.”
    “I know, he laid the groundwork for the company
in the early ‘20’s.”
    Cain shook his head. “No, it’s much more than
that.” He studied the picture for a moment longer, then gently hung
it back on the wall. “I’ve never told the whole story about him
have I?”
    Mallory tipped her head to one side. “The whole
story, Nigel?”
    “Yes, well soon…” Cain’s voice tapered off as
his mind began switching gears, exiting from memory lane and
quickly moving into the express lane as he started walking again.
“I noticed that seat number thirty-seven was empty.”
    “Yes sir,” Mallory replied as she began to open
her leather binder. But before she could reply, he continued.
    “Gabriel Pike, I believe.”
    “Yes sir,” she confirmed, looking at the guest
roster. “He’s from...”
    “…from the Talbot engineering firm, out of
Seattle. They were the firm contracted for the final safety
inspection. Frosty mug of root beer for his beverage of choice if
memory serves.”
    They reached the end of the corridor and Cain
pushed the elevator button.
    Mallory looked up at him, waiting for the door
to open. “Nigel, if you already know all this information why do
you pay me to be your assistant?”
    Cain smiled. “That’s Executive Assistant…” The
elevator chimed as it reached their