“No, I’ve pushed it back as long as is reasonable.”
“In response to your text, I asked O’Mara to take an in-depth look and put a camera in.”
“Good.” Wes hung up and smiled at Eleanor. “Do you want me to drive you up to the main building?”
She looked at her watch and at the trailers outside. “Um, I’ll find my way.” She had an hour before the orientation began.
* * *
Barn manager Luke Traylor opened a gate on one of the newly arrived horse trailers. The sixteen-hand chestnut thoroughbred had had enough. As soon as the horse cleared the trailer, he reared on the farmhand holding his lead and bolted. Luke ducked through the rails and went after the runaway.
One of the therapists was walking a Percheron/Thoroughbred gelding toward his new home. At eighteen hands, he was one of the biggest horses on the inventory.
Eleanor shoved the inventory sheet in her pocket, climbed the fence and mounted the blanket-covered back of the gelding named Valentino. Tucking her pelvis and squeezing her legs gently against the giant animal’s flanks, she took off after the wayward chestnut the inventory sheet named Louis the XIV.
“Cluck, cluck, c’mon, boy. Let’s help poor Louis,” she muttered.
She leaned down against Valentino’s neck and let him approach the other horse. The large black horse whinnied at the scared animal. Eleanor cooed, slowly reaching for the loose lead. With it tucked in her palm, she leaned into Valentino’s side, signaling a change in direction to her horse, and slowly led the scared animal toward the barn.
“Luke, do you have a small paddock for him? I’d like him to take some extra time to acclimate.”
“Sure thing, Lovey. Where did you learn to ride like that?”
“Here and there.” She hopped down. She decided to keep that secret. It was not a pleasant memory for her.
“Well, I think you’ve found a permanent friend,” Luke said as the big horse knocked into Eleanor’s back, pushing her onto the muddy ground.
She burst out laughing. “Well, pal,” she pushed to her feet, “I hope Mr. Crockett is understanding. I don’t have time to change. Luke, I’ll be back after the orientation.”
Nadia glared at the therapist who let her take the gelding and ran to her friend’s side. “Ellie, are you out of your mind? You could have killed yourself. Mr. Crockett would kill you if he knew!”
Ellie shook off a moment of dizziness and began heading up the path to the main building. Nadia stayed beside her. Running into the bathroom, she wiped off what she could with a paper towel before she washed her hands and her face. “That’s as good as it gets,” she mumbled and headed to the auditorium.
* * *
Wes and Troy walked onto the stage in the auditorium. Wes smiled as he looked out at the room filled with the new employees. Troy sat in a chair behind him, along with Christian, TJ and Ken. Along the back wall stood the current instructional staff.
“Good morning, my name is Wes Crockett. I’m the director of the Chase Center for Training, and I am here to welcome you. But before I say anything more, I’d like to introduce my co-director for his stay here, Troy Bremen.”
Wes couldn’t help but bite his cheek at the sight of the mud-spattered woman. How she got that way would be a matter for discussion. Behind him, he heard Troy clear his throat as he crutched past him and stood at the podium. Wes nodded, and Troy gave him a two-fingered salute.
“Good morning, my name is Troy Bremen, and I am part of the senior executive staff and one of the founders of Chase Security International. You were all hired to allow this facility to grow. To do that, we expect three things—duty, honor and respect. Now, a concept that is difficult in the era of texting, eyes on mine.” Troy stood in silence. Wes knew he was waiting for people to squirm.
“I’d like to tell you a little bit about the company you want to work for. It was started by Ian and Kieran Chase plus fifteen of us, fresh from Afghanistan. The company grew from the seventeen of us and two terrific secretaries to eighty-nine thousand employees on six continents. Our employee growth results from a broadening vision.
“Recently, the company opened primary care facilities in the underserved counties in the United States. Today, I bring you into the newest vision. In this room, there are forty-eight new security providers. Please stand. Good.
“Your job entails maintaining the safety of every employee, visitor and animal on the grounds of this center. You also will grow to become part of the fabric of the local community. To do that, you must work as a team. Failure to do so can be calamitous. That means discipline and communication. Teamwork is essential.
“You are all Chase Security Operators, levels two or three. All of you are new to the company and hence have zero seniority. For all the benefits of being a Chase employee to be conferred, you must demonstrate you’re qualified to hold this position. A resumé only goes so far.”
“This is bullshit,” a man in the crowd mumbled.
Troy’s eyes narrowed. “Poole, Clarke, show this man the door.” He pointed. “Anyone else?” Troy waited, tapping his fingers in an annoying rhythm beside the microphone.
Wes bit his lip. The Troy he remembered was on the stage.
“If you are ready, I will continue,” Troy said. The group seemed to sit taller in their seats. He went through the same routine with the other new staff—medical, therapy, education, dog trainers and ancillary staff.
