CHAPTER 6
Nash
I swipemy card and nod to the new security guard in training.
Arlo is my most recent hire, an overeager nineteen-year-old kid. Anson gave his stamp of approval, but all he’s done is complain about Arlo so far, even though he’s been doing his job. With the zealousness of a TSA agent, he’ll alert me immediately to anything slightly suspicious.
Ten in the morning means that everyone is already in their offices. The only ones going up and down the hallways, elevators, and stairwells are clients of the businesses. Funny how you can work in the same building and still not recognize the regulars around you.
And then my eyes land onher.
The woman I ran into yesterday.Magnolia.
She’s walking down the main stairs, carrying a cardboard box. There’s a wide, ornamental staircase that leads to the second floor. Immediately at the top of that staircase is the elevator. The doors chime, and a man with white hair, using a cane, hurries out from between the sliding doors, walking briskly toward the staircase whereMagnolia is. This man looks familiar, so I know he must work here somewhere. She hasn’t spotted me yet, and I have a sinking feeling that I didn’t put enough effort into contacting her. She’s walking with the discouraged trudge of someone who doesn’t know what the future holds. And anytime someone walks out of an office building with a box, it’s not a good sign.
The man from the elevator calls out to her, “Magnolia!”
She stops before she reaches the top step of that main staircase and smiles softly at him.
“I’m sorry,” he says. “I tried to reason with her.”
I move closer to the bottom of the stairs so I can hear their conversation. I’m not even embarrassed about it.
“Isabel shouldn’t have fired you. You’ve been the best assistant she’s ever had.”
“I appreciate that, Mr. Richards. But I don’t think she’s in the mood to listen,” Magnolia replies with a sarcastic laugh.
“If you’d like, I can be your reference.” He leans heavily on the cane with both hands.
“If anyone will hire me after her blacklisting, I will gladly use you as my reference.”
Magnolia smiles at him, and his frown disappears.
“Good. Good. Because it wasn’t your fault. I’d be happy to help in any way that I can.”
He nods and turns back toward the elevator. Magnolia straightens her shoulders and starts the descent down the last flight of stairs. I stuff my hands in my pockets to keep from pulling her into a comforting hug.
She looks up in surprise when she reaches the bottom step.
“You! We have to stop meeting on staircases.”
Her eyes travel up and down my body, and I feel likeshe’s taking inventory. No suit jacket this time. Too uncomfortable. If I have to evacuate a building today, it’s not going to be in a coat. I’m wearing jeans with a Henley.
“I have something of yours,” she finally says.
“I tried to call you,” I explain.
“Yeah, about that. I never answer numbers I don’t know. And I just heard your voicemail this morning as I walked into the office.”
“I’m sorry. I have your papers in my car.”
She smiles sadly. “I think it might be too late for that.”
“Come on. It’s worth a try.” I attempt to console her. “I’ll explain things to your boss.”
“Honestly, I don’t think having the correct papers will save my job either. I was becoming too much of a threat. She was on a firing kick anyway.”
“I’ll walk you out then and at least return the papers to you.”
