Free Arctic Fire by Paul Byers Page B

floor and the door opened with
a swift whoosh. Cain sidestepped and motioned with his hand for her
to go first and then he followed. He pushed the lobby button and
continued, … “and besides, you’re kind of cute and make a good cup
of coffee.”
    Anger and indignation shot out of her eyes. Her
professional mantle was about to erupt with a 9.0 quake on the
Wrath scale. She had a verbal broadside locked and loaded and ready
to fire when Cain raised both hands, not in surrender but in
exclamation.
    “That’s the fire I’m looking for. I haven’t seen
that passion in your eyes for a while...”
    Mallory was caught completely off guard. First,
because she couldn’t believe the comment about the coffee,
degrading her skills and worth as if making coffee was all she
could do, but his follow-up remark was just as much a curve ball as
the first.
    Cain continued, “…that drive and self-confidence
that used to be in your eyes that said that if I didn’t hire you as
my executive assistant, that I would be making the biggest
mistake of my career, not to mention my life. For the past two
months that flame of determination and excellence has been
smoldering instead of burning brightly. Why?”
    “I’m sorry Nigel.” Mallory said slowly, her
shoulders slumping as if the emotional burdens she had been
carrying had suddenly turned real, gaining a physical weight that
pushed her down. “Tom is going through a difficult time right now.
He’s having trouble passing the bar exam and it still bothers him
that I make more money than he does, though he will never admit
that, and that in itself is a problem for me: his unwillingness to
share his thoughts. I feel that we’re drifting apart.”
    “Tom’s a good guy, men are programmed to be the
provider in the family and it doesn’t sit well with him that he
can’t do that right now. Just give him a little time; as soon as he
passes the bar and becomes a junior partner somewhere and starts
raking in a six-figure income, he’ll be fine. But if it would help,
I can fire you so he’ll be the top bread winner.”
    She hugged her day planner to her chest, giving
a sarcastic smile. “Very funny…and thanks.”
    The elevator slowed to a stop and the doors
whooshed open again, flooding the car with light. The first five
floors of the front of the Cain Building were plate glass, allowing
light to fill the cavernous lobby. The lobby itself was teeming
with lush, exotic greenery that thrived on the sunlight. A
two-story waterfall provided a soothing background noise as people
hurried in and out of the building.
    Cain nodded as they stepped out. “You’re
welcome, and where were we? Ah yes, the Talbot engineering firm.
Did they call and say why Mr. Pike was not at the press
conference?”
    “No sir, but…”
    “All right then, I think we’re going to have to
replace them. I know that things happen but in this day and age,
there is no reason they couldn’t have called. I did want to go with
the smaller firm, it gave more of a personal touch to the project,
a bit more authenticity that the public would accept over a big
city, high power firm, don’t you agree?”
    “Yes sir, but…”
    “When we get back to the office go through my
files and pick out the most pretentious firm we can find. You know,
that one that has twenty-seven names in the title and each one
sounds like they can walk on water.”
    “I don’t think that would be a good idea,
sir.”
    Now it was Cain’s turn to stop in his
tracks.”
    “Really? And can you tell me why not?”
    Mallory looked around and spotted the security
office. “I’ll do better than that sir, follow me.” Cain was a
little surprised but dutifully followed Mallory as she led them
into the main security office. The man behind the reception desk
was in his late twenties, square jaw, a short haircut, wearing a
white shirt and tie with a black sports jacket, looking every bit
the part of a corporate security person. His automatic